Dan Atkins started as an apprentice electrician in Canberra and went on to lead Jacobs' national Defence infrastructure section, overseeing more than 80 project managers on a portfolio of over $20 billion in capital works. He is now National Defence Operations & Delivery Lead at Versatile Construction.
Dan is featured in Mastt's case study on Jacobs' $4.7 billion Defence program, sharing how his team replaced monthly spreadsheet reports with real-time dashboards across more than 40 projects so Defence could answer ministerial requests in real time.
Before Jacobs, Dan Atkins spent eight years at Aurecon managing Defence estate works and the contract for the $170 million Manus Island Offshore Processing Centre. He holds an Advanced Diploma of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Certificate IV in Building and Construction.
Certified Practising Project Director (CPPD)
Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM)
Advanced Diploma of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Canberra Institute of Technology
Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building)
Canberra Training Institute
Diploma of Project Management
Australian College of Project Management
Jacobs Defence Industry Partner Contract ($4.5B Industry Partner Program) - National Program Delivery Manager
From 2021 to 2022, Dan led Jacobs' integrated PMCA and design services teams delivering infrastructure projects nationally under the $4.5 billion Defence Industry Partner Program.
Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre Hawk Compound Redevelopment, Northam, WA - Project Director
As Jacobs' Project Director for the Department of Home Affairs (2025 to 2026), Dan oversaw the project plan, business case, design, and procurement, and appeared as a witness for the project team at the Public Works Committee hearing in December 2025.
Manus Island Offshore Processing Centre, Papua New Guinea ($170M) - Project Manager and Contract Administrator
With Aurecon (2012 to 2014), Dan provided PMCA for the managing contractor contract on a permanent 800-person accommodation, health, and welfare facility for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, and helped prepare the request for tender.
BILT ANZ Conference 2021, ICC Sydney - Co-Presenter
Dan presented with Mastt CEO Doug Vincent on how Jacobs improved Defence program outcomes with real-time program controls.
Identity, credentials, and industry experience reviewed by Mastt before first publication.
How we verify contributors →Every article on Mastt is written or reviewed by a named construction professional with verifiable credentials and direct project experience.