Civil Engineering Technician
A Civil Engineering Technician supports civil engineers and construction projects by conducting site surveys, preparing technical drawings, and monitoring compliance with design specifications and building codes.
What this job is
A Civil Engineering Technician supports civil engineers and construction projects by conducting site surveys, preparing technical drawings, and monitoring compliance with design specifications and building codes. They work on-site and in offices for construction, infrastructure, and development projects, using surveying equipment, CAD software, and quality control procedures to ensure projects meet Australian Standards and relevant legislation.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 27.2% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Conduct site surveys using theodolites, GPS receivers, and level instruments to gather field data for design and construction layouts. Prepare and update technical drawings and plans in CAD software (AutoCAD, Civil 3D) from survey data and engineer specifications. Measure and record dimensions, levels, and distances on construction sites to verify compliance with approved plans. Inspect concrete, steel, and earthworks materials on-site and conduct basic testing (slump tests, compaction checks) to verify quality standards. Monitor excavation depths, foundation levels, and structural alignment during construction using survey equipment and marking techniques. Prepare site documentation including daily progress reports, material test records, and as-built drawings. Liaise with construction crews to communicate design requirements, survey marks, and layout instructions. Check finished work against design specifications and Australian Standards (AS/NZS) to identify defects or deviations.
Who does this now
About 4,100 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2)
Registration or licensing may be required.
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation had trouble finding suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Jobs and Skills Australia defines an occupation-ready qualification as:
Completing this qualification will provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this occupation. Further training and experience may be required to meet specific industry requirements including licensing and registration.
Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
You'll spend a lot of time outdoors in all weather doing repetitive measurements and inspections. The CAD work is detailed and unforgiving: small errors in drawings or survey data can cause expensive construction delays. You need solid maths skills and have to master several technical tools quickly. Pay typically caps out unless you move into engineering or management.
Where the jobs are
Regional areas have work too, especially around mining, infrastructure projects, and road building. Practically speaking: metro areas have more variety and job mobility; regional work is steadier during boom cycles but dries up quickly. Most positions require being on-site, so remote work is rare.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 3122, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Attention to Detailcore
- Check compatibility of materialscore
- Microsoft Office Suite Proficiencycore
- Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
- Record Managementcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Report Writingcore
- Research and Analysiscore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Stakeholder Communicationcore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Data Entry and Accuracy
- Electronic Document Management
- Incident Reporting
- Microsoft Excel Data Management
- Process Documentation
- Process Improvement Identification
- Workload Self-Management
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
What Civil Engineering Technician workers move into, from ten years of tax records.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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