Principal Design Engineer

Principal Design Engineer / Design Authority - Waste2Energy / Waste Management

Brisbane (Yatala), Queensland | Senior role | Contract & flexible engagement structure (60-100%)

About Pelleton Renewables

Pelleton Renewables is a Swiss clean tech company and a leader in biomass and bio-waste management technology. Our proprietary, patented chemical desiccation process breaks away from conventional heating, filtering and centrifugal water removal methods — achieving around 80% volume reduction with 82% less energy and 34% lower CO₂ than thermal drying, and converting waste streams into valuable pellet products. The technology is proven at our fully automated demonstration plant in Yatala, Queensland. (www.pelletonrenewables.com)

About the role

As we take our technology from successful demonstration into commercial-scale deployment, we are looking for a senior process engineer to lead the development of our commercial plant design and act as the design authority for our engineering programme. The engagement carries an explicit option, by mutual agreement, to convert to the permanent Head of Engineering/CTO role.

This is a hands-on senior role at the technical heart of the company: you will own the process design basis, lead our in-house engineering team from our Yatala demonstration site, and shape how our plants are engineered and delivered in Australia and internationally. You will report directly to the Global CEO and work closely with our Head of Technical Sales and technical team.

Key responsibilities

• Own the process design basis and lead development of our commercial-scale reference plant design — PFDs, heat and mass balances, P&IDs, equipment specification, control and operating philosophy.
• Direct and develop our process engineering team, and embed decades of operating knowledge into the design.
• Specify and manage external engineering partners and certification (RPEQ) as fixed-scope packages.
• Lead safety in design — HAZID/HAZOP participation and close‑out of process actions.
• Establish the performance and acceptance basis for client‑facing plant guarantees.
• Support client feasibility studies and plant projects together with our technical sales team.
• Contribute to the longer‑term technology roadmap as the company grows.

Who we are looking for

Must have

• 15+ years in design, mechanical/electrical or chemical engineering within process industries (waste, bioenergy, water, food, minerals, chemicals or similar).
• Must have owned the process design basis and lead development of a commercial-scale reference plant design

• Demonstrated pilot‑to‑commercial scale‑up experience — you have owned or been a lead author of a design basis or process design package that was subsequently built and commissioned.
• Hands‑on plant fluency — as comfortable on the tools at a demonstration plant as defending a heat and mass balance in a design review.
• Experience specifying and managing external engineering consultancies and/or interfacing with EPC contractors.
• HAZOP/HAZID participation experience and a strong safety‑in‑design mindset.
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical or Design Engineering (or equivalent).
• Based in, or willing to work predominantly from, greater Brisbane; the right to work in Australia; current Australian driver’s licence.

Good to have

• RPEQ registration (Queensland) or eligibility.
• Drying, dewatering, densification/pelletising, sludge or organic‑waste processing experience.
• Experience in a technology licensor, OEM or scale‑up environment.
• A track record of mentoring and developing junior engineers.

What we offer

• The lead technical role on a patented, proven technology entering its commercial rollout — your design will be built, plant after plant.
• A genuine pathway to senior technology leadership as the company scales.
• Flexibility in how we work together: we are open for a senior part‑week / contract arrangement for the right person that can lead into full time employment.
• A hands‑on role with real impact on Australia's net‑zero journey, based at our Yatala demonstration plant.

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