Peter Tortorici

With over 13 years at Soto, Peter Tortorici is a senior structural engineer with a deep understanding of heavy industry, mining, and manufacturing. His expertise lies in designing structures that withstand extreme loads, vibrations, and harsh operating conditions, ensuring the durability and reliability of critical infrastructure. From conveyor systems to crusher foundations and high-capacity storage silos, Peter’s designs balance technical constraints, safety, and cost-efficiency, delivering real-world impact.

Peter’s journey at Soto is one of growth and adaptability. He first joined the company as a self-taught IT technician, supporting internal systems before transitioning into a graduate engineering role. Over the years, he progressed through multiple leadership positions, proving his ability to solve complex challenges and lead high-stakes projects.

Career Highlights & Leadership Impact

• BlueScope Steel Waste Gas Plant Recovery – Played a key role in removing fire-damaged infrastructure and rebuilding the structural supports for a new steel chimney stack. This time-critical project demanded 12-hour workdays over several months, requiring on-site leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration with engineers and site teams.
• Mining & Manufacturing Infrastructure – Designed and engineered high-load-bearing industrial structures, working closely with in-house finite element analysis (FEA) experts to optimise structural integrity and prevent failures.

Peter thrives on dissecting complex engineering problems, leveraging his experience, research, and collaboration with peers to develop innovative yet practical solutions.

Credentials & Professional Recognition

• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours)
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng), Engineers Australia
• Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ)
• APEC & International Professional Engineers Agreement (IntPE) Recognition

Beyond Engineering

Peter’s drive for challenge and resilience extends beyond his profession. He is a dedicated athlete, participating in aquathons, triathlons, and marathons, including the Sydney Marathon—which he plans to run again. He enjoys soccer and mountain biking and balances his high-performance mindset with time spent with his young family.

He and his wife are also passionate about animal welfare, volunteering as foster carers for cats and kittens until they find permanent homes.

Peter’s work is guided by integrity, collaboration, resilience, and sustainability. He believes in transparent and ethical engineering practices, values teamwork, and continuously pushes for innovative, environmentally responsible solutions.

His approach to leadership? Engineering is a team effort—clear communication and mutual respect drive success.