Relocate to Australia - Associate Director – Architecture (NSQEP)
Added 9 Sept · still live
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£47,600
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2451 (85% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £47,600, and AECOM is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
This could also be SOC 1255 (Managers and directors in the creative industries, Associate Director title could suggest management, but description is architectural design work) or SOC 2452 (Chartered architectural technologists, planning officers and consultants, Involves planning and coordination, but core role is architectural design). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
About the role
Company Description
Come and grow with us.
Our global portfolio of work comprises the design of iconic and award-winning buildings and landscapes. From strategic planning through to project realisation, the connections we make among people and place provide sustainable outcomes for our clients and the communities we serve. We place a premium on investing in digital capabilities and innovations which bring a unique consistency and efficiency to our scalable work. Together with our clients, we are working to evolve and elevate the built environment across sectors including social infrastructure, transit, technology and logistics, and commercial and corporate real estate, while focusing on solutions that promote long term health and wellbeing for all.
Everyone belongs at AECOM
We’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging - because great ideas come from diverse perspectives. AECOM is proud to be a Fortune 500 Most Admired Company , a WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality , \#Work180 Equitable Workplace Awards 2025 Winner and an AWEI Bronze Tier LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employer .
Job Description
As an Associate Director – Project Architect you will lead the design and delivery of complex facilities within highly regulated environments including defence, research and nuclear infrastructure. You will provide architectural leadership across multidisciplinary teams, guiding coordinated design outcomes from concept through to delivery while maintaining strong alignment with safety and operational requirements. The role requires a balance of strong design capability, technical leadership and stakeholder engagement with responsibility for shaping project direction, managing interfaces and ensuring design integrity is maintained throughout all stages of delivery.
This role is based in Adelaide. Relocation packages are available for suitably qualified candidates.
How you’ll make a difference:
- Lead the architectural design and delivery of complex defence, research, and nuclear infrastructure projects within highly regulated environments
- Act as Project Architect, maintaining design intent and ensuring coordinated, high-quality outcomes across all project stages
- Lead multidisciplinary design coordination, integrating architectural, structural, services, and specialist systems into cohesive solutions
- Translate nuclear safety case and regulatory requirements into robust architectural design responses in collaboration with subject matter experts
- Oversee design development, technical documentation, and compliance with relevant standards including Defence, NCC, IAEA, and applicable nuclear frameworks
- Lead client and stakeholder engagement, building trusted relationships and ensuring alignment across project objectives and expectations
- Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to project teams while driving continuous improvement and delivery excellence
The following qualifications and experience are highly desired, but if you don’t tick all the boxes, you could still be a perfect fit for this role. Please apply, all applications will be considered.
The qualities that help you thrive:
- Accredited degree in Architecture with AUKUS registration and exposure to nuclear defence / NSQEP
- 10–15+ years’ experience in architecture, including leadership roles on complex, safety-critical projects
- Proven experience acting as Project Architect and/or Principal Consultant on medium to large-scale projects
- Demonstrated experience in highly regulated environments such as defence, laboratories, pharmaceutical, healthcare, or nuclear-related facilities
- Strong understanding of Defence design standards, government delivery frameworks, and regulatory compliance requirements
Additional Information
Why you’ll love working with us:
- Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, full-time, part-time, job-sharing and hybrid work options
- Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year
- Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better
- Continuous learning and growth - lunch and learns, professional development courses, financial study assistance, 5 days paid study leave, global career opportunities
We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.
Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Learn more about life at AECOM: LinkedIn, Facebook , Instagram, X, YouTube - explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!
At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.
AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses. Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.
About AECOM
AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.
Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity
You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.
You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.
AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.
Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.
ReqID: J10153009
Business Line: B&P - Buildings & Places
Business Group: DCS
Strategic Business Unit: ANZ
Career Area: Design
Work Location Model: Hybrid
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with AECOM, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
SOC 2451 · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · ~30k in sampleP25 £37kP75 £55k
£33kmedian £47kgoing rate £48k£55k
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Browse more sponsored jobs at AECOMAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. AECOM holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2451 going rate of £47,600. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.