Irrigation Designer
An irrigation designer plans and designs water distribution systems for agricultural, horticultural, and landscaping projects across Australia. They assess site conditions, water availability, soil types, and crop or plant requirements to develop efficient irrigation schemes that comply with state water regulations and best-practice standards.
What this job is
An irrigation designer plans and designs water distribution systems for agricultural, horticultural, and landscaping projects across Australia. They assess site conditions, water availability, soil types, and crop or plant requirements to develop efficient irrigation schemes that comply with state water regulations and best-practice standards. Using CAD software and hydraulic calculations, they produce detailed designs, schedules, and specifications for installation by contractors.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 38.8% 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 inspections and soil surveys to determine soil type, topography, drainage characteristics, and existing water infrastructure. Analyse water availability from sources such as bores, dams, channels, and mains supply, including seasonal variability and licensing requirements under state water management laws. Calculate water demand based on crop type, growth stage, climate data, and evapotranspiration rates for the region. Design piping networks, laterals, and outlet configurations using CAD software to optimise water distribution and minimise losses. Select and specify appropriate irrigation equipment including pumps, valves, filters, and emitters based on system requirements and budget constraints. Perform hydraulic calculations to determine operating pressures, flow rates, and pump specifications for the designed system. Develop design drawings, plans, and technical specifications for irrigation layouts at required scales. Prepare irrigation schedules and operating instructions tailored to crop phenology and seasonal water availability.
Who does this now
How many people do this work is not published. The Australian Bureau of Statistics holds a figure for this occupation and withholds it, so we do not show one.
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 had trouble finding suitable applicants in 2025. Ratings are not the same everywhere. NT and ACT were rated not in shortage. 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 need to master water licensing laws that vary by state and region: this is a genuine compliance burden that catches people out. Droughts and water restrictions also mean your designs can become obsolete or unworkable, leaving you explaining to clients why their project can't proceed. The pay ceiling is real too; this isn't a role that leads to six figures unless you own your own consultancy.
Where the jobs are
Some landscaping design work exists in metro areas, but most career stability is in regional farming zones where you'll need to relocate or travel frequently for site inspections.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 3111, 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
- Advise on aquaculture products supply chaincore
- Advise on fertiliser and herbicidecore
- Advise on grape quality improvementcore
- Advise on nitrate pollutioncore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Customer Needs Assessmentcore
- Goal Setting and Planningcore
- Microsoft Office Suite Proficiencycore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Report Writingcore
- Research and Analysiscore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Stakeholder Communicationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Advise on crop diseases
- Advise on irrigation projects
- Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Digital Literacy
- Negotiation
- Process Documentation
- Quality Assurance and Checking
- Record Management
- Supplier Communication
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.
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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