Tunnel Ventilation Lead Engineer

SYSTRA is one of the world's leading engineering and consultancy groups specialising in public transport and sustainable mobility. With over 10,300 employees, SYSTRA's mission is to design safe and sustainable transport solutions to bring people together, develop social inclusion and facilitate access to employment, education and leisure throughout the world.

For 65 years, the Group has been working alongside cities and regions to contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their infrastructure and transport systems, throughout the life cycle of their projects. SYSTRA is involved from the earliest stages of design through to the testing, deployment and maintenance phases. The company provides all its services in over 80 countries worldwide and generates 74% of its turnover internationally. With its new services, SYSTRA supports its clients and partners in their digital, ecological and energy transition, in order to invent the mobility of tomorrow.

Context

It is rare to find an infrastructure project immune to budget and political cycles, but this one has a career horizon stretching all the way to 2086. We are looking for a Tunnel Ventilation Lead Engineer to join the Newcastle–Sydney HSR corridor—a 100% renewable, greenfield network that is setting a new global standard for engineering excellence.

Missions/Main Duties

In this role, you will be the technical authority for the environmental and safety systems that keep the network breathing. From managing the "piston effect" of high-speed trains to designing critical smoke control systems, you will ensure our underground sections meet the highest operational and life safety standards.

Profile/Skills

• Lead the design of tunnel ventilation systems for all underground sections, covering normal operation, emergency smoke control, and station ventilation.

• Develop ventilation design strategies for each tunnel section, determining the best configuration for longitudinal, semi-transverse, or transverse systems.

• Define mechanical shaft configurations and technical requirements for Saccardo nozzles and jet fans.

• Lead 1D and CFD modelling programmes to demonstrate compliance with airspeed, temperature, and smoke movement criteria.

• Co-ordinate modelling assumptions with the Fire & Life Safety Lead to maintain a consistent safety case.

• Manage the structural integration and sizing of ventilation shafts, plant rooms, and duct penetrations within the tunnel envelope.

• Provide technical input into plant and controls specifications during ECI, including jet fan ratings, noise criteria, and SCADA integration.

• Review contractor submissions to ensure alignment with the project's performance specifications.

• Co-ordinate with the Rollingstock Lead to confirm aerodynamic data, such as blockage ratios and heat rejection, for use in ventilation modelling.

If you are ready to put the "greenest thing possible" on your CV and lead a technical legacy that moves the needle for decades to come, we want to hear from you.