Leading Maintenance Engineering on the RSV Nuyina: Sam's Story

Australian university students are encouraged to undertake internships to explore what’s out there. For some, that can take on quite a literal meaning – leading to navigating unchartered territory in distant parts of the world. This was the case for now 30-year-old Samuel Glazebrook, who jumped at the opportunity of an engineering internship offered by Serco for students to experience working onboard Australia’s world-class Antarctic icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina.

Following the internship, which confirmed Sam’s passion not only for the complex problem-solving required in an engineering career, but also for continuing his family legacy of working in the maritime industry, Sam joined Serco as an undergraduate engineer in 2019. Quickly establishing himself as a rising star, by mid-2024, he’d been promoted three times, taking on the role of Marine Maintenance Engineer based in Hobart, Tasmania. This month, Sam celebrated another career milestone – his fourth promotion into the acting role of Configuration Engineer for the RSV Nuyina.

“My father’s a professional fisherman, and a boatbuilder as well, so I’ve always grown up with a connection to the sea.”

Sam’s early connection has now evolved into a hands-on role ensuring Australia is playing an essential part in scientific research and conservation. Sam and his team administer a complex, critical maintenance schedule for the RSV Nuyina, with both reactive and proactive maintenance tasks that ensure the vessel isn’t just always ready for action, but as safe and optimised as possible as a versatile icebreaker serving the evolving needs of scientific researchers.

From integrating new science equipment to promptly addressing change requests made by crew and customer, Sam now manages all changes to the vessel. From design right through to implementation and updating the vessel’s configuration to reflect transformations, the role is dynamic and exciting.

“One of the highlights was integrating an array of science equipment so the Nuyina could make its 9-week dedicated marine science voyage to the Denman Glacier earlier this year,” Sam shared.

“To achieve full readiness for the trip, ensuring everything came through to its finished state in time, planning started a year or two before. Currently, we’re taking the upgrades we made for that voyage even further by integrating changes above and below deck. Big projects I’m working on are underwater sensors upgrades, a radar install, and a cargo hold heating system.”

“People don’t realise it, but a vessel like the Nuyina is being maintained by our teams 24/7, even during voyages. To be able to achieve that in the harshest conditions in Antarctica is a testament to the responsiveness of our crew and having the right people and equipment in the right place, at the right time. Everything needs to be ready, available and well-planned ahead of time.”

“A great example I can recall is when the vessel required a major repair, but instead of putting it in a dry dock, which would consume significant time and resources, it was repaired very quickly underwater, by a specialist dive team, and we created an underwater dry habitat to enable it.”

For Sam, his role as a Serco engineer on the RSV Nuyina is a proud talking point.

“I take pride in the work I do, the impact it has in the real world, and the most valuable thing is the incredibly experienced and supportive team I work with.”

Serco is proud to congratulate Sam on his new role, and to celebrate all that he is already leading and achieving in the position. He stands as a stellar example of the incredible talent around the world who make Serco what we are – innovative, committed to safety and operational excellence, and always going above and beyond to Impact a Better Future for the people and communities we serve.