Principal Engineer - Infrastructure & Finance

Location: Brisbane, Australia, Perth, Australia, Sydney, Australia

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

About the Business and the Role

SLR is a global leader in environmental and advisory services, supporting clients across all stages of project development—from concept and feasibility through financing, construction, operations, and closure. With a highly integrated global Mining Advisory team, SLR brings together specialists in engineering, finance, operations, project delivery, and due diligence.

We are seeking a Principal Engineer – Infrastructure & Finance to join our growing Lenders Engineering and Project Advisory practice. This role blends technical engineering expertise, commercial and financial understanding, and advisory capability to support project financing, refinancing, M&A assessments, construction monitoring, and infrastructure due diligence.

You will join a multidisciplinary senior team, a group recognised for delivering high‑quality, investment‑critical advice to lenders, investors, project sponsors, and operators across the mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

This is a senior, client‑facing role with substantial autonomy, impact, and visibility across major projects.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Due Diligence & Independent Engineer Assignments

• Lead technical reviews for project finance, refinancing, and M&A mandates, including assessment of project designs, infrastructure, CAPEX/OPEX, execution approaches, and operational strategies.
• Conduct Independent Engineer (IE) and Lenders Technical Advisor (LTA) scopes, delivering clear, commercially grounded assessments of project readiness and risk.
• Evaluate infrastructure‑related systems (power, water, logistics, materials handling, , etc.) for compliance, performance, and investment risk.
• Conduct project studies and assist with Technical and Maintenance advice on operating assets.

Construction Monitoring & Project Assurance

• Undertake site visits to assess construction progress, QA/QC, schedule integrity, and contractor performance.
• Review drawdown requests, progress claims, cost variances, changes, and contingency usage.
• Produce high‑quality monthly and other  reports for lenders and investors with transparent risk identification and mitigations.

Commercial, Financial & Risk Insights

• Integrate engineering assessments with commercial implications and project finance considerations.
• Evaluate cost structures, financial models, schedule interfaces, and risk‑adjusted outcomes.
• Support internal and client‑side project finance teams with technical inputs for term sheets, covenants, and risk frameworks.

Client Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a primary client interface, fostering trusted advisory relationships.
• Present findings to senior executives, lenders, boards, and technical committees.
• Work collaboratively across SLR disciplines including engineering, financial modelling, ESG, and advisory.
• Working efficiently and effectively as project manager or as a technical expert.

Business Development & Practice Growth

• Support proposal development, scoping, budgeting, and pursuits for Lenders Engineering and Advisory work.
• Mentor emerging engineers and consultants across project assurance, due diligence, and infrastructure engineering.
• Contribute to internal frameworks, methodologies, templates, and knowledge systems for the Lenders Engineering practice.

Skills & Experience

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or related Engineering discipline.
• Chartered/Professional Engineer (CPEng, RPEQ, or equivalent) is highly regarded.

Professional Experience

• 12–20+ years’ experience across infrastructure, mining, processing, heavy industry, or major capital project delivery.
• Experience in the mining industry, composed of senior onsite roles.
• Experience in maintenance and maintenance systems of mobile and fixed plant.
• Strong exposure to project development phases, project controls, cost estimation, schedule analysis, and operational readiness.
• Experience in due diligence, Independent Engineer roles, project assurance, or project finance interfaces is highly regarded.
• Familiarity with EPC/EPCM delivery structures and construction environments.

Capabilities & Attributes

• Ability to interpret complex engineering and commercial information and present it with clarity.
• Strong analytical and risk‑assessment skills with the ability to challenge assumptions and identify gaps.
• High level of written communication, technical reporting, and client presentation capability.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally for site assessments.

Our Benefits

We are proud of our unique culture where we work together to collaborate on projects to get the best possible outcome for our clients. Whether you’re working in the office, from home or a mix of the two, we recognise that every person is different, and our benefits aim to ensure that we cater for all.

You can find a comprehensive list here.

Next Steps

We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion. Please note that interviews are conducted with gender diverse interview panels to the best of our ability. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.

Unsolicited resumes from recruitment consultants will not be accepted. You must be part of the preferred supplier agreement list which is coordinated through our Talent Acquisition team.