[7] Young was a postdoctoral research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg Germany (1983–1984), where he studied under Klaus Hasselmann.

[11] His field research at Lake George near Canberra pioneered understanding of the growth of waves in finite depth conditions and has become a standard approach for engineering design in such situations.

[12] In 1999 he was appointed to the role of Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Adelaide and subsequently became Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) in 2001.

[16][17] This work has largely been achieved by building long-term databases of satellite observations of the ocean from altimeter, radiometer and scatterometer instruments.

[18][11] Young's term as Vice-Chancellor of Swinburne was marked by a transformation of the university from a largely teaching institution to one with high quality focused research activities.

[21] During this same period, Young had a national role, representing Australia's universities as a Director of IDP Education, an international student recruitment company.

Internally, Young set out to restructure the finances and administrative structures of the institution, a process which required financial restraint and a voluntary early retirement scheme in 2014.

[22] Externally, Young became Chair of the Group of Eight in 2014,[23] a time when the Australian Government proposed the deregulation of Australia's university system.