About the Role
The Remedial / Forensic Engineer will undertake site investigations, determine the cause and extent of building damage and defects, and prepare professional engineering reports, repair recommendations and detailed scopes of work.
The role will primarily cover insurance-related building damage, structural investigations, remedial building works and Class 2 building defects/remediation.
Key Responsibilities
Insurance & Damage Investigation Experience
The engineer should be capable of independently investigating building damage resulting from events such as:
- Tree impact to roofs and building structures.
- Storm and wind damage.
- Water ingress and escape-of-liquid events.
- Ground movement, settlement and subsidence.
- Cracking to walls, slabs and structural elements.
- Vehicle impact.
- Fire-related structural damage.
- Roof failures and damage.
- Retaining wall movement or failure.
- Foundation and footing movement.
- Structural movement and deformation.
- Damage to masonry, concrete, timber and steel structures.
The engineer must be able to distinguish between:
- Event-related damage
- Pre-existing damage
- Building defects
- Poor workmanship
- Maintenance-related deterioration
- Material deterioration
- Design or construction deficiencies
- Ground or foundation movement
- Gradual deterioration versus sudden damage
This distinction is particularly important when preparing reports for insurers, loss adjusters and insurance builders
Site Investigation Skills
The engineer should know what needs to be inspected, measured, photographed and documented, rather than simply attending site and recording visible damage.
They should be competent in:
- Visual structural inspections.
- Detailed defect inspections.
- Crack identification, measurement and mapping.
- Level surveys and identification of building movement where required.
- Roof structure inspections.
- Roof cavity inspections.
- Timber framing inspections.
- Masonry and brickwork assessment.
- Concrete inspection.
- Steel structure assessment.
- Footing and foundation assessment.
- Retaining wall assessment.
- Balcony and façade inspections.
- Waterproofing defect investigations.
- Water ingress investigations.
- Moisture testing and interpretation.
- Identification of corrosion and concrete deterioration.
- Identifying when destructive/invasive investigation is required.
- Identifying when specialist testing or another consultant is required.
Building & Construction Knowledge
The engineer should have a strong practical understanding of how buildings are constructed and how different elements interact.
Knowledge should include:
- Timber framing
- Structural steel
- Reinforced concrete
- Masonry and brickwork
- Footings and foundations
- Roof framing and roof structures
- Roof coverings and drainage
- Wall systems
- Cladding and façades
- Balconies
- Waterproofing systems
- Flashings
- Windows and doors
- Building movement joints
- Retaining structures
- Drainage
- Moisture management
- Building envelope systems
The engineer should understand construction sequencing and repair methodology, not just structural calculations.
Causation Analysis
A major requirement of the role is the ability to establish and clearly explain causation.
Reports should address:
- What damage or defect exists?
- Where is it located?
- What caused it?
- Is the damage consistent with the reported event?
- Is any damage pre-existing?
- Are there contributing building defects or maintenance issues?
- Has the event caused structural damage?
- Does the building remain structurally safe?
- Are temporary safety works required?
- What investigation or testing is required?
- What repairs are required?
- What standards or technical requirements apply to the repair?
The engineer must be comfortable providing an independent professional opinion supported by site evidence, engineering principles, applicable standards and technical information.
Engineering Report Writing
Strong technical report-writing skills are essential.
Reports should generally be capable of including:
- Executive summary.
- Client instructions.
- Property/building description.
- Reported event/background.
- Scope of investigation.
- Site observations.
- Photographic evidence.
- Measurements.
- Damage/defect locations.
- Investigation methodology.
- Engineering assessment.
- Causation analysis.
- Discussion of pre-existing versus event-related damage.
- Structural assessment.
- Relevant NCC and Australian Standard references.
- Conclusions.
- Recommendations.
- Required further investigations.
- Repair methodology.
- Scope of works.
Reports must be written in clear professional language that can be understood by insurers, builders, strata managers, owners and other consultants, while still being technically defensible.
Scope of Works & Quantification
A key requirement is the ability to convert the engineering findings into a practical construction scope of works.
The engineer should be able to:
- Measure affected areas during the site inspection.
- Record dimensions and quantities.
- Calculate approximate m², linear metres and item quantities.
- Identify materials requiring removal and replacement.
- Define the extent of demolition.
- Define structural repairs.
- Nominate repair/replacement materials.
- Specify required fixings and connections where applicable.
- Specify waterproofing/remedial requirements.
- Identify temporary works where required.
- Identify access requirements.
- Identify specialist trades or consultants required.
- Clearly separate affected and unaffected areas.
- Produce a trade-based and/or sequential repair scope that a builder can reasonably price.
The objective is that the resulting SOW is detailed enough for a builder or estimator to price the repair without having to determine the engineering repair methodology themselves.
Class 2 & Remedial Building Experience
Experience with Class 2 buildings is highly desirable.
The engineer should understand investigations involving:
- Balcony waterproofing failures.
- Concrete deterioration.
- Concrete spalling.
- Reinforcement corrosion.
- Façade cracking.
- Water penetration.
- Failed membranes.
- Balcony falls and drainage.
- Hob and threshold details.
- Movement joints.
- Balustrade interfaces.
- Window and door interfaces.
- Flashings.
- Structural cracking.
- Podium and terrace waterproofing.
- Common property defects.
The engineer should then be capable of developing a repair methodology and detailed scope of works, rather than simply stating that the balcony requires waterproofing.
Australian Standards & Regulatory Knowledge
The engineer should be confident researching, interpreting and applying relevant requirements, including where applicable:
- National Construction Code (NCC).
- Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW).
- Design and Building Practitioners Regulation.
- Building Code and relevant NSW legislation.
- AS 3600 – Concrete structures.
- AS 3700 – Masonry structures.
- AS 1684 series – Residential timber-framed construction.
- AS 4100 – Steel structures.
- AS 4654 series – Waterproofing membranes for external above-ground use.
- AS 3740 – Waterproofing of domestic wet areas.
- AS/NZS 3500 series where plumbing/drainage interfaces are relevant.
- Other applicable Australian Standards, manufacturer requirements and accepted engineering practice.
The engineer should also know when a matter falls outside their expertise and requires referral to a geotechnical engineer, hydraulic engineer, façade consultant, building surveyor/certifier, waterproofing consultant, fire engineer or other specialist.
Practical Skills
The ideal engineer should be comfortable working on active building sites and be able to:
- Use laser levels and measuring equipment.
- Take accurate site dimensions.
- Produce sketches and marked-up plans
- Interpret architectural and structural drawings.
- Review existing engineering documentation.
- Read construction plans and specifications.
- Identify structural load paths.
- Understand practical construction methods.
- Communicate repair requirements directly with builders and trades.
- Attend joint inspections with insurers, loss adjusters, builders, strata managers and other consultants.
- Review completed remedial works where required.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Degree in Civil Engineering and/or Structural Engineering.
- Relevant Australian engineering experience, preferably within structural, forensic, remedial or building diagnostics.
- Appropriate NSW Professional Engineer registration where the engineering work falls within a prescribed area of engineering.
- Experience working with the NCC, Australian Standards and relevant NSW building legislation.
- Understanding of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) and Class 2 regulated building work requirements.
- Current driver's licence and ability to attend sites throughout the required service area.
- Construction White Card.
Desirable Skills
- Eligible for or holding Engineers Australia Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status is highly desirable.
- NER registration desirable.
Personal & Professional Attributes
- Have strong attention to detail.
- Be investigative and analytical.
- Be comfortable making and defending professional engineering conclusions.
- Avoid assumptions where evidence is insufficient.
- Clearly identify limitations to an investigation.
- Know when further testing is required.
- Have excellent written English and technical report-writing ability.
- Communicate technical issues in plain English.
- Understand construction from a practical as well as engineering perspective.
- Be capable of working independently.
- Manage multiple inspections and reports simultaneously.
- Produce reports within required insurance/industry timeframes.
- Maintain accurate site notes, photographs and records
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $61,937.93 – $111,972.80 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kingsgrove NSW 2208
