Hydrographer

A hydrographer conducts surveys of water bodies including oceans, harbours, rivers, and lakes to map seafloor and riverbed topography, underwater hazards, and water depth. They operate specialist surveying equipment from vessels or shore-based stations, process survey data using hydrographic software, and produce navigational charts and bathymetric maps used by maritime authorities and shipping industries. Hydrographers work in accordance with International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards and Australian maritime regulations.

Operate multibeam sonar, single-beam echo sounders, and side-scan sonar equipment to collect bathymetric data from survey vessels. Deploy and recover towed bodies, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and sensor arrays in marine survey operations. Establish and maintain survey control networks using GPS/GNSS positioning systems and check against tide gauge data. Conduct real-time quality control of raw sonar and positioning data during field surveys. Process raw hydrographic data using specialised software such as Caris HIPS/SIPS or similar platforms to remove noise and artefacts. Identify and classify underwater hazards including wrecks, rocks, shoals, and obstructions from survey datasets. Apply tidal corrections and water level adjustments to depth measurements in accordance with Australian Bureau of Meteorology tide tables. Compile survey-grade bathymetric models and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from processed data.

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.

You'll spend weeks at a time on survey vessels in rough seas, far from home. The work is physically demanding and sometimes dangerous. Once ashore, you're stuck processing data indoors. The field work is seasonal and project-based, so job security depends on government funding and shipping industry contracts. There aren't many positions, so you may need to move states or spend years casual before landing permanent work.

Regional river and lake survey work happens where development projects run, but these are temporary contracts. Remote work is not an option in this role.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3114, 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.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Cartographycore
• Data Entry and Accuracycore
• Digital Literacycore
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiencycore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Calibrate laboratory equipment
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Microsoft Excel Data Management
• Power BI Reporting and Dashboards
• Process Documentation
• Reporting and Analytics
• Team Collaboration
• Time Management and Prioritisation
• Verbal Communication
• Workload Self-Management

• 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.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026