Engineering Manager - Octopus Australia

Company Description

This is an opportunity to join the Octopus Australia team in our Melbourne or Sydney office. The successful applicant will be able to join the Octopus Australia team on their mission to accelerate Australia's transition to a future powered by renewable energy.

Octopus Australia is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead a multi‑disciplinary team of engineers, supporting a growing portfolio of utility‑scale solar, wind and battery storage projects from origination through to operations. This role will be central to building the best project delivery team in the industry and ensuring projects are delivered to the highest standards of safety, quality and performance.

Octopus Investments Australia

Established in 2018, Octopus Australia is a dynamic multi-disciplinary team of over 60 highly skilled people which spans the expertise required to realise and operate a renewable energy and storage portfolio.

With an existing multi-GW portfolio of operating and development assets, including solar, wind and grid battery storage across the country. We are continuing to grow to create a long-term business that can deliver a firmed energy product to meet the evolving needs of Australia’s energy future.

Job Description

Key responsibilities

1. Technical leadership and project lifecycle support

• Provide engineering leadership from early origination and site screening through to operations, including capacity layouts, concept design, constructability reviews and CAPEX inputs.​​
• Oversee technical due diligence, resource monitoring campaigns, yield analysis and revenue assessments in collaboration with development, investments and energy markets teams.​​
• Own and refine standard technical specifications and Principal Project Requirements (PPRs) for solar, BESS, substations and wind balance‑of‑plant, incorporating lessons learned from operating and under‑construction assets.​​

2. Design, standards, systems and tools

• Build internal design and yield capabilities utilising tools such as PVsyst, PVDesign/RatedPower, AutoCAD and specialist wind software, including guidelines and QA processes.​​
• Implement and maintain engineering and construction standards, templates and reporting structures (e.g. design criteria, SLDs, cable schedules, technical specifications, construction reporting).​​
• Champion the adoption of digital tools and implementation of innovative process (e.g. document management, modelling platforms) and investigate use of AI and automation to streamline workflows.​​

3. Construction interface and delivery support

• Work closely with the Project Director and Project Managers to provide technical oversight during procurement, construction, commissioning and operation.​​
• Support EPC and BOP procurement, including technical scopes, evaluation, clarifications and negotiation of high‑value contracts (EPC, BESS supply, substation, grid connection).​​
• Provide technical support to 3rd‑party Owner’s Engineers and site representatives, ensuring quality, safety, performance and compliance objectives are met.​​

4. Leadership, people and stakeholder management

• Line‑manage and mentor a growing team of engineers, creating clear development pathways for subject‑matter experts and future project leaders.​​
• Work collaboratively across the broader Octopus Australia business (investments, development, HSE, legal, energy markets, asset management) to align priorities and manage trade‑offs across the portfolio.​
• Represent Octopus with external stakeholders including OEMs, technical advisors, contractors, lenders’ advisors and key industry bodies, building strong long‑term partnerships.​​

Qualifications

Experience and qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Electrical, Mechanical or Civil Engineering (or closely related discipline).​
• 10 years’ experience in large‑scale power or energy infrastructure, with significant exposure to utility‑scale solar PV and/or BESS; wind experience highly regarded.​
• Demonstrated experience leading multi‑disciplinary engineering teams and managing multiple concurrent projects across the full lifecycle (development, design, construction, commissioning and operations).​​
• Proven track record of working with EPC/BOP contractors, OEMs and technical advisors on complex, high‑value projects.​

Desirable

• Experience in the investment or IPP side of the business, with familiarity in project finance concepts.
• Prior experience in a fast‑growing renewables developer, IPP or EPC, with exposure to both greenfield and brownfield opportunities.​

Skills and attributes

• Strong technical grounding in solar, BESS and/or wind design, grid integration and construction methodologies.​
• Excellent leadership, coaching and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at all levels and build a high‑performing, inclusive team.​​
• Highly organised, comfortable managing complex workloads and shifting priorities in a dynamic environment, with a pragmatic and solutions‑focused mindset.​​

Additional Information

What we offer

• 💰 A competitive salary package including bonus and medical insurance benefits
• ✈️ Extra Annual Leave entitlement
• 🏡 Flexible working 
• Ongoing learning and career development opportunities

Octopus has built an exciting and inclusive high-performance culture where employees feel empowered. We also understand the value of diversity, and we are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace environment. We would welcome people of all backgrounds to apply. 

Our Values 

At Octopus we don’t just focus on what we do but also how we do it. Everyone shares our values of being straightforward, helpful, and bold. Our culture is critical to our success and is built around three principles that underpin how we pursue our goals:

• Be Bold – We like people who make decisions quickly and are OK changing their mind if it turns out there’s a better way of doing things.
• Be Helpful – We like people who behave like it is always day one and who remember that without our customers, there is no business.
• Be Straightforward – We like people who have opinions and express them in a way that’s respectful and easy to understand.