Engineering Manager - Programs & Customer Delivery at Arkeus

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

04 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

06 Mar, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Technical Leadership, Customer Orientation, Defence Sector Experience, Mission-Critical Environments, Engineering Execution, Program Delivery, Product Lifecycle Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Scale-up Execution, Budget Management, Cost Control, Hardware-Enabled Software Systems, Customer Expectation Management, Manufacturing, Sustainment, Decision-Making

Industry

Defense and Space Manufacturing

Description

About the role: Arkeus is seeking an Engineering Manager who combines strong technical leadership with exceptional customer orientation, with mandatory experience gained within Defence or highly regulated mission-critical environments. This role sits at the intersection of engineering execution, customer delivery and organisational scale. You will lead a multidisciplinary engineering team while working closely with customers, program delivery, product and executive leadership to ensure our solutions are delivered reliably, safely and in line with operational expectations within Defence capability development and delivery environments. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will play a key role in shaping how engineering supports customer trust, program execution and sustainable growth as Arkeus scales. This role is best suited to someone who has thrived in small to mid-sized scale-ups, is comfortable with ambiguity, and enjoys being close to both the technology and the customer. Prior experience within the Defence industry is essential, ideally working on capability development, delivery, or sustainment of complex systems. About you: You are a pragmatic engineering leader who understands that in Defence and mission-critical environments, engineering excellence and customer trust are inseparable. You bring: Mandatory experience working within the Defence sector, supporting defence capability development, delivery or sustainment programs. Strong customer-facing experience within Defence, aerospace or similarly regulated sectors. A track record of leading engineering teams in small or scaling organisations. The ability to operate confidently across technical, commercial and customer domains. A calm, structured approach to decision-making in complex, high-stakes environments. Key responsibilities: Engineering leadership and delivery Lead, coach and develop a high-performing engineering team across the full product lifecycle, from development through manufacturing and sustainment. Set clear technical standards, engineering practices and documentation disciplines appropriate for Defence and regulated environments. Balance near-term delivery with long-term technical health and scalability. Customer experience and stakeholder engagement Act as a senior engineering interface for customers, supporting technical discussions, trade-offs and delivery expectations. Translate customer and operational requirements into clear, executable engineering plans. Partner closely with Program Delivery and Customer Success to ensure engineering decisions support delivery commitments and customer confidence in Defence program environments. Scale-up execution Operate effectively in a small, fast-growing organisation where priorities evolve and leaders remain hands-on. Build lightweight but robust engineering processes that scale without slowing delivery. Contribute to continuous improvement across ways of working, cross-functional collaboration and decision-making. Commercial and business alignment Own and manage the engineering budget, with clear accountability for cost, resourcing and forecasting. Ensure engineering effort is aligned to contracted scope, delivery milestones and commercial outcomes. Contribute to leadership discussions on strategy, risk, growth and investment priorities. Your experience and skills: Degree in Electronics, Software, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline. Significant experience working within the Defence industry or supporting Defence programs. Proven experience leading engineering teams delivering hardware-enabled software systems. Experience engaging directly with Defence or government stakeholders, managing customer expectations, operational constraints, and program delivery. Exposure to product development through to manufacturing and sustainment. Experience operating in scale-ups or lean organisations where leaders remain hands-on. Strong understanding of engineering cost drivers and budget ownership. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders. What we offer: We make incredible things – you will be working in a company at the forefront of innovation in Australia. You will collaborate with experienced leaders, with backgrounds in aerospace, defence and academic research and development – and just as much passion and energy as you have. You will become a part of a close-knit, inclusive, and connected team, immersed in a dynamic startup culture. We focus on recruiting the best – this is the opportunity to surround yourself with other like-minded professionals who enjoy working in an environment where we are inspired by the passion and capability of the very people we work with. You will benefit from workplace flexibility and work-life balance. You’ll get the opportunity to mentor bright emerging talent through our highly sought-after intern program and strong connections with universities. You have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP). We will give you the chance to make a real difference. If this sounds like you, please apply even if you don't check every box listed above and join our growing team in improving security and saving lives!

Responsibilities

The Engineering Manager will lead, coach, and develop a high-performing engineering team across the full product lifecycle, setting technical standards appropriate for regulated Defence environments. Key duties include acting as the senior engineering interface for customers, translating requirements into executable plans, and partnering with delivery teams to meet commitments.