Commodities Trader
A commodities trader buys and sells raw materials such as metals, energy, agricultural products, and other primary goods on domestic and international markets.
What this job is
A commodities trader buys and sells raw materials such as metals, energy, agricultural products, and other primary goods on domestic and international markets. Working in trading floors, back offices, or remote dealing environments, they monitor price movements, execute trades via specialised platforms, and manage risk exposures to generate profit or hedge client positions.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 31.7% 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
Monitor real-time commodity price quotes and market data on Bloomberg terminals, Reuters platforms, and exchange feeds to identify trading opportunities. Execute buy and sell orders for commodities including crude oil, natural gas, metals, grains, and soft commodities through exchanges such as the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) or international venues. Analyse technical charts, fundamental market drivers, and geopolitical factors to assess price trends and volatility in assigned commodity sectors. Manage open trade positions by setting stop-loss orders, profit targets, and tracking mark-to-market valuations throughout the trading day. Reconcile traded positions with back-office settlement teams and ensure accurate recording in internal trading systems and regulatory reporting systems. Communicate deal terms, price quotes, and execution confirmations to clients, brokers, and counterparties via phone, email, and instant messaging platforms. Maintain compliance with Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) conduct rules, market integrity rules, and internal risk limits set by compliance and risk teams. Prepare daily trading summaries, profit and loss statements, and exposure reports for senior traders and risk managers.
Who does this now
About 1,900 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)
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find 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.
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 face intense pressure to make fast decisions with real money on the line, often in volatile markets where a single mistake costs thousands. The role demands constant focus during market hours (often 6am-4pm or longer for global markets), and your performance is measured daily by profit and loss. Career changers struggle most with the learning curve on specialised platforms and the emotional toll of managing losses without panic.
Where the jobs are
The practical reality is that large cities dominate. Some roles work remotely from regional areas, but entry-level positions almost always require being onsite in a city office to learn the systems and networks. International experience in London or Singapore can lead back to Australian roles.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 2221, 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
- Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
- Microsoft Excel Data Managementcore
- Negotiationcore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Reporting and Analyticscore
- Research and Analysiscore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Stakeholder Communicationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- ERP and Inventory Systems
- Goal Setting and Planning
- Invoice Matching and Reconciliation
- Power BI Reporting and Dashboards
- Process Improvement Identification
- Supplier Communication
- 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.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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