Explore career options in civil engineering
Here you can find information on the types of careers and employment roles your studies in civil engineering may land you.
You can also discover where to look for job vacancies, as well as professional associations, mentoring and international opportunities.
Opportunities
Griffith’s civil engineering qualifications provide a robust understanding of core civil engineering concepts including solid and fluid mechanics, engineering statics and dynamics, material properties and behaviour, and fundamentals of structural, geotechnical, water and transport engineering.
You will be expected to develop and apply core civil engineering skills including fundamentals of water and flood hydrology, soil mechanics and foundation engineering, structural design and optimisation and transportation system design and modelling. These skills will enable you to plan, design, construct and maintain the infrastructure our society depends on, including buildings, bridges, dams, airports and other transport networks.
Strong problem-solving skills are an essential quality for civil engineers, enabling them to create innovative, sustainable and cost-effective solutions to complex engineering problems. Effective communication skills are also essential to communicate technical information clearly and effectively with many stakeholders including clients, contractors, and regulatory bodies. Tailor your specialisation in civil engineering with majors or minors that meet your interests and career goals.
According to the , civil engineers are among the most in-demand graduates within the engineering profession.
Career fields
- Government - local, state and federal
- Water, gas and sewerage
- Roading construction
- Port and marine authorities
- Property development
- Environmental consulting
- Mining sector
- Consulting engineering firms
- Construction management
- Structural design
- Project management
- Railways
- Marine park authorities
- Geotechnical surveying
- Contract administration
- Quantity surveying
- Defence forces
Employment roles
- Civil engineer
- Environmental engineer
- Payment engineer
- Coastal engineer
- Transport engineer
- Field engineer
- Civil design engineer
- Geotechnical engineer
- Graduate engineer
- Hydraulic engineer
- Maritime and coastal engineer
- Project engineer
- Site engineer
- Structural engineer
- Tunnelling engineer
Occupation snapshot
Employed
76,700
Annual growth
4,000
Weekly earnings
$2,624
Part-time share
9%
This data is based on the occupation profile for civil engineering professionals retrieved from the Government's website August 2024.
Your employability
In addition to knowledge and skills directly related to your program of study, you will also develop a range of other skills (e.g. teamwork, analytical, communication) through academic study, employment, voluntary work, sporting and recreational activities and life experience.
Recognising the value employers place on these skills is an important factor in your graduate job search. You can further develop your employability with these resources:
- Develop your employability
- Enrich your studies
Vacancies
Information on relevant vacancies and career resources can be found in a wide range of sources:
- (formerly Grad 色情网站)
Job application resources
Craft a stand-out resume and cover letter, and learn how to prepare for job interviews.
Approach potential employers
Many work opportunities are not advertised, so we recommend approaching potential employers with the aim of researching their needs and how your skills, experience, interests and qualifications could match theirs.
This is called informational interviewing and will benefit you by:
- clarifying your specific career direction
- enhancing your professional network
- increasing your chances of being offered a job.
Industry outlook
The website includes helpful information such as job descriptions, employment prospects, average weekly earnings and skills requirements. Every job title in the database has a skills section to help you identify and describe essential skills for your future career.
The website also has job descriptions and a useful career insight section.
The website has up-to-date information on graduate salaries, especially the Graduate Outlook Survey (GOS) National Report, which contains undergraduate salary figures.
More detailed information is available at the portal.
Professional associations
Joining a professional association is a great way to meet people in your field, who can assist you to explore your career options and potentially find employment opportunities. These associations hold regular professional development and networking events. Students are welcome to join.
Students are welcome to join and often receive a discount on their membership.
Mentoring
The award-winning Industry Mentoring Program provides an excellent opportunity to further develop your employability and build professional networks.
The program is available to students with more than 80CP as well as recent graduates.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ) and is committed to fostering quality education and a more equitable and just society, where everyone has a chance to thrive while fostering partnerships for the goals.
Further careers information
Careers counselling
Individual career counselling sessions are available to all current students and recent graduates.
You can book an initial appointment via CareerHub.
Career planning
Our website has an array of career planning resources you can explore at any stage of your student journey.
Career readiness
Check out our Career Readiness site in Learning@Griffith for additional information and resources for your career development learning:
Similar career options
Please note: The content on this webpage is a guide only. Please refer to degree-specific information and accreditation requirements of your profession on the Degree and Course Finder website and with the relevant professional accreditation body for your degree.