GHD Graduate Program 2026 - Surface Water (civil Or Environmental Engineer) - Brisbane

Graduate Surface Water Engineer

We don't do hair. But we do straighten out some of the world's biggest challenges.

We're engineers, scientists, designers, architects, planners, advisors, innovators and change makers, committed to making energy, water and communities sustainable for generations to come.

Since 1928, we've been wholly owned by our employees. Today, we are 11,000 diverse and skilled individuals working in over 160 offices across five continents — Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, and the Pacific region.

Our two-year Graduate Development Program is designed to give you a smooth start to your consulting career. Alongside your peers, managers and mentors, we'll help you detangle any challenges along the way.

Whether your passion is in Engineering, Science, Project Management, Architecture or another consulting speciality, we'll work with you to find your ideal first role.

Along the way, you'll get a broad look at the many career pathways available at GHD—because no future should come with split ends!

You'll have the chance to work in design teams to help deliver exciting projects, contribute to bids and tenders, and even get hands-on with occasional site work.

In your first year, we'll focus on the fundamentals of consulting to help you find your rhythm in the industry.

By year two, you'll have the flexibility to style your development, whether that's diving deeper into your technical development or soaking up wisdom from your mentors.

We're looking for a Civil or Environmental Engineer to join GHD as a Graduate Surface Water Engineer in our Water team in Brisbane!

Surface water engineering sits at the heart of climate resilience and public safety. You'll work on meaningful projects, build rare technical skills, and contribute to modelling and design that directly protect communities. You'll support modelling, analysis and design work that helps manage flood risk, inform major infrastructure, and strengthen community resilience.

Desired Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor of Engineering (Civil or Environmental), ideally with a water focus
• Coursework or experience in hydrology, flood modelling, drainage design, WSUD or similar
• Bonus: Experience with TUFLOW, QGIS/ArcPro, Python or GoldSIM
• Strong attention to detail, communication skills and a positive mindset

What will you get to do? As a Graduate Surface Water Engineer, you'll support technical project delivery across modelling, analysis and reporting. Working with experienced hydrologists and engineers, you'll:

• Analyse catchments, estimate rainfall–runoff and develop flood models using TUFLOW
• Carry out spatial and mapping tasks using QGIS/ArcPro, plus process and interpret data in Excel/Python
• Contribute to water balance modelling (GoldSIM) and flood consequence assessments
• Prepare clear technical reports and collaborate on coordinated project outputs
• Occasionally support advanced 3D hydraulic modelling using CFD methods

You'll join a supportive, collaborative team with an active Young Professionals network, diverse projects, and senior specialists who love teaching. Expect challenging technical work, big learning opportunities, and a clear pathway into technical and design leadership roles.

A frizz-free application process:

We want your journey to be as smooth as possible, so here's everything you need to help you prep like a pro:

• Your CV: This gives us a snapshot of what you've studied and your experiences, both paid and unpaid.
• A cover letter: Think of this as your chance to show us where you'd love to grow within GHD, while letting your communication skills shine.
• Your transcript: This helps us understand what you've been learning, from your core subjects to the electives that sparked your curiosity.

Your journey to joining GHD:

• Screening: We review applications as they come in, but be mindful that the bulk of our screening happens after applications close, so don't worry if you don't hear from us right away.
• Video interviews: If you make it through the first stage, you'll record some answers to a few straightforward questions. This helps us get a sense of your communication style and what excites you about GHD.
• Meet the team: Next, you'll have a face-to-face or virtual interview with your prospective team. We'll chat through some behavioural based questions to learn more about your skills and experience. It's also a chance for you to get to know us!
• Psychometric assessments: These quick tests give us a glimpse into how you like to work and your strengths in relation to the role, complementing what we learn during your interview.
• Offer: Congratulations! If you're successful, we'll talk through all the finer details, like salary, your start date, and our background checking process.

We're committed to being as inclusive as possible and giving everyone an equitable chance of getting through our application process. If you identify as someone who is neurodiverse or have a disability and need adjustments to any part of the process, let us know in your application form—we're here to help.

Start dates and opportunities

Our Graduate Program will start in February 2026 - although there may be opportunities to start earlier on a casual basis.

Ready to shine?

If you've got your documents polished and prepped, the application should only take 10-15 minutes. Apply now and take the first step toward an exciting career in consulting.

GHD: The Power of Commitment

At GHD, we don't just believe in the power of commitment, we live and breathe it every day. Community impact is important to us, influencing how we work, our projects and how we give back. Our GHD in the Community program partners with not-for-profit organisations so that we can work on pro-bono projects, as well as volunteering and fundraising for philanthropic and humanitarian causes. As a business, we also channel some of our profits into the GHD Foundation, a registered charity that addresses disadvantage and inequality in children accessing STEAM education in the countries where we live and work.

Within GHD, our employee groups and networks help us foster community, find our tribe, and celebrate what makes us unique. These groups play a big part in our global diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, creating spaces for meaningful and safe conversations, connecting with likeminded individuals, and creating a voice to leadership.