Senior Base Engineer

CHC provides unmatched helicopter services that enable our customers to reach beyond – to work in remote and challenging destinations that limit others – and come home safely. We are dedicated to our purpose of getting our customers where they need to be, when they need to be there, anywhere in the world – safely and reliably. All you have to do is get on board!At CHC, we pride ourselves on our values and culture: Accountability: Take pride and ownership of our actions and results. Collaboration: Working together with transparency and trust to drive continuous improvement. Care: Creating a safe and sustainable environment for all. Integrity: Doing what's right and fostering a culture of respect. Excellence: Prioritizing quality services and setting industry standards.

 

CHC Helicopter is seeking an experienced aviation engineering professional to join our team as Senior Base Engineer at our Nowra base on the beautiful NSW South Coast.

 

This is more than a technical role. As Senior Base Engineer, you will be a key leader within the engineering team, responsible for maintaining the highest standards of safety, airworthiness and operational readiness while supporting critical rotary-wing operations.

Working closely with operational and engineering leaders, you will have the opportunity to influence engineering performance, mentor talented engineers, and contribute to the continued success and growth of CHC's Australian operations.

  

Located on the spectacular NSW South Coast, Nowra offers an exceptional lifestyle with:

• Beautiful beaches and coastal living
• Easy access to Sydney and Canberra
• Affordable housing compared to major metropolitan centres
• Excellent schools and community facilities
• Outdoor activities including boating, fishing, surfing and national parks

Enjoy a rewarding aviation career without compromising on lifestyle.

As Senior Base Engineer, you will:

• Lead engineering activities to ensure aircraft availability and operational readiness
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineering personnel
• Ensure compliance with CASA regulations, company procedures and Part 145 requirements
• Support safety, quality and continuous improvement initiatives
• Liaise with operational, maintenance and customer stakeholders
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration and engineering excellence

 

The SBE is responsible for supervising and managing the engineering operations on base as directed by the Maintenance Manager in accordance with CHC operational practice. You will hold direct accountability for aircraft availability of the CHC Leonardo AW139 aircraft in Nowra.

 

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  Lead and coordinate engineering operations to support daily flying requirements 

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  Champion a proactive safety culture by encouraging reporting, learning, and continuous improvement 

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  Ensure compliance with CASA, Part 145 requirements, company procedures, and engineering standards 

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  Manage and develop engineering personnel while promoting professional conduct and accountability 

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  Plan and oversee maintenance activities, rostering, and resource allocation 

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  Represent Engineering in base meetings and collaborate closely with operational stakeholders 

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  Monitor operational systems and maintenance programs including HUMS, FDM, CAMP, and other compliance requirements 

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  Drive operational efficiency while maintaining exceptional safety and quality standards 

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  Support interstate and international deployments when required 

• CASA Part 66 Category B1.3 License with AW139 Type Rating; unrestricted license and rating preferred

• Proven experience in aircraft maintenance, overhaul, and repair

 

• Ability to coach, manage and lead a team in line with CHC values
• Demonstrated interpersonal and organisational leadership skillset

• Strong safety and compliance mindset

• Excellent communication and people management attributes
• Strong operational decision-making and problem-solving skills 
• Highly detailed and task oriented

 

• Ability to provide evidence of successfully delivered outcomes within complex regulatory frameworks
• Demonstrated experience working in a highly regulated operational environment
• Experience within aviation, aerospace, defence or similarly regulated industries is highly desirable

 

 

 

 

You are a respected aviation professional who leads by example and thrives in a fast-paced operational environment. You know how to balance safety, compliance, customer requirements, and team performance while maintaining a collaborative and positive culture. 

 

 

Applicants must have the legal right to work in Australia and meet any clearance requirements relevant to the role. 

 

 

We reserve the right to commence interviews or close this vacancy before the advertised closing date should suitable candidates be identified. We therefore encourage early applications. 

Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback to all applicants. If you do not receive a response from our recruitment team, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion. 

We sincerely appreciate your interest in CHC and encourage you to monitor our careers website for future opportunities that match your skills and experience.

 

 

This position is managed directly by CHC and we are not engaging recruitment agencies for this vacancy. 

We respectfully request that agencies do not contact us regarding this role or submit unsolicited candidate profiles. Any CV submitted without prior written agreement will be treated as a direct application and no agency fees will be payable.