Each engineering consideration shapes how effectively we can protect the people and platforms that depend on our designs. Through my career at BAE Systems Australia, I’ve worked across rocket technology demonstrators, fighter jet sustainment, and warship survivability. These experiences have given me perspective on how engineering choices are measured against the harsh realities of combat.
I joined BAE Systems through the graduate program, which gave me opportunities to gain hands-on and collaborative experiences through different parts of the Australian business. I began by working on rocket technology demonstrators where we developed modelling tools to pioneer new limits of flight, many times beyond the speed of sound.
From developing the weapon to supporting the platform, one of my most vivid memories from the program was a secondment to Newcastle, supporting Hawk Lead-In Fighter jet sustainment activities. For an aerospace engineer, there are few experiences more memorable than visiting the hangar, watching fighter jets roar into the sky, and walking home with the aircraft starkly silhouetted against the sunset.
After finishing the graduate program, I moved into vulnerability engineering on the Hunter Class Frigate Program. With great support from my line manager, I undertook a six-month secondment to Glasgow, UK.
Walking through HMS Glasgow, I saw firsthand what would soon take shape in Australia for the Hunter Class Frigates, which are based on the UK’s Type 26 design. It was enlightening to see and feel ship equipment built to withstand damage in combat and protect crews in the most demanding conditions, which I had only previously seen in images and designs. And, of course, no trip to Scotland is complete without plenty of visits to ancient castles, highland cows, and fantastic hikes along the way.
I was at a test event watching as a barge was struck by an explosion. The shockwave I felt gave me a visceral appreciation of the environments our designs must survive in, more so than what engineering equations could ever convey.JasonMechanical Engineer, Australia
Today, as part of the Maritime Innovation Program, I lead and collaborate on technical solution development across naval platform design, build, and sustainment. Within a week, I can find myself working closely with cross-disciplinary teams on projects from machine vision, to thermodynamics, and even microbes. My role requires me to navigate complex technical environments and deliver innovative solutions that matter to the end user and protect what matters most at sea.
My experiences in the graduate program have given me an invaluable network of connections who have become trusted colleagues across disciplines and locations. Now, a few years on, those relationships make collaboration efficient and rewarding when solving complex engineering projects. Most recently, I caught up with one of my peers who has relocated to Australia after completing the graduate program in the UK.
This is my BAE Systems story, find yours by joining today.
Our colleagues share their personal stories on what drives them and why they chose BAE Systems.