Cladding Installer - Qualified Carpenter

Leading Hand Carpenter

Location: Canberra

Employment type: Full-time, permanent

Reports to: Construction Manager

About us

We're a specialist cladding company delivering high quality external cladding across residential and commercial projects. We employ our own carpenters rather than subcontracting, which means we control the quality of every job from frame to final fix. Our teams take pride in getting the detail right, the flashings, the set outs, the junctions that most people never notice but that determine whether a façade lasts.

The role

We're looking for an experienced Leading Hand Carpenter to run a small crew on site day to day. You'll be on the tools alongside your team, but you'll also be the person who sets the pace, reads the plans first, sorts out the tricky details, and makes sure the work goes up right the first time.

This is a step up for a carpenter who's ready to take responsibility for a crew's output, or a natural fit for someone already leading and looking for a company that does cladding properly.

Hours

• Ordinary hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00am – 3:30pm
• Weekend work: Saturdays 7:00am – 1:00pm, subject to workload. Weekend work is paid at applicable overtime/penalty rates.
• Reasonable notice will be given for weekend work wherever possible.
• This is a five-day week — no RDO cycle.

What you'll be doing

On the tools

• Install cladding systems (fibre cement, Aluminium panel, timber, metal, weatherboard, depending on the project)
• Frame, batten, and set out substrates ready for cladding
• Install cavity systems, breather membranes, flashings, and weatherproofing details
• Carry out fixings, junctions, penetrations, and finishing work to spec

Leading the crew

• Run a team of 3–5 carpenters and apprentices on site
• Allocate daily tasks and keep the crew productive and moving
• Set out the work and check others' work for quality and compliance
• Be the first point of contact for the crew on technical questions
• Train and mentor apprentices and less experienced carpenters
• Report progress, blockers, and variations to the Site Supervisor

Planning and quality

• Read and interpret architectural plans, elevations, shop drawings, and manufacturer install manuals

• Identify and flag design or buildability issues before they become rework

• Complete quality checks, ITPs, and site paperwork as required

• Manage material take-offs and flag ordering requirements ahead of time

Safety

• Run daily pre-start meetings and toolbox talks
• Ensure SWMS are understood and followed by the crew
• Maintain a safe, tidy work area including scaffold, EWP, and height safety compliance
• Report incidents, near misses, and hazards immediately

What you'll need

Essential

• Trade qualification: Certificate III in Carpentry (or recognised equivalent)
• White Card (Construction Induction)
• Minimum 3 years' post-apprenticeship carpentry experience
• Demonstrated experience installing cladding systems
• Ability to read and work from plans and shop drawings without hand-holding
• Working at Heights ticket
• Current driver's licence and reliable transport
• Right to work in Australia
• Own hand tools

Highly regarded

• Previous leading hand or supervisory experience
• EWP licence (boom/scissor)
• Scaffolding ticket
• First Aid certificate
• Asbestos awareness training
• Manufacturer accreditations (e.g. James Hardie, Cemintel, Weathertex, Vitrabond, Equitone)
• Experience with commercial façade systems and rainscreen detailing
• Silica awareness / dust control competency

The kind of person we're after

• Sets a standard and holds the crew to it without being a pain to work with
• Solves problems on site instead of stopping and waiting
• Communicates clearly with the crew, the supervisor, and other trades
• Takes safety seriously as a habit, not a box to tick
• Turns up, on time, ready to go

What we offer

• Above-award hourly rate plus leading hand allowance, negotiable based on experience

• Overtime and penalty rates for weekend work

• Steady pipeline of work, no seasonal gaps

• All power tools, consumables, and PPE supplied

• Ongoing training and manufacturer accreditation paid for

• Genuine progression path to Site Supervisor for the right person

• A crew that knows what it's doing and takes pride in the finished product

How to apply

Send your resume and a short note about your cladding experience to [email protected] or call Hayden on 0431271612 for a confidential chat.