The Defence and Space Industries

South Australia’s defence and space industries play a crucial role in building the state’s economic growth and prosperity.

South Australia’s defence industry is made up of hundreds of innovative businesses that maintain and enhance Australia’s Defence Force capabilities and contribute to international Defence contracts.

As the centre of gravity for Australia’s emerging space industry, South Australia is home to the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Mission Control Centre, Australian Space Discovery Centre and over 100 space-related organisations.

You don’t need to be an astronaut or join the Defence Force to work in the defence and space industries. All you need is the drive and passion to be part of an innovative, exciting and thriving sector.

Defence

South Australia’s defence industry is responsible for the research, development and production of materials, equipment and facilities for the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force.

Major defence projects are underway in South Australia across naval shipbuilding, aerospace, systems and cyber.

More than 10,000 jobs are being created over the next 2 decades to keep the country’s Defence Force at the cutting edge of capability to protect Australia and its national interests in many areas including:

Project and Business Management

Program/Project Administrator/Manager
Marketing Specialist
Contract Administrator
Purchasing Officer
Estimator
Production Manager
Supervisor
Product Quality Controller
Intelligence Analyst
Quality Analyst
Planner
Scheduler
Purchasing Officer/Manager
Subcontracts Administrator/Manager
Legal Adviser
Finance Manager

Design and Engineering

Industrial Designer
Systems Designer
Architectural Draftsperson
Test and Activation Engineer
Production Engineer
Software Engineer
Systems Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Combat Systems Engineer
Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) Engineer
Electrical Engineer

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

Software and Applications Programmer
ICT Support Technician
ICT Security Specialist
ICT Systems Analyst
Communications Technician
Electronics Technician

Operations and Trades

Boat Builder
Shipwright
Structural Steel and Welding Tradesperson
Sheet Metal Tradesperson
Metal Fitter and Machinist Electrician
Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
Carpenter and Joiner
Glazier
Painting Tradesperson
Motor Mechanic
Aircraft Maintenance Technician
Crane Operator
Truck Driver
Trades Assistant
Commercial Cleaner
Store Person
Trade Management/Supervision
Mechanical Operations Tradesperson
Electrical Operations Tradesperson
Piping Operations Tradesperson
Light Fabrication Tradesperson
Heavy Fabrication Tradesperson
Welding Operations Tradesperson

Search and apply for a job in defence in South Australia.

Space

South Australia’s space industry currently employs more than 1500 people. The space sector is growing at a rapid pace and South Australia is dedicated to supporting the Australian Space Agency to triple the size of the space sector creating an additional 20,000 jobs across the nation by 2030. Our everyday lives are impacted by the data collected from space and there are amazing opportunities to work with innovative companies in the areas of satellite design, manufacture, launch, data analytics, research and much more.

Careers in the space industry are so much more than astronauts and rocket scientists. A broad variety of jobs are on offer here on Earth in the areas of space law, medicine, design and manufacturing, robotics, data analysis and much more including:

Management & Administration

Project Manager
Network and Systems Administrator
Work, Health and Safety Officer
Communications Officer
Marketing Officer
Space Communicator and Outreach Officer
Space Business Development Manager

Technical Specialists

Fabricator
Cyber Security Specialist
Space Lawyer
CNC Machinist
CAD Drafter/Designer
Intelligent Game Developer
Electrician
Electrical Technician
Avionics Technician
Mechanical Technician
Assembly Technician
Automation and Robotics Technician
Astronaut
Flight Surgeon
Protection Test Technician
Space Planner / Analyst

Engineer Specialists

Avionics Engineer
Robotics Engineer
Propulsion Engineer
Electrical / Electronics / Avionics Engineer
Space Systems Engineer
Engineering Technologist
Engineering Technician
Machine Learning / AI Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Thermal Engineer
Software Engineer

Scientists

Space Scientist
Data Scientist
Analyst
Earth Observation Scientist
Astrophysicist

Operations & Trades

Operator
Labourer
Trade Assistant
Confined Space Watcher
Mechanical Fitter

Search and apply for a job in the South Australian space industry.

I get excited about working in the space industry because putting something into space is so difficult. I love the idea of the challenge, that it requires a huge amount of work from so many talented people in a variety of fields all working together to make a project come to fruition.

James, Mechanical & Thermal Engineer, Neumann Space

I love that I’m able to work with others to solve problems that have an impact and make a difference every day while still being able to learn new things.

Georgia, Systems Engineer, BAE Systems Australia

It was exciting moving back to South Australia not only because it’s where I’m from, but because of the emerging space industry. I wanted to help build the space industry in Australia from the ground up, rather than work overseas in an industry that’s already established.

Farisha, Avionics Engineer, Southern Launch

There’s such a variety of opportunities in the defence industry and I’m really excited about the prospect of working on innovative and cutting-edge projects. I have some of the greatest minds around me and these people support me in my growth and development as an engineer.

Jessica, Hardware Engineer, Lockheed Martin Australia

Whilst a larger number of roles in the space industry are in engineering, there are lots of other ways to be involved. Space companies, like ours, still need accountants, lawyers and people in communications and marketing.

Ben, Chief Operating Officer, Inovor Technologies

The best thing about leading a company in South Australia’s defence industry is shining a light on the local skills, talent, and innovation that exists right here, in our own backyard.

Simon, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Silentium Defence

I’m excited for the opportunity to work on massive projects that have a real impact on the future of our Defence Force and the nation’s protection and security.

Jeff, Systems Engineer, Nova Systems

There are a number of projects within South Australia which you can spend your entire career working on and still enjoy what you do.

Dhiren, Commercial Manager, PMB Defence

There’s a misconception that the defence industry is very serious, but the experience I’ve had is that we are a very creative and collaborative group of individuals working towards a common goal.

Jamila, Project Manager, ASC Shipbuilding

This sector is growing fast, which means there are always new and exciting projects on the horizon.

Andrew, General Manager, Precise Manufacturing

If there is something that you want to do, and you want to give back to defence, there is definitely a job out there for you.

Zac, Support Technician, Silentium Defence

What I love most about my job is being able to solve the problems that really matter, knowing that my work contributes to Australia’s national security and economic growth.

Trent, Senior Systems Engineer, Nova Systems

You don’t need to be in the armed forces or necessarily have experience in the defence industry in order to be successful and have a rewarding career. The industry is growing, well-funded and rampant with opportunity…I can’t see myself moving on anytime soon.

Rozanne, Senior Financial Accountant, PMB Defence

A lot of people study engineering and do very little engineering in their day to day role. I wanted to be doing calculations and getting my hands dirty in a work shop. I also wanted to be working at the forefront of technology development. This made defence the obvious choice.

Seth, Mechanical Engineer, PMB Defence

I love the culture of our company and the tech we get to work with. The defence industry as a whole has so much to offer in terms of ground breaking technology. We get to develop really cool products and go out in the field testing them. It’s a really interesting industry with so many different aspects that can be worked on.

Christian, Graduate Software Engineer, Silentium Defence

People should definitely consider a career in the defence industry, it takes all types to do the work that we do and there’s lots of opportunities for growth. Adelaide is not only a really nice place to live it’s a really fantastic place to work especially if you are in the defence industry.

Kyal, Digital Specialist, BAE Systems ASC Shipbuilding