20 Professional Careers You Can Pursue with a Bachelor of Engineering

If you’re looking at studying Engineering, you may be wondering which jobs you can take on after you finish your degree. 

Of course, this will depend on what your major is and how you intend to specialise throughout your degree. There are a plethora of options available to students who graduate with an Engineering degree — in fact, it’s one of the most employable industries in Australia. 

If you know you want to study Engineering, here are a couple of great universities available: 

• University of Sydney (USYD)
• University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
• University of New South Wales (UNSW)
• Macquarie University
• Australian National University (ANU) | Pros and Cons
• RMIT University
• University of Melbourne (UniMelb)
• University of Queensland (UQ) 

Now let’s get into 20 engineering jobs you should consider after you graduate!

Built and Natural Environment

Transportation

Computing and Technology

Production

Science and Substances

Built and Natural Environment 

#1: Agricultural Engineer 

Do you love the outdoors and productions, but want to use your math skills? We have the engineering job for you! 

Agricultural engineers plan and manage systems for farming, creating the most efficient production possible. You may be responsible for looking at crop rotation and providing the best fit for each farm, or you might assist in the design of machinery that will help with harvesting, planting, evaluation or any other previously-manual farm tasks.

Along with being a country kid (or moving from the city), you’ll need to have a keen understanding of the agricultural industry and be able to implement systems that improve daily function 

JobOutlook: Estimate of $2,155 earnings per week with a very strong future growth rate.

#2: Civil Engineer 

This is one of the engineering jobs that many people think about when they consider what an engineer does. Civil engineers plan and oversee construction of built environments — they often work on projects including roads, damns, buildings and airports. 

Within this role, you will need to understand how land masses like soil behave so that you can build well on top of them.

You will design structures that are both aesthetic and functional. This is an ideal job for people who enjoy matching practicality with beauty. You will need a good eye, and a key hand at maths. 

Civil engineering is also a great entry level career for people who want to move into further management positions. 

JobOutlook: Estimate of $1,962 earnings per week with a very strong future growth rate.

Check out what it takes to become a Civil Engineer here!

#3: Draftsperson

A draftsperson examines construction and production sites to produce technical drawings that can be built upon. They often work with construction workers to draw up projects and check any new innovations are structurally sound. 

What’s the difference between this and an architect, I hear you asking? First, architecture involves a whole degree and several more years of training. Architects are also involved in the entire planning process and often oversee or assist on projects from start to finish.

Conversely, a draftsperson is often contracted to work specifically on the design of a project and are not with the same client for an extended period of time. 

This is a great career if you’re into a bit of designing art! If you have a maths brain, know how to design things and enjoy seeing projects come to life, keep it in mind. 

#4: Hydraulics Engineering

Hydraulics engineering is all about water, specifically its functions and movements! In this career, you will implement key understanding of fluid mechanics to design water ways, pipes, dams and occasionally bridges.

This career involves drawing up plans, estimating costs and understanding the future behaviour of water within your environment. 

You will need to understand the forces behind water movement, predict issues in natural habitats and work within both built and natural environments. You’ll often have a very tangible role in the building process, providing key information about the behaviour of water. 

One bonus to this career is that you may even get to work in production for film or theatre! You know those crazy musicals where they shoot water from the ceiling, or like in ‘Love Actually’ when Colin Firth nearly drowns? It could be your job to help curate that and provide technical information. 

#5: Geotechnical Engineering 

Ah yes, soil and rocks. Some people really love this stuff! As a geotechnical engineer, you’ll be responsible for examining the behaviour of earth (or at least, all the small things on its surface) when put in different settings.

You will ensure that structures like buildings and bridges are safe on top of whatever they are meant to be built on. This career involves giving key insights on the foundation of projects, so that construction can be rolled out safely and efficiently. 

As part of your job, you will gather and asses filed data, watch for development in soil behaviour (including how it compacts and expands), and oversee work on construction sites. This is one of the many great engineering jobs on offer if you’d like to combine scientific understanding with engineering, especially if you enjoy working practically. 

JobOutlook: Same as Civil Engineer

#6: Environmental Engineer 

Love nature? Take a look at this. 

Environmental engineers often specialise in water, earth, air or even noise pollution and design solutions to current issues. You will design systems that address problems including pollution, recycling and waste disposal.

You know those strategic looking drains running through your local park? An environmental engineer probably designed them. 

This role can involve very localised problems, like waste run-off in a specific street, or it can target more global problems like air traffic pollution. Regardless of your specific tasks, you’ll be working strategically with communities and officials to design more liveable environments. What’s not to love?  

JobOutlook: Same as Agricultural Engineer

Check out what an Environmental Engineer does here!

Transportation 

#7: Automotive Engineer 

Some engineers are super tactile and able to work well in a practical setting. If this is you, we have a great role for you. 

Automotive engineers are a little like mechanics, but work on the production rather than the improvement of vehicles. You will be involved in designing engines and structures that are critical to machine running.

Often, this may involve problem-solving to find innovative techniques for the running or mass production of vehicles. 

If designing your dream car sounds ideal, this is definitely one to consider!

#8: Transport Engineering 

Trains, planes, buses, you name it! In this role, you will be in charge of draining and implementing efficient transport systems to a safe standard. You might work specifically on roads, bridges, harbour, airports or railways, or you might look at many different means of transport. 

Regardless, you need to understand both the micro and macro movements of traffic. You will design systems that allow people to travel in the most direct way possible, without interrupting flow in other areas. You’ll also need a good mathematical understanding of how to actually construct infrastructure so it’s safe. 

This is certainly one of the engineering jobs you should consider if you’re interested in design and planning. It may let you travel, and will certainly make you a key hand in designing cityscapes! 

JobOutlook: Same as Civil Engineer

#9: Aeronautical Engineering 

With a bit of extra training or a specific major, you might be one of the people designing and constructing planes! 

This is a really technical job that requires great understanding of machine functioning. However, you also need to know a lot about aerodynamics and speed, which will be translated directly into your work. 

You may maintain current aircrafts, ensuring they are fit to flight, or you might be coming up with entirely new vehicles in a team! A lot of your job is likely to be testing different theories and performing safety checks on planes. 

This is a really rewarding industry, and one which you should consider checking out! 

JobOutlook: Same as Agricultural Engineer

Learn about what it’s like studying Aeronautical Engineering at USYD here!

Computing and Technology 

#10: Computer Engineer 

Forget all the big, built structures we’ve been talking about! Computer engineers work with smaller systems of hardware to design and trouble-shoot digital technology. You will design and test all elements of computers, including internal processing systems, memory and routers. 

You may also work on a broader scale as a technician, servicing whole network developments rather than single computers. 

This job is ideal for someone who has studied electrical or computer engineering (nerd alert!). You will get the opportunity to work with really complex systems, including designing new equipment. 

#11: Software Engineer 

This job is a little like computer engineering. However, instead of working on the specific hardware in computers, you will design databases and other software. 

You might be responsible for programming and creating network systems. You will likely be a keen coder, able to design things like apps, games and websites.

You’ll also need to be a great tech problem solver! If something crashes, you’ll suddenly be the most loved person in the office, able to fix it quickly. 

JobOutlook: Estimate of $2,003 earnings per week with a very strong future growth rate.

Check out what it’s like working as a Software Engineer here!

Production 

#12: Operations Management 

Operations managers are the big bosses within a production site or factory. They plan and supervise manufacturing.

As the operation manager, you will have to be acutely aware of safety concerns and able to problem solve quickly. You’ll also need to be on top of engineering guides and concerns within the organisation. 

This is a great job if you’ve studied engineering and are a people person, because you need to be well-versed in academic, practical and social management. Generally, this is one of the engineering jobs you’d go into after working for a few years. 

#13: Process Control 

Process controllers work in many different areas, but they all have the same key job. It will be your role to ensure that all elements of production within your workplace are undertaken properly. You may sort, sample and rate different products, looking at raw material and make. 

You will be in charge of finding any defects in products, disposing of items accordingly and reporting it. As such, an engineering background can be incredibly useful in assessing more complex products. This is also a great entry-level position. 

JobOutlook: Estimate of $1,636 earnings per week with a moderate future growth rate.

#14: Producer Goods Production 

This role is the more hands-on end of being an agricultural or industrial engineer! ‘Producer goods’ refer to any raw materials or things that are produced to be part of another product. This could include wheat used in baking, computer chips to be put in iPhones and so on.

An engineering degree can be useful for people who oversee production of these products, as you need to have a detailed understanding of how each piece works and the process to make it. 

You will often need to be able to read technical pieces of information, where there are complex weather patterns or instructions for building a part. It’s a very tactile career, and while it’s not directly aligned with engineering, definitely a good one to consider! 

#15: Technical Writing 

If you have a key understanding of engineering concepts but are also a skilled writer, technical writing may be one of the jobs for you! In this career, you’ll create manuals, drawings and guides that help consumers understand pieces of technology. You may also implement training on complex systems that you have written about. 

This is a career that allows you to work in the office while exploring many different types of machinery and products. You will get to use complex systems, which you will organise into key points of information that can be understood by audiences. 

If you know you want to work with machinery or information systems but you aren’t quite sure how, technical writing could be a great place to start! 

JobOutlook: Estimate of $1,576 earnings per week with a stable future growth rate.

Science and Substances

#16: Mechanical Engineer 

We all need energy to wake up in the morning, and some of us spend all day finding ways to produce it! Sounds alarming? Have no fear, mechanical engineers have a really exciting role to play. 

In this career, you’ll be designing and implementing power machines like wind turbines and solar plants. You may also work on projects like escalators, automatic doors or air-conditioning.

Anything that is a combo between structural design and electronics or power is probably created by a mechanical engineer. 

This career will afford you many diverse jobs in engineering, and is definitely worth considering

JobOutlook: Estimate of $2,414 earnings per week with a stable future growth rate.

Read up on a career as a Mechanical Engineer here!

#17: Industrial Engineer 

This job is, in a sense, a combo of lots of different engineering roles! As an industrial engineer, you will create systems that ensure materials and energy work together in the most efficient manner.

You will often be employed by companies to ensure they are working at the cheapest cost and best expulsion of effort, in the least time-consuming manner. 

You will often oversee production of goods, or management of specific projects. Ultimately you will be the one keeping the show running smoothly! 

JobOutlook: Same as Mechanical Engineer

#18: Biomedical Engineer 

Do you have an interest in health and medicine? This is totally a career for you to consider! Biomedical engineers work on advancements and data in medicine and health. They regularly develop new technology or processing systems to combat disease. 

You may be employed by a private lab, or in a hospital where you expand their system and knowledge. Though biomedical engineers don’t treat patients directly, they do have a really crucial role to play in adapting technologies that will assist frontline workers.

You may create new vaccines, or pieces of technology like monitors that will help treat patients. 

JobOutlook: Estimate of $2,155 earnings per week with a very strong future growth rate.

Read about what it’s like studying Biomedical Engineering at USYD here!

#19: Chemical Engineer 

This profession is responsible for solving issues and developing new concepts around chemicals. You may be working on activities including drugs and pharmaceuticals, food or workplace chemicals.

In a practical sense, this job involves analysing data from various experiments of workplaces to improve chemical manufacturing processes. You’ll need to have a complex understanding of chemical equations and reactions, as well as pilot operations to test data. 

This is a great job if you have a particular interest in the combination of science and engineering!

JobOutlook: Estimate of $3,019 earnings per week with a moderate future growth rate.

Discover what a Chemical Engineer does here!

#20: Nuclear Engineer 

Imagine working on something as mammoth as a nuclear power plant. On a practical level, this career involves assessment of ecological or environmental impacts, including how to keep nuclear secure and safe for all. You will be responsible for ensuring power plants work efficiently and safely.

It’s a highly-specialised career and will often require additional training beyond your degree. However, it’s a great job to consider if you’d like to extend your knowledge and work with an up-and-coming source of power.

So there you have it!

There are many wonderful jobs that you can take on with a Bachelor of Engineering under your belt. 

Whether you are interested in theoretical work and enjoy adding up the numbers, or you want to be out on the field, this is an incredibly diverse line of work to enter into. 

You may find yourself jumping into slightly different engineering jobs and trying new things throughout your working life (which is totally acceptable and a great thing to do!).

Keep considering what you want to study, and you will find a career you love! 

Wondering what the highest paying jobs in Australia are? Check out our article here!

Lucinda Garbutt-Young hopes to one day be writing for a big-shot newspaper… or maybe just for a friendly magazine in the arts sector. Right now, she is enjoying studying a Bachelor of Public Communication (Public Relations and Journalism) at UTS while she writes on the side. She also loves making coffees for people in her job as a barista, and loves nothing more than a sun shower.