Principal Reliability Engineer

About the role:

The Principal Reliability Engineer role is essential for ensuring Sydney Water meets its obligations for optimal cost, risk, and performance outcomes throughout the asset lifecycle, including creation, maintenance, and renewals. This role is responsible for leading the organization's reliability strategy, focusing on best practices and innovation in reliability engineering. It involves developing, coaching, and executing reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety modelling and assessment. This includes analysing condition assessment data, lifecycle modelling and assessment curves, maintenance predictive analytics, and evaluating operations and performance data to manage breakdown liability for Sydney Water.

What you will be doing: 

• Lead reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety modelling and assessment, including data analysis and predictive analytics.
• Identify and address performance gaps in asset and system performance.
•  Develop asset class and system performance requirements and apply the Performance, Cost, and Risk (PCaR) approach.
•  Introduce innovative reliability maintenance techniques and contribute to setting engineering standards.
• Assess system reliability to identify points of failure and risks, and ensure data quality.
• Lead root cause analysis and problem-solving for complex asset failures.
• Source external technical expertise when needed for complex issues.
• Drive continuous improvement in reliability practices and contribute to asset management systems and enterprise strategy.
• Embed an organisation wide continuous improvement culture through core reliability engineering paradigm.

Your Experience and Qualifications:

In addition to a degree qualification in engineering (preferably mechanical, electrical or similar) you will also have experience in operations, maintenance/renewals or treatment/quality aspects of water systems. Also you will have:

• Broad industry exposure to Systems Engineering and Analysis including utilities, transport, aviation and resource sector will be preferred.
• A strong analytical and quantitative aptitude.
• A commercial mindset with an exposure to asset planning and investment optimisations will be an added advantage.
• Minimum of 6 years' experience in complex asset management, particularly in water/wastewater treatment or related engineering fields.
• Proven expertise in system performance measurement, analysis, and evaluation, developing strategies to improve reliability and condition.
• Strong skills in reliability-centred maintenance, including risk-based strategies and tools like RCM2, FMECA, RAM, and RBD.
• In-depth knowledge of mechanical or electrical assets used in production and environmental settings.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving and lateral thinking abilities.
• Effective negotiation skills and the ability to influence stakeholders for positive business outcomes.
• Advanced use of computerized asset management systems, preferably Maximo, and leading root cause analysis for asset failures.

Does this sound like you? Apply now. Closing date: 10th July 2025

We support you through the application process and can modify as needed – let us know what you need. For more information, you can contact recruitment@sydneywater.com.au 

Please see the position description for the role’s full accountabilities.  

Why join us 

At Sydney Water, your work will make a real difference in people’s lives—and your own. With diverse projects and roles, you'll find ample career growth opportunities. At Sydney Water, we actively seek and celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and individuality., fostering a safe environment where everyone can thrive and shape impactful community projects. We offer flexible working arrangements and opportunities for career progression among our many benefits.  

Dive into Our Great Benefits: 

Competitive Remuneration: We’ll ensure that your skills and contributions are valued and rewarded appropriately. 

Hybrid Work Environment: We offer a hybrid work model that balances remote work and office collaboration, supporting our team's productivity and well-being. 

Continuous Professional Growth: We will invest in your career with leadership and development programs to propel your success. 

24/7 Wellbeing Support: Access for you and your family to free and confidential mental health and general health support through our EAP portal. 

Discounted Private Health Insurance: Unlock affordable access to top-tier health coverage with our discounted insurance plans. 

Family First: Prioritise your family with up to 18 weeks of fully paid parental leave and a childcare allowance. 

Fitness Passport: Achieve your physical fitness goals using our Fitness Passport, granting you access to a multitude of gyms and pools across NSW. 

Novated Leasing: Get in the driver's seat of your financial future with our novated lease options. 

Working at Sydney Water  

We welcome and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, including First Nations people, LGBTQIA+, people with disability, people with caring responsibilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and veterans.  

As part of the application process, Sydney Water will be collecting your personal information to assess your suitability for the role. We will also use your personal information to establish a LiveHire talent profile in our Talent Community.  

Your personal information will be collected in accordance with LiveHire’s Terms, Privacy Policy and Sydney Water’s Privacy Collection Statement – Job Application. Please note as part of the application process, you will be asked to undergo background checks which includes a criminal history check.