After completing a 12-week internship and now being a participant in the graduate program, Callum loves the career diversity available across Australia’s largest defence company.
He’s spent six months working on components of the Nulka Active Missile Decoy and is now involved in the Hunter Class Frigate Program.
“One of the benefits about working at BAE Systems is that you are not limited to your own discipline,” Callum says.
“While I am trained as an electrical and electronic engineer, throughout my time with Nulka I have been exposed to mechanical and software engineering, as the work I complete tends to integrate with those disciplines.
“Collaborating with technicians and other engineers is common as the problems and solutions may not necessarily relate to electrical and electronic factors.
“I enjoy the collaboration, meeting new people, and the opportunity to learn and take on feedback.”
Within the Hunter Class Frigate Program, Callum is working as a Verification and Acceptance Engineer (V&A) in Requirements, Verification, Commissioning and Acceptance (RVCA).
“A V&A Engineer is a systems based role that involves the management of requirements and verification activities,” Callum says.
“It’s highly collaborative and involved, and you’re exposed to all aspects of the ship’s design and are provided the opportunity, later in the lifecycle, to complete test and acceptance activities on the physical ship.
“Although systems engineering is not the field that I studied at university, it is an important discipline that I believe every engineer should gain experience in, as it shapes the development of a project from concept to delivery.”
Callum said the highlight of his experience in the Hunter program has been learning something new every day about the design of the ship including hardware, system integration, structure or management.
While studying a Bachelor of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (Honours) at RMIT, Callum enjoyed the hands on process of designing and testing physical hardware. However, the BAE Systems graduate program provided opportunities to be involved in broader stages of a project lifecycle.
“If a project is in the early stages of the engineering lifecycle you will have the opportunity to undertake design activities — whereas a project within sustainment will have more remediation tasks,” Callum says.
“All projects are at various stages, so it can be a lottery in terms of the work you will be doing."
“I feel that the coolest thing about my job is that it always relates to defence technology and tools.
“Even writing reports, plans and procedures excites me because it I’m able to apply my knowledge of the various components and systems.”
Your future’s bright at BAE Systems Australia.
Register your interest in joining our upcoming graduate program.
