Commencing in 1983, Young worked at Opera Australia as a répétiteur under various conductors, including Charles Mackerras, Richard Bonynge, Carlo Felice Cillario and Stuart Challender.

She received an Australia Council grant to study overseas, and was named Young Australian of the Year.

Critics of the magazine Opernwelt selected her in October 2006 as the Dirigentin des Jahres (Conductor of the Year).

In August 2008, Young appeared as part of the judging panel in the reality TV talent show-themed program Maestro on BBC Two.

[11] In March 2016, Young was appointed a member of the board of the Europäische Musiktheater-Akademie (European Academy of Music Theatre).

In December 2019, the SSO announced the appointment of Young as its next chief conductor, effective in 2022, with an initial contract of 3 years.

[15] In 2024 Simone Young became the first woman to conduct Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festival.

[17] Young is featured in the documentary film Knowing the Score directed by Australian documentarian Janine Hosking, a biopic that "is first and foremost a captivating story of a dazzling 30-year music career.

The Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.