Since Gabe joined our team in 2022 as a System Engineering Intern, he’s seized every opportunity, progressing to Graduate Engineer in 2023 then System Engineer - Protection in 2024. But what Gabe values most is the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies alongside a team that’s got his back.
Exciting new projects
27 July 2023 stands out in Gabe’s memory. He’d arrived at HDA’s Melbourne offices at his usual time, but the office was empty and silent, computer monitors dimmed. It took Gabe a few minutes to track down his team. They’d crammed into a single meeting room and were glued to the TV. Gabe squeezed in just as the Australian Government announced the contract winner to build 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles.
“I remember them saying, ‘We’re happy to announce it’s HDA,’ and everyone in the room just erupted with cheering and hugging - it was very surreal! One of our managers said, ‘This is one of the biggest land defence contracts ever. We’re going to be a part of history.’ It was really awesome to be a part of that.”
Once the celebrations subsided, Gabe realised HDA would need to enter a new phase of growth. His time in the graduate program had fast-tracked his development, exposing him to real responsibility early on and helping him carve out an important place within the team. Now, this experience meant more than just ahead start; it meant a front-row seat to transformation.
With HDA rapidly expanding its technical capability, Gabe soon found himself guiding new team members, many with greater industry experience, who turned to him for his knowledge of HDA’s systems, culture, and way of working.
“My grad program was that metaphorical diving headfirst-in experience,” Gabe says with a grin. “Then, growing our team to be so much bigger was challenging, but I’m proud of the work I produced, and I’ve been fortunate to always have support from the team. We all lift each other up, which is really good.”
Gabe says that although Hanwha has grown significantly since 2023, its energised culture remains.
“HDA is still a relatively fresh, young company. So, everyone who joins gets to bring in their own ideas. We actually get to concentrate all the knowledge our team members have gained from their previous roles and companies to find the best ways to make the best-possible systems.”
Building expertise
Positioned at the critical interface between clients and suppliers, Gabe and his team analyse and test each physical part to be built into our Huntsman and Redback vehicles. Gabe’s role in protection involves confirming that all protective parts perform exactly as specified, ensuring they withstand even the most rigorous field conditions. This position has provided him with an excellent opportunity to grow his technical knowledge and skills.
“I get to experience lots of different aspects of engineering. I’m working across different aspects of the project and with different teams across Hanwha - the Requirements Team, the Verification and Validation Team, and the Structural Team. I also get to understand how it all collates at the end. There’s always something new to learn, and there’s always a new way to learn it, which I really enjoy here.”
Gabe also values that he gets to work across both the Huntsman and Redback projects.
“Both vehicles have their own challenges, and they’re both unique in what they do. You can use knowledge from one project on the other, but there are always unique things to learn.”
Drawing on his own experience at HDA, Gabe proudly recommends the company to other engineers looking for new opportunities to advance their careers:
“You’ve got opportunities to learn and grow. There’s a high chance you’ll have familiarity with some of what we do. But here, you also get to construct something different, based on everyone’s different backgrounds in engineering.”
Seeing the end result
For Gabe, securing a role at HDA carries special significance.
Since childhood, Gabe has been passionate about working with automotives -understanding what makes them tick and finding ways to make them run better. This natural talent saw him build his own classic Mini, inspired by Mr Bean, while completing his university degree!
However, upon graduating in 2022, Gabe’s career options in Australia looked limited. Ford Australia ceased manufacturing vehicles in 2016, and Toyota and Holden closed their manufacturing plants in Australia the following year. It felt like the end of an era for home-grown jobs in the sector. That was until Gabe saw an ad for HDA on SEEK. He wasted no time in applying.
“Having this opportunity to actually go into the vehicle manufacturing industry was such a great thing for me. It aligned with my hobbies, my interests and my skills,” Gabe says. “And getting to work on these big beasts of machines just made me so happy!”
Another happy day for Gabe was in February 2025, when HDA delivered its first batch of fully operational Huntsmen machines to the Australian Defence Force. Having put many hours of work into the protective components of these machines, it was exhilarating to see them finally roll out the door:
“For us to come from such a small startup company with just a vehicle blueprint, to deliver complete vehicles to the customer just a few years later, it was an amazing thing to see. You’re standing in front of this big piece of machinery, and you can say, ‘I’m actually contributing to building it.’ I didn’t think I’d be able to do that in Australia, and certainly not so soon after graduating!”
