Max Osborne
Aerospace Engineering
I just really enjoy creating things and making something new. Like many engineers I look for solutions to problems or opportunities to create order out of chaos – I believe there always is one.
A scholarship from the Faculty of Engineering Rural Scholarships Program enabled me to move away from my hometown in regional NSW to pursue my Engineering degree.
Between working, studying and going out to the Roundhouse, my time at UNSW was a formative one. Many of my experiences developed my independence and life skills, beyond the technical expertise I gained from formal course work.
I enjoyed the smaller class sizes at UNSW, which made it easy to form relationships with peers and lecturers. Projects that required research and problem-solving with a level of creativity were my favourite. I have great memories of a class I tutored, where students would take apart and reassemble a lawnmower engine.
At UNSW you learn how to learn and how to think, and you graduate with engineering judgement and problem-solving ability. These skills translate extremely broadly. Very few of my cohort went on to work specifically in Aerospace Engineering, but they moved into a diverse range of roles and industries, for which they developed the necessary skills and thinking methods.
After graduation, I worked at Qantas before moving to Boeing. I have nine international material and manufacturing patents and a few pending. While some inventions are truly new discoveries, most are about improving or combining things. I always enjoyed trying to work out new and optimised ways of doing things - a common engineering trait!
Max Osborne (far right) and the AH-64 Apache Helicopter at Boeing’s Global Leadership Program in Mesa, Arizona
UNSW
In 2021 I joined Titomic as Head of Engineering. Titomic is a globally expanding technology start-up that is pushing the limits of materials science and manufacturing physics. For example, we work towards a new, lower cost, lower energy Titanium powder feedstock and manufacturing method for commercial space applications.
My role combines technical leadership, creative innovation, business management and people management, and challenges me daily.
I have always believed in stepping out of your comfort zone. By challenging yourself you will grow, develop new skills and fulfill your passions and ambitions. Persevere and you will eventually be rewarded. Engineering is a brilliant and enduring sector and a fantastic career choice.