Principal Highways Engineer

Title: Principal Highways Engineer

Location: Canberra, Australia

Employees work in a hybrid mode

Full-time

State/Province: Australian Capital Territory

Business Group: DCS

Legal Entity: AECOM Australia Pty Ltd

Business Line: Transportation

Work Location Model: Hybrid

Operating Group: International

Primary Location: AU - Canberra, ACT

Company Description

Come grow with us. 

AECOM is involved in the most interesting and challenging transport infrastructure projects that are shaping the landscape around us and defining the future of Australia and NZ. We live and breathe culture, making sure our lives are integrated with our professional development and we actively enjoy the journey.

Our teams work collaboratively across the world and our transportation experts leverage local knowledge and global capability to help clients navigate challenges and build a better world. Our expertise in planning, designing, and managing transportation systems allows us to help public and private clients move people and goods in smarter, more advanced, and sustainable ways.

Everyone belongs at AECOM

We’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging - because great ideas come from diverse perspectives. AECOM is proud to be a Fortune 500 Most Admired Company, a WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, #Work180 Equitable Workplace Awards 2025 Winner and an AWEI Bronze Tier LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employer.

Job Description

This is an opportunity to join a highly regarded national Highways team while playing a key role in the growth of our Canberra business. You'll lead the delivery of complex road and highway projects from planning through to detailed design and construction support, working alongside experts across civil, structures, transport planning, digital engineering and environmental disciplines.

How you'll make a difference

• Lead the technical delivery of major roads and highways projects across the ACT and Australia.
• Manage multidisciplinary design teams to deliver high quality outcomes on time and within budget.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key clients including ACT Government, National Capital Authority and other transport agencies.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and guidance to engineers across the Highways team.
• Review designs, manage project risks and ensure quality and compliance with Austroads and client standards.
• Support business development through client engagement, proposal preparation and opportunity identification.
• Collaborate across AECOM's national transport business to deliver innovative infrastructure solutions.

Qualifications

The qualities that help you thrive

The following qualifications and experience are highly desired, but if you don’t tick all the boxes you could still be a perfect fit for this role. Please apply, all applications will be considered.

• Around 10–15 years' experience in civil engineering within a consulting environment.
• Strong experience delivering roads and highways projects from concept through to detailed design.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and providing technical direction.
• Strong knowledge of road design standards and Australian transport authority requirements.
• Experience developing long term client relationships and contributing to winning new work.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.
• Chartered status (CPEng) or working towards Chartership is highly regarded.

Additional Information

Why you’ll love working with us 

• Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, part-time, job-sharing and hybrid work options
• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year
• Volunteer and representation leave
• Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses. 

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.