by Optimum
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While national job ads have softened, the resource sector is telling a very different story. Across Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and South Australia, mining and engineering roles are growing, and experienced professionals hold the stronger hand.
Read the national headlines and you would be forgiven for thinking the labour market is cooling everywhere. Look at Australian mining and engineering and the picture flips. Mining engineer roles are forecast to grow around 17.1 per cent over the next three years, with roughly 3,885 new technical roles, mining engineers, geologists and specialists, expected across the sector. The resource states are ramping up while the broader economy softens.
This is not confined to one state. The Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association forecasts 96 major projects creating more than 22,000 new jobs and $129.5 billion in investment across the sector to 2030. For candidates weighing a move, and employers planning their H2 hiring, the fundamentals matter more than the headlines.
Where the Activity is
Queensland’s Bowen Basin coal operations are ramping for the second half, with an energy-transition pipeline stacked on top, Borumba Pumped Hydro, CopperString, and hydrogen precincts around Gladstone and Townsville. In Western Australia, the Pilbara iron ore operations are still expanding, gold remains consistently active, and lithium and critical minerals are the fastest-growing demand of any resource segment in the country.
New South Wales continues to hire through the Hunter Valley coal operations, South Australia is anchored by BHP’s Olympic Dam and Carrapateena, and the Northern Territory adds Glencore’s McArthur River. The point for candidates is simple: opportunity is no longer a single-postcode story.
Who is Job Hiring
The major employers are active across every resource state: BHP, Rio Tinto, Glencore and Anglo American in Queensland and beyond; Fortescue, Newmont, Northern Star, Mineral Resources and a cluster of lithium producers (Pilbara Minerals, Liontown, Arcadium Lithium) in WA; Whitehaven Coal and Yancoal in NSW; and BHP across its South Australian copper-gold assets.
Roles in Active Demand
- Mining engineers, open cut and underground, in both QLD and WA
- Geologists and mine planners
- Metallurgists and process engineers
- Lithium and critical minerals specialists in WA, a fast-growing premium category
- FIFO maintenance technicians and electricians
- Drilling supervisors, blast crew, production planners and site safety specialists
What it pays
Salary bands remain strong and are consistent with 2026 market guides. FIFO packages carry a further premium once flights, meals and accommodation are counted.
| Experience level | Base salary range |
|---|---|
| Entry level (graduate – 3 yrs) | $78,000 – $110,000 |
| Mid-level (5 – 8 yrs) | $120,000 – $155,000 |
| Senior / specialist | $160,000 – $180,000 |
| Senior + site allowances | $180,000 – $225,000+ |
| WA lithium / critical minerals specialist | $120,000 – $170,000 |
The FIFO maths is worth spelling out. A $165,000 FIFO package versus a $130,000 metro role is not a $35,000 gap, once site-covered costs are removed, the FIFO position wins consistently. That reality keeps rosters attractive even as candidates become more selective about camp standards, fatigue management and psychosocial safety.
The Talent Gap is Structural, not Cyclical
The shortage running through the sector is not a passing tightness. Not enough new engineers are entering the pipeline to replace experienced professionals moving into leadership, and WA’s lithium and energy-transition expansion is creating roles faster than universities can produce graduates. The result: mid-to-senior engineers with a strong safety record are in a seller’s market, in Queensland, in WA, and nationally.
What This Means for You
For candidates: lead your resume with measurable impact rather than a list of duties. FIFO experience and a clean safety record (LTI-free) are the top shortlist filters nationally. Mid-to-senior professionals should be having an honest career conversation with a specialist before engaging a new process, a strong candidate today often has multiple offers by Friday.
For employers: speed and offer certainty are now the competitive advantage. Pre-approved salary bands and delegated hiring authority at site level are the difference between securing talent and losing it mid-process. Brief your recruitment partner on priority roles before the market tightens further, and be transparent about roster structure from the first conversation, roster surprises at offer stage are a leading cause of late-stage withdrawal.
Australia’s mining and engineering sector is doing something the national headlines are not capturing. For the people and the companies operating in it, H2 2026 is a market worth understanding clearly.
Sources
- Scotford Fennessy — In-Demand Mining Jobs 2026–2030 https://www.scotfordfennessy.com.au/industry-insights/in-demand-mining-jobs-for-2026-2030/
- AREEA / Investing News — Australian mining workforce forecast to 2030 https://investingnews.com/australian-mining-workforce-forecast/
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Mining Engineers occupation profile https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/2336-mining-engineers
- Resource Jobs — Mining Salaries Australia 2026 https://www.resourcejobs.au/blog/mining-salaries-australia-2026
- Terratern — Mining Engineer Salary Australia 2026 https://terratern.com/blog/mining-engineer-salary-australia/
Exploring mining and engineering roles across Australia, or hiring for them? Optimum Consulting places mid-to-senior professionals across QLD, WA, NSW, SA and NT. Register or get in touch at ogroup.com.au.
