• The annual base salary starts from $95,438 per annum.
• A generous employer superannuation contribution of up to 15.4% will be paid in addition to salary and allowances.

Please note that the Mechanical Technician position is a permanent, full-time position based at the Australian Antarctic Division's head office in Kingston, Tasmania with periodic deployments to Antarctica.

Working with the drill system engineer and other team members, you will help maintain, improve, and operate a highly specialised deep ice drilling system in support of the Million Year Ice Core campaign. The Mechanical Technician role will be hands-on, and you will be expected to:

• Co-ordinate and undertake servicing, repair and maintenance of mechanical components of the deep ice drill, tower, winch and associated drill-system infrastructure.

• Be part of the team operating the deep drill system in Antarctica and take the lead in resolving mechanical issues including operation of machining tools to modify, manufacture or fabricate components in the field.

• Maintain a register of drill system mechanical tasks and issues. Contribute to scheduling and planning of drilling, maintenance and cargo activities.

• Assist in the selection, design and manufacture of new components and equipment for the deep drill system in collaboration with other AAD staff and external collaborators.

• Manage and update as required the drill system mechanical engineering documentation

What we are looking for

Essential - Mechanical Technician

To apply for this role, you must have the skills and licences listed below:

Qualifications/licences

Provide copy with application:

• Qualification –
  • relevant experience and a mechanical engineering trade qualification OR a degree or diploma in mechanical engineering from an Australian tertiary institution
• Driver’s licence – Current, unrestricted “C” class (manual) Australian driver’s licence
• Citizenship – In accordance with the PS Act 1999, Australian Public Service employees are required to be Australian citizens. Persons who are not Australian citizens will generally only be considered where there are no suitable Australian applicants, with next considerations being Australian residents with work rights and New Zealand citizens.

Obtain prior to commencement:

• Valid Passport – The expiry date of the passport (and any relevant visa)
• Provide First Aid (HLTAID011) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of AAD commencement.
• Provide basic emergency life support (HLTAID010) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of AAD commencement.
• Provide CPR (HLTAID009) must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of AAD commencement

Knowledge and experience

We welcome applications from people with diverse experiences and technical backgrounds. You will thrive in this role if you enjoy practical, solution-focused work and are excited by the challenge of remote field operations.

We are particularly interested in people who have:

• Demonstrated practical hands-on ability in the manufacture, fabrication and installation of precision mechanical components under limited supervision.
• Demonstrated ability in the operation machine tools, including manual lathes and milling machines to produce precision mechanical components.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver technical/mechanical solutions to problems and issues under limited direction and at times with limited resources
• Ability to plan, coordinate and conduct mechanical servicing, maintenance and repairs.

Desirable - Mechanical Technician

Knowledge and experience

• Experience with CNC machining and welding (MIG, TIG).
• Experience working in remote or isolated environments.
• Familiarity with SolidWorks or similar CAD software and managing technical documentation.

Contact

For general enquiries, please email the Hays Expeditioner Recruitment Team at antarctica@hays.com.au.

For job specific (technical or trade related) enquiries, or to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Joel Pedro at joel.pedro@aad.gov.au.

Applications will not be accepted via email.

How to apply

1. Read about the essential information for all applicants and life as an expeditioner. This is an overview of the recruitment and selection process.
2. Review the job description. This describes the job and specifies essential qualifications and experience. It also tells you what documents you need to attach to your application.
3. Have your documents ready to attach (e.g., licences, qualifications and current CV/résumé). You must include these to be considered for the job.
4. When you have completed steps 1 to 3 above, click ‘Apply Now’✱ to start your application. Applications will not be accepted via email.