This month, Geodetica is thrilled to welcome Patrick MacNeill as our new Principal Consultant – Engineering.
Patrick joins us at Geodetica after a successful career with the Department of Defence, with over a decade in various engineering roles across major maritime acquisition programs.
He has been involved in several key Defence projects, including as Platform Engineer for JP 2048 PH 2A/B LHD Project; Senior Platform Engineer for SEA 5000 Future Frigate Program; and Platform Engineer involved with the Ocean Protector rapid acquisition. He was also the Principal Engineer / Technical Director for a number of years within the Offshore Patrol Vessel Program (includes Project SEA 1180 Offshore Patrol Vessel and Project SEA 1905 Tranche 2).
These roles have involved the development of engineering plans and processes, the review of platform systems design, development of systems engineering processes, and the development of Integrated Logistics Support and Configuration Management processes in support of integrated engineering delivery. Through these roles, Patrick has focused on fostering relationships – both within Defence and with industry partners – to drive the outcomes required to deliver.
Patrick, who is a qualified mechanical engineer, was born in Canberra and grew up in Nowra. He first studied medical science and law at university, before discovering his passion for engineering.
“What I enjoy most is problem solving. Engineering is all about solving complex problems, achieving outcomes, and bringing people along for the journey. University teaches you how to solve problems in a structured way, and then you apply that learning practically in the space you choose to work in.
“I joined Defence as a graduate and have had the opportunity to work on some really exciting projects – particularly around platform, mechanical, and auxiliary systems on ships. Every day is completely different; you’re always moving through phases of the acquisition process, and ships are particularly interesting to me because they have so many different systems which gave me really broad experience.”
Having spent over a decade working on naval vessels and maritime acquisition programs, Patrick felt it was time for a change.
“I left Defence because I feel the time is right to broaden my experience in industry. I chose Geodetica because I wanted to join a company where I could be an integral part of building and strengthening new capabilities.
“I’ve worked with Jason, Oliver and Suraj in the past and know Geodetica has a strong reputation. I am looking forward to working with a group of like-minded individuals, where the shared focus is on building strong relationships and achieving outcomes as a team.”
Outside of work, you’ll find Patrick spending time with family or getting out on the golf course whenever he can.
“I have lived overseas before and it only showed me how great it is to live in Canberra. I’m excited to start this next phase in my career with Geodetica, where I can draw on my skills as a leader within teams to drive integration across both Defence and industry parts of a program.
“Building relationships between the engineering and project management teams is the core role of an engineering leader. This includes working with integrated teams (APS, ADF and Industry) to put people in the best position to succeed. At the end of the day, it is people who deliver the outcome.”