Acoustic Engineer

Acoustic Engineer

Hobart, TAS • Full-time • $85,000-$105,000 + super

We're hiring an acoustic engineer with at least 3 years' consulting experience. The role is in-office in Hobart. We're hiring because we're growing, and we'd rather wait for the right person than settle.

NVC is a five-person acoustic consultancy. We're the only established firm of our kind in Hobart, and the work spans architectural and building acoustics, environmental noise, and construction noise and vibration. Most of our projects are larger and more technically involved than you'd expect from a team this size.

If you're in a big firm and you're tired of the approval chains and the lack of variety, or you're in a small firm where the work is fine but you're not learning anything new or there's no room to grow, this might be for you.

The role

You'll report to the principal directly, but work day-to-day under our two project managers on their projects across the full mix of disciplines.

From the start, you'll be doing significant technical work requiring a high degree of autonomy, including modelling, field work, analysis, report writing, and client communication at the working level. Project accountability will remain with the project managers initially. The faster you demonstrate the judgement to run your own projects, the faster that will shift.

Our work shapes how a space sounds and feels in ways people register but can't usually describe. In any given fortnight you might be doing sound isolation testing on a hotel build, contributing to acoustic design on a school hall, and running monitoring for a planning application. Every project has a different problem to solve and a different combination of constraints.

What you'll be responsible for:

• Technical delivery on projects led by our project managers
• Field measurement, monitoring, and site work across Tasmania, including building acoustic and environmental noise measurements
• Acoustic modelling and analysis using Matlab, iNoise, INSUL, CATT-Acoustic, and other tools as the project demands
• Writing clear, technically defensible reports that hold up to council, EPA, and peer scrutiny
• Day-to-day client communication on your work, with PM oversight on commercial and scope matters
• Flagging issues, scope creep, and risks early
• Building toward running your own projects end to end as you grow into the role
• Actively focusing on continuing your professional development

About NVC and the team

We're direct. We say what we think, including when it's awkward. The team likes each other and likes the work. We hold the work to a high standard and we expect each other to do the same.

We move fast. Decisions get made on the information we have, and we adjust as new information comes in. Proactivity is expected.

We're a meritocracy. Remuneration, responsibility, and progression are tied to demonstrated capability, not how long you've been here. If you're capable and you want more, the opportunity is there. We're not going to make you wait for a seat at the table that someone else is still sitting in.

What we need from you

The non-negotiables:

• Real curiosity - an innate desire to understand how things work
• At least 3 years in an acoustic consulting role
• Engineering, physics, or a related degree
• Australian work rights
• Australian driver's licence
• Writing that's technically defensible and easy to read

What will set you apart:

• Experience across both environmental and architectural / building acoustics
• You're comfortable with field measurements and you can interpret what the data is telling you
• You're proactive enough to make decisions and move forward without needing every answer first
• You've managed client relationships yourself, not just via a manager
• You hold a sensible line on quality, time, and fee without being told where it is

This role isn't for you if:

• You work best with detailed direction and regular check-ins
• You want to specialise in one narrow area and stay there
• You need consistent reassurance to feel like you're on track
• You'd rather have someone above you who absorbs client pressure

What you get

• $85,000 to $105,000 plus super, depending on experience and what you bring to the role.
• Office-based in Hobart with flexible start times and occasional work from home when it suits the work.
• Professional development support when something is worth doing: a course, a conference, additional resources, membership of a relevant body.
• A weekly one-on-one with the principal, Jack. Every team member gets this. I'm also involved in acoustic product R&D and loudspeaker design alongside running NVC, so there's broad technical expertise to draw on.
• Equity in NVC is on the table long-term for the right person.

The hiring process

• An initial call with Jack. 30 minutes or so, mostly to talk through what you're looking for and what we're offering
• A longer technical conversation, for you to demonstrate your capabilities, your thinking, how you approach problems
• A meeting with the team

We're looking for someone who's a great fit that wants to stick around long-term, so applications will close when we find the right person.

How to apply

Send your CV and a short note to jack@nvc.com.au. Tell us what you've worked on, what you're looking for, and why this caught your eye. If you've got this far, we look forward to meeting you.