POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title Reliability Engineer

Group / Branch Network Services/Maintenance

Reports to (Title) Mechanical & Electrical Asset Services Manager

Position Type Permanent Full Time

Job Purpose
The Reliability Engineer initiates and implements projects to improve reliability, optimise
maintenance and reduce operating risks associated with South East Waters mechanical and
electrical assets. The role is responsible for developing and implementing maintenance & reliability
strategies, creating and managing reliability models (including RCM models), carrying out detailed
analysis of equipment maintenance & performance data, identifying asset reliability & availability
improvement opportunities, and improving equipment maintenance regimes.

Position Context

- As a senior member of the maintenance team, this role is expected to manage reliability
activities and drive the organisations mechanical and electrical reliability strategy with
minimal guidance.
- Primary responsibility for evaluating the reliability of South East Waters mechanical and
electrical asset base, developing suitable reliability models, optimising maintenance regimes,
investigating major equipment failures, and implementing projects to improve asset
reliability and availability.
- Provide leadership and expertise to the mechanical and electrical disciplines by taking a lead
role in establishing and implementing reliability concepts and standards. Furthermore, you
will support technical staff and field contractor teams in seeking optimal solutions to
complex technical faults.
- Extensive engagement with operations and maintenance teams will be required to develop
accurate equipment reliability and performance models, and ensure that improvement
initiatives are practical and deliver maximum value.
- Stakeholder management is critical to the success of this role and influencing internal and
external stakeholders is a key requirement. Regular reporting and presentation of reliability
activities, improvement initiatives, maintenance strategies and budget forecasts to a variety
of stakeholders is required
- Must remain up to date with both national and international trends in reliability and
maintenance, ensuring that South East Water is at the forefront of mechanical and electrical
asset management in the water industry. This role is also expected to trial and evaluate new

Review Date:
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 maintenance, reliability and condition monitoring technologies / techniques for broader
application across the business.
- As a subject matter expert in the field of maintenance and reliability, occasional interstate
travel may be required to act as a South East Water representative in common industry
working groups, conferences, conventions etc.
- Whilst primarily office based, regular site visits will be required to inspect and assess
equipment and exchange technical information with field staff.
- May be required to participate in the mechanical & electrical duty roster, and thus be
available to respond to urgent maintenance issues outside normal business hours.

Key Accountabilities

Optimise Maintenance Regimes

Use RCM and other analytical methodologies to review and optimise planned & predictive
maintenance regimes for South East Waters mechanical & electrical assets, and create, assess
& modify associated maintenance templates as a result.
Drive Reliability & Maintenance Strategies
Develop, update and implement key maintenance and reliability strategies & frameworks,
ensuring alignment with other corporate frameworks, such as the corporate risk and asset
management frameworks. Influence key stakeholders across the organisation to ensure that
reliability objectives are endorsed and successfully delivered.
Improve Asset Reliability
Methodically identify and investigate equipment reliability issues through detailed analysis of
performance data & maintenance history. Scope and prioritise opportunities for reliability
improvement, implement required actions, and provide regular reports to stakeholders as
required.
Investigate Major Technical Failures
Carry out detailed root cause analysis (RCA) of complex, repetitive or high cost failures, and
identify & implement actions to prevent recurrence and improve the integrity, reliability &
availability of plant and equipment.
Manage RCM Models
Maintain existing RCM models, and create new models for existing / new facilities, engaging
reliability consultants to provide support as required.
Develop Maintenance Budgets
Use reliability models and forecasting techniques to develop both long-term and annual
mechanical and electrical budgets, and prepare associated supporting documentation.
Prepare Business Cases & Technical Reports
Investigate, develop and submit robust business cases for reliability & maintenance initiatives,
such as trialling predictive maintenance technologies, upgrading assets, or implementing new
maintenance frameworks. Prepare detailed technical reports and presentations on key
activities and projects, for delivery to internal and external stakeholders.

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 Support Development of Capital Maintenance Programs
Assist in the development and prioritisation of annual and long-term planned capital
maintenance programs through the use of RCM, life cycle analysis, risk assessment, and other
analytical techniques.
Provide Specialist Reliability & Maintenance Support
Provide specialist technical advice & direction to internal and external stakeholders to ensure
the optimal reliability and maintainability of South East Waters mechanical and electrical
plant. This includes providing engineering advice & technical direction to maintenance staff,
supplying reliability data & support to asset management staff, and providing expert reliability
input during the design phase of major capital projects.

Knowledge, Skills, Attributes & Experience

Minimum level of educational qualifications required for the role

- Tertiary qualification in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or similar) is essential, however
a postgraduate qualification in maintenance or reliability engineering is highly desirable

Highest level of skills required to perform at a competent level

Advanced analytical skills.
- Independently developing reliability models and maintenance optimisation
approaches, analysing equipment performance and historical maintenance data,
investigating complex equipment failures, and developing budget forecast
methodologies.
Advanced written communication skills.
- Preparing high level strategy documents, detailed technical reports, robust business
cases, supporting documentation, and clear maintenance instructions. Able to write
clearly and succinctly and able to convey technical information to a variety of
audiences.
Advanced computer skills.
- Using RCM modelling software, spreadsheets and databases extensively to identify
and evaluate reliability improvements, support business cases and produce budget
forecasts.
High level of mechanical and/or electrical aptitude.
- Analysing equipment failure modes, identifying potential technical improvements for
assets.
High level verbal communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Exchanging information with, gaining the cooperation of, presenting information to,
and influencing both internal and external stakeholders. Capable of proactively
engaging with stakeholders at all levels including field technicians and executive
management.
Sound financial aptitude.

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 - Preparing short and long-term budget forecasts, developing business cases on sound
financial principles.

Experience and Knowledge

- Extensive experience in maintenance and reliability of mechanical and electrical assets in an
industrial environment.
- Extensive experience in the development and practical application of Reliability Centred
Maintenance models.
- Experience in conducting root causes analysis (RCA) for failures of mechanical or electrical
equipment, facilitating workshops and implementing associated solutions.
- Thorough understanding of high level reliability & maintenance strategies and asset
management principles (including familiarity with ISO55001).
- Experience in the development and implementation of maintenance strategies and
programs for mechanical and electrical equipment.
- Experience in equipment performance analysis, system optimisation, and/or process
improvement.
- Sound knowledge of mechanical and electrical condition monitoring techniques and industry
best practices.
- Sound knowledge of appropriate International Standards, Australian Standards, Regulations
and Codes of Practice.

Competencies and Attributes

- Able to work autonomously and with minimal direction
- Able to influence others and can foster open dialogue
- Capable of building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Logic driven and analytically minded
- Very high attention to detail
- Motivated by challenge
- Committed to continuous improvement processes
- Innovative
- Learns quickly when facing new problems
- Open to change
- Experiments with finding solutions
- Monitors process, progress and results
- Picks up on complex technical/mechanical/electrical problems quickly
- Current Drivers Licence

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Dimensions
Organisation Chart
Key Contacts
Key contacts within organisation
- M&E Asset Services Manager
- M&E Asset Management Coordinator
- Data Integrity Officer
- Technical Support Officers (Mech & Elec)
- M&E Planner Scheduler
- Electrical Engineering Technical Officer
- Treatment and Network Operational Staff
- Asset Management teams
Review Date:
BS: 1261
Purpose of contact
Line Manager. Provides high level direction,
support and appropriate authority as required
to facilitate the delivery of your objectives.
Reviews your performance and assists with
your career development and training.
Team members. Exchange information to
ensure asset register, maintenance schedules
and historical maintenance data are
optimised, accurate and up to date.
Team members. You will provide engineering
support for maintenance and reliability issues,
including failure analysis. They will provide
input for reliability activities, including
reliability modelling, capital maintenance
planning and budget development.
Colleagues. Regular engagement required to
identify & analyse plant reliability issues, and
optimise equipment performance to best
meet operational requirements.
Colleagues. You will provide reliability
expertise and advice to high level asset
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 management activities, including the
development and implementation of asset
management plans. You will also seek support
to ensure that maintenance & reliability
strategies and regimes are consistent with
high level asset management frameworks.
Colleagues. You will provide reliability
engineering input and feedback to design
- Asset Creation teams
specifications, design workshops, and
commissioning activities as required.

Key external contacts Purpose of contact

You will provide clarity and direction to field
crews on the capture of reliability data on
maintenance activities. You will also seek their
Principal M&E Contractors input for reliability activities as required,
including reliability modelling, capital
maintenance planning and budget
development.
To provide expert support and advice for
Specialist Reliability & Maintenance Consultants
reliability projects and initiatives.
To provide technical information and plant
Equipment Suppliers
performance improvement advice.

Number of people managed:

- There are no direct reports to this position, however this is a senior technical specialist role
required to provide expert advice and technical guidance to a number of positions.

Size of budget managed:

- The annual mechanical and electrical maintenance budget is approximately $17 million. This
role has substantial influence on the development and distribution of this budget on both an
annual and long-term basis.

Value of Assets managed:

- This role is responsible for managing the reliability of mechanical & electrical assets with an
estimated value in excess of $500 million.

All candidates will be required to successfully complete a Police Records Check prior to their
commencement with South East Water.

Review Date:
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Employee Name: ____________________________________________

Employee Signature: ____________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________

Review Date:
BS: 1261
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