FIELD Engineers is a coordinated team of professional engineers, design drafters, high risk plant inspectors and technicians based in Mackay, Brisbane and Gladstone, with staff regularly on sites across Australia. Our proximity to the Bowen Basin, key ports and plants means we know our industry well and can respond quickly. Our three directors are hands-on in the business both in their technical areas and in recruiting the best to join us.
David Hartigan
Jon Halliday
Matt Doidge
Richard Billett
Slawek Drabot
Jonn Grimmond
Rodrigo Barros
Dan Zuercher
Andrew Pedruzzi
Matt Pichlis
Charlotte
Nash-Stewart
Matt Posthumus
FIELD Engineers was created in 2005, when directors David Hartigan, Jon Halliday and Matthew Doidge decided to pool their complementary skills to offer the Queensland mining industry a specialised project engineering team. FIELD was then established in Mackay and centred on Bowen Basin mine sites.
Over the next decade, FIELD expanded, adding staff as innovative thinking, integrity and resourceful solutions created demand. FIELD were early adopters of laser scanning technology, and in 2012 added the design and drafting team in Mackay, and with it the ability to offer a design service from high-end analysis all the way to detailed fabrication drawings.
The Brisbane office opened in 2013, adding a second base of operations, which over time has become the hub of nation-wide crane inspections. The Gladstone office then commenced in 2020, providing FIELD’s proven blend of technical expertise and site experience to the local industry. Most recently, FIELD has expanded our services in the South Australian mining, crane and wind farm industries.
Today, decades after the directors’ initial vision, FIELD Engineers is a strong, diverse team, working across Queensland, Australia and into the Asia Pacific.
We pride ourselves in being engineering nerds. We value what we do, and the people we work for. That’s why efficiency, integrity, relationships, reputation and growth are the values we do business by.
BEng (Mech) BBus (Mgt) RPEQ FIEAust EngExec GAICD
David is a principal mechanical engineer with more than 30 years of experience in construction, maintenance and consulting, including in shutdown projects, power station and minerals processing construction, and as a cranes, rigging and lifting specialist. David leads FIELD in long-term strategy and is a sought-after expert in crane incidents including rope failures and structural collapses.
Key expertise:
BEng (Mech) WTIA Global Minerals Industry Risk Management
Jon has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry providing engineering support, planning and project management for dragline and shovel shutdowns. Jon is regarded as the go-to expert for draglines in Australia, and in his career has created innovations to significantly shorten shutdown timeframes. He leads the team for all on-site mining projects.
Key expertise:
BEng (Mech,Hons)
Matt has over 25 years of experience in the mining, ports and construction industries, including in mine industrial area upgrades and shutdowns. Matt leads the commercial and quality assurance operations at FIELD.
Key expertise:
BEng (Mech) BBus (Econ) RPEQ CPEng
Richard is a principal mechanical engineer with more than 15 years of experience, specialising in failure analysis of machinery, project engineering for mining projects and product development. He had diverse experiences across mining, power generation and medical industries. Richard leads FIELD’s engineering team.
Key expertise:
BEng (Mech,Hons), MSc (Comp) GDip (Mment)
Slawek has 30 years of product development, manufacturing and construction experience. He specialises in structural design, analysis and testing with a specific focus on structural dynamic analysis. Slawek leads FIELD’s special projects, work that requires complex analysis.
Key expertise:
BEng (Civil,Hons) Cert II (Surface Extraction Options) MIEAust RPEQ
Jonn is a principal engineer with over 25 years of experience in construction management, engineering and operations roles across Australia. He specialises in cranes and lifting, holds high-risk work licences, and is a CraneSAFE endorsed assessor and CICA-endorsed engineer. Jonn leads FIELD’s crane division.
Key expertise:
BEng (Civil/Structural) RPEQ CPEng
Rodrigo Barros has over 16 years of experience in structural design for the mining, infrastructure, and oil and gas sectors, with a specialty in troubleshooting issues associated with heavy industrial design. Rodrigo has led structural design and engineering teams to deliver projects in Australia and overseas, and now leads structural projects for FIELD.
Key expertise:
Mechanical Design Draftsman (Swiss Trade Association)
Dan is a mechanical designer with 20 years of experience in the mining industry and 25 years of experience as a mechanical designer. He has led major design projects in the Bowen Basin and completed roles in Australia and overseas. Dan leads FIELD’s design team of drafters and detailers.
Key expertise:
BEng (Mech) DPM RPEQ
Andrew has over 17 years of experience in complex engineering projects with mechanical and structural design elements. He specialises in heavy machinery and plant upgrades with the distinction of having mechanically aligned every new or overhauled dragline tub in Queensland and NSW since 2019. Andrew leads FIELD’s Gladstone office.
Key expertise:
BEng (Mech)
Matt is a mechanical engineer with broad experience in mechanical and structural design, technical documentation, finite element modelling, data collection and compliance auditing. He has specialist skills in engineering measurements, including 3D scanning.
Key expertise:
BE (Mech&Space,Hons) MBBS (Hons) GradCert (WEP) PhD RPEQ
Charlotte has more than 20 years of experience spanning construction, mining, medicine and research. She specialises in cranes and incident investigation, including human factors and fractography, design verification, major inspections, accident data analysis and risk mitigation. Charlotte is based in FIELD’s crane division, and carries out forensic work and interdisciplinary projects.
Key expertise:
BEng (Civil) MIEAust RPEQ CPEng
Matt has more than 40 years’ experience in civil and structural engineering design and construction. After this distinguished career, Matt has taken a well-earned step back from a full-time role but remains a strategic advisor on FIELD projects in his areas of expertise.
Key expertise:
