Jess Khoo
For Naval Architect Jess Khoo, a career of impact started with an opportunity to learn the business from the ground up. Joining as a Program Administrator on the ferry project, her role became an immediate launchpad into the realities of complex shipbuilding. It was an all-access pass.
“The ferries project was a real stepping stone,” Jess recalls. “I was involved in many different departments – I helped out with quality, filed certificates, looked through ITPs, and got involved with ILS.”
This wasn’t a rigid, siloed position; it was a chance to see the entire build process, with Birdon trusting her to contribute across the board. This trust and broad exposure prepared her for her next moves, taking on unique challenges like complex fireboats and ultimately stepping into the Naval Architect role.
Now, Jess is a core part of the team delivering high-profile, specialist vessels, the kind of complex, multi-year programs that define Birdon’s work for major clients like the Australian Navy and US defence agencies.
For Jess, the most rewarding part of the job isn’t just the design; it’s seeing that design become reality.
“A busy day is when we get lots of questions from Production,” she says. “We have to support them, go down to the shop floor, see the issues, and provide compliant solutions.”
This is where Birdon’s ‘Make It Happen’ value becomes tangible. It’s not about just handing over a drawing; it’s about owning the outcome. “My job is about doing the due diligence and providing information that complies and is up to standard,” Jess states.
“And that is definitely more work than what people usually anticipate.” This relentless focus on getting it right builds trust; not just with the client, but between the design office and the production floor. This collaborative, high-trust environment, which Jess describes as “always cheerful and positive” even under stress, is what allows the team to solve the complex problems that others can’t.
