What does a career in defence look like?
Seven of the world’s top 10 defence businesses call South Australia home, and for more than 20 years, South Australian businesses have been delivering the nation’s most complex defence projects.
Our State is home to a world-class defence industry and infrastructure, and the industry continues to grow faster than we’ve ever seen.
Major global defence businesses across the maritime, aerospace, land, systems and cyber industries have their headquarters or significant operations in South Australia.
That means jobs in these businesses as well as more jobs in over 300 smaller businesses providing goods and services directly to defence. So, from project management to combat systems engineering; contracts management to information technology; supply chain to work health and safety; marketing and communications to logistics; South Australia’s defence industry is offering exciting, lifelong careers!
Examples of jobs in Defence
There are loads of opportunities for a career in defence. Here are just a few examples of different jobs requiring the skills that you might have!
Operations Manager
Operations Managers lead and oversee teams who manage the production of goods or services. South Australia is home to more than 300 companies in the defence sector who do exactly that! That’s why there’s high demand for Operations Managers now and forecast for the future.
Responsibilities include:
- strategic planning and overseeing organisational change
- reviewing systems and processes and implementing improvements
- providing guidance and mentoring teams
- monitoring budgets and managing costs
- enforcing occupational health and safety procedures.
Engineer - Various Specialisations
Broadly speaking, engineers use science and mathematics to develop and test solutions to complex problems. While engineers are employed by the Australian Defence Force, even more are highly sought after by the companies developing products and services to support defence force capabilities.
South Australia’s future defence industry will demand a workforce of engineers who specialise in:
- production/manufacturing, meaning they develop, validate and improve manufacturing processes and systems
- software, meaning they build and maintain software systems
- systems, meaning they work with networked computer systems and focus on designing and maintaining the hardware and software required in that network
- mechanical engineering, meaning they develop and test tools, machines and other mechanical products
- combat systems, meaning they design and develop systems and products to support defence force capabilities
- electrical engineering, meaning they design, build and maintain electric tools, devices, systems and equipment
- integrated logistics support, concerned with managing the flow of materials, information and goods from start to finish.
Average wage information is based on positions advertised in South Australia and across Australia.
Project Manager
Project Managers coordinate and oversee the delivery of major projects to drive efficiency and ensure timely completion. This involves responsibility for overall project outcomes, including budget and timelines, cost, quality, contracts, engineering, integration, health, and safety, construction, commissioning and stakeholder management.
South Australia has a history of delivering some of the most dynamic and complex defence projects and there are a variety of jobs available to fill the project management needs of these programs.
Responsibilities include:
- providing project and contract management services
- controlling projects budgets and reporting on project progress
- leading and overseeing administration and delivery of professional services and contracts
- developing and implementing procedures and guidelines that promote best practice.
Support Technician
Support Technicians work within project teams to develop technology that will support delivery of a project. This includes the requirement to monitor, maintain and provide technical support on systems including network, hardware and software.
Responsibilities include:
- developing systems that provide outcomes for projects
- investigating problems with systems and consulting colleagues to determine solutions
- working closely with software engineers to ensure all systems work together to achieve outcomes efficiently
- developing, installing and testing hardware and software.
Human Resource Specialist
A Human Resources (HR) specialist works as part of a broader HR team, to drive recruitment, help manage employee well-being and foster a positive workplace culture. They perform tasks, and provide advice to employees about management, payroll, benefits, training, occupational health and safety, organisational change, compensation and recruitment.
Responsibilities include:
- managing recruitment processes to fill workforce needs
- preparing policies and procedures about HR issues including safety, performance management and recruitment
- maintaining employee records
- dealing with industrial relations matters
- developing training programs and onboarding new employees.
Average wage information is based on positions advertised with Seek, across Australia.
Finance Manager
Finance Managers are responsible for the financial resources of the organisation they work for, including forecasting expenditure and income, so that guidance can be provided to leadership teams.
Major defence projects are stimulating significant economic development and investment across the industry, and Finance Managers will play a key role in managing the financial viability of delivering these projects.
Responsibilities include:
- analysing financial information and providing forecasts and projections
- managing budgets across departments or even multiple business interests
- exploring ways to increase profit margins
- analysing market trends, identifying risks and mitigation strategies
- preparing financial reports.
Communication Specialist
Communication specialists provide a range of strategic communication services across an organisation’s operations. Their work may vary from internal employee messaging and culture-building to marketing products and services and media and stakeholder relations that build company brands.
Responsibilities include:
- preparing and implementing marketing and communication strategies to help meet business objectives
- preparing written, visual and digital communications to promote products or services
- managing contractors to develop graphic or digital products or services
- building internal and external networks to generate an accurate and positive understanding of an organisation’s business and goals.
Average wage information is based on positions advertised with Seek, across Australia.
Digital Specialist
Digital Specialists work with teams to determine digital requirements for projects. They develop solutions that are three-dimensional, interconnected and trackable. In a world where everything is digitalised, especially in the highly-complex defence industry, there is an increasing demand for Digital Specialists to work in global organisations and these skills are vital for national security.
Responsibilities include:
- 3D modelling and visualisation including graphic design
- software programming
- developing digital programs that support project teams to effectively deliver outcomes
- solving problems using digital solutions.
Average wage information is based on positions advertised with Seek, across Australia.
Jobs available right now
Employers in the Defence industry
South Australia is home to more than 300 businesses who employ people in the defence industry. You can explore more job opportunities by visiting findyourplacesa.com, or click through to the Employer Directory to see more employers in other growth industries across South Australia.
The information on this page is accurate at the time of original publish (September 2021). Job projections within the sectors are based on economic data and reporting over multiple years and is subject to fluctuation and change. Jobs featured on this site are a current list of advertised opportunities within the sectors featured and jobs available on external employers’ web links. Users are encouraged to independently check and research career opportunities as more job opportunities become available within the sector.