Twenty years can reshape a career, but when curiosity leads the way, the work never loses its spark.
For Elvira Metiljevic, a long career at UGL has been defined by variety. Over two decades, it has been the steady flow of meaningful work and trusted relationships that has kept her motivated.
“I’ve had the opportunity to move from one major project straight into the next,” Elvira says. “That sense of progress is what’s kept the work rewarding.”
Elvira’s career has unfolded alongside some of the country’s most complex transport and infrastructure programs. From major road and tunnel works to digital rail systems and metro delivery, she has contributed to projects that have shaped how cities move and connect. Her experience spans work on the Lane Cove Tunnel and the Epping Chatswood Rail Link in New South Wales, Airport Link and Northern Busway in Brisbane, as well as Digital Train Radio Systems in Sydney and the Sydney Metro network, including Northwest and City & Southwest. Each project brought new challenges, new teams and new ways of thinking, reinforcing her appreciation for variety and large‑scale collaboration.
Her approach to leadership is grounded in trust and development. “We need to give our junior engineers responsibility, along with guidance, so they can develop,” she says. “You guide them, support them and help them grow.”
That mindset continues to shape how Elvira works today. While mechanical engineering remains her core discipline, she makes a point of understanding the overall design beyond her own area of expertise. “I can read an SLD,” she says, referring to a single line diagram, a simplified drawing that shows how an electrical system is connected and how power flows through it. “But I still try to learn as much as I can about the civils and the broader electrical components. It helps me fully understand what we’re designing and explain it clearly to a client.”
For Elvira, a long career at UGL has been less about tenure and more about growth. Through change, new disciplines and emerging industries, her focus has remained on learning and enabling others to succeed. It is that curiosity and commitment that continue to define her work today.