Geological Engineer (SA)

Education and Training:

To become a geological engineer you usually have to complete an engineering degree at university with a major in geoscience, geology, geoengineering or geotechnical engineering. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your SACE. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English, mathematics, chemistry, physics and physical sciences are normally required. A number of universities in Australia offer degrees in these areas. Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Additional Information:

Graduates may be eligible for membership of Engineers Australia, the Geological Society of Australia and/or the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Related Courses:

While the following courses are related to this occupation, they may not necessarily lead directly to employment, nor provide the most direct pathway to the occupation. Courses which provide preliminary or informal training, as well as those which provide additional job skills following initial qualifications may also be listed.

*Course is offered by more than one institution. Click link for details.

Employment Opportunities:

Geological engineers are employed by engineering consulting firms, by the civil, mining and environmental industries and by federal and state or territory government organisations. They may also work in areas of environmental consultancy and associated rehabilitation works. There are opportunities for promotion within companies and departments, or for self-employment.

Geological engineers may work with other professionals, pooling their expertise to solve particular problems. For example, they may work with environmental scientists, geologists and hydrologists on solving land degradation, groundwater and salination problems; with civil engineers in the design and construction of better transportation links; or with mining engineers in designing open-cut and underground mines, and on rehabilitation works on completion of mining.

Geological engineers have skills that are readily transferable between employers and may find work interstate or overseas.