We recently spoke with newer Perth team members, Joan Deng, Associate Engineer, and Alex Houston, Associate Environmental Scientist, who are leading strategic growth in WA.
Joan Deng
Associate Engineer
Joan is a highly skilled Water Resource and Geotechnical Engineer with fifteen years of project experience across the private and public sectors, where she has developed a diverse skill set of technical expertise.
Alex Houston
Associate Environmental Scientist
Alex is an Environmental Project Manager and Senior Environmental Scientist, having successfully delivered complex environmental programs across the U.S. and Australia over the last twelve years.
The Perth office is turning 33 this year. What’s it like to work here?
Joan – I moved to Perth in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to start a senior engineering role at Fortescue, which also meant escaping the Melbourne lockdowns. I worked for the ATCW tailings and water teams in Melbourne for six years, from 2011 to 2017, and built exceptional foundational skills. In Perth, we are a highly interdisciplinary team, and every day is different. I work closely with teams in other offices, and it’s great to be back working alongside some of the smartest and most competent people in the industry.
Alex – After working in the USA for the past seven years on large-scale environmental projects, it’s wonderful to be back in Australia. I studied at Griffith University and worked in Brisbane, but I had always thought I’d like to work in WA one day. I was ready for a new challenge, and it’s only been three months, but I’ve already learned more here than I expected.
What’s on your job board right now?
Alex – The project management work here is technically diverse, ranging from dam safety reviews and concept designs to closure plans. I have projects in the Northern Territory as well as several WA sites. My main experience is with contaminated sites, which has given me an environmental skillset that transfers to mine site closure and has also broadened my technical skills.
Joan – I’m currently on the Las Bambas team for the Tailings Storage Facility site in Peru, along with two gold mine sites in NSW. For one of these, we are conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment that includes modelling climate change and risk probabilities. I like that I’m using my geotechnical skills again and educating clients on newer governance requirements for mines and dams.
Are you excited to be launching an Undergraduate program for the Perth office?
Joan – I am proud that we will be involved in ATCW’s undergraduate recruitment for the first time this year. When senior staff foster and mentor new knowledge, it gives us the opportunity to strengthen our skills. Choosing the right people for a growing team is important, so we will be looking for undergrads who are determined to apply their studies and real-world learning, and who have the courage to speak up when required. Applications open in May, so reach out if you want to apply or know anyone who would be a good fit.
Can your career thrive in a small but growing team?
Joan – Yes, we are a smaller team right now, but we cover many bases, including tailings, water, groundwater, environmental services, geotechnical work, numerical modelling and some leading-edge tech development. Our daily conversations span all disciplines, so it’s impossible not to learn new skills here. For the last nine years, I’ve worked for large companies where you develop niche skills in your chosen discipline, but our team is the opposite of that. I feel like a sponge, learning and developing my career while doing meaningful work alongside passionate people.
Alex – We are fortunate to have our office in the epicentre of where our client base works. We see each other in the coffee shop most days, and all the small conversations create strong client relationships. One of the reasons I joined the Perth team was to stretch my soft skills, and growing the team here offers that opportunity.
Does the team have capacity for new work?
Alex – A technically skilled and growing team needs projects to deliver. We are great at maintaining relationships and have three decades of client projects under our belt, but we are also actively seeking WA-based work right now. In reality, we are a team of 240 plus people, so we have a dynamic capacity to take on new work in tailings, water and waste.
Joan – At ATCW, our project management model enables teams to collaborate on projects, regardless of time zones or locations. Alex and I are natural networkers, and our doors are open to enquiries or to grab a coffee.
How can someone get in touch with the Perth office?
Joan & Alex – We’re always up for a chat about how ATCW is better placed to partner for the long term, and we are open to opportunities to collaborate on projects of all sizes and complexities.
If you are interested in joining the Perth team or keen to discuss your project with us, please contact us on +61 8 9213 1600 or drop by the office at Level 1, 251 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000.