Senior Geotechnical Engineer

• Critical Engineering Role which you can genuinely make your own
• Work on diverse terrain from coastal plains to escarpments in tropical North Queensland
• Enjoy a 9-day fortnight, generous leave, and live on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef

Shape the Ground Beneath a Thriving City - Lead innovative geotechnical solutions that directly impact community safety and infrastructure.

About Council

Townsville City Council is the largest regional Council in Queensland employing over 1700 staff and has an annual budget of approximately $868M and community assets of nearly $9 billion. They see the world is changing so they are changing too. Their people and their jobs are as diverse as the communities they serve. With Townsville expected to continue to experience strong economic and population growth over the coming decades modelling for this growth and forecasting via an evidence-based planning system has arguably put Council at the forefront of innovation in this area within QLD Local Government.

The Position

Are you ready to take your geotechnical expertise to the next level in one of Australia’s most vibrant and diverse landscapes? Townsville City Council is seeking a Senior Geotechnical Engineer to lead critical infrastructure projects that shape the future of this dynamic region. With a focus on slope stability analysis your work will directly enhance the safety, sustainability, and liveability of the city.

Additionally you will be reviewing the impact to residents and roads where slope instability is a problem, writing reports, fielding enquiries internally from the planning and development team and residents. Existing and known hazards are being reviewed after significant, recent events. Continuing this review and making good assessments of what the landform is doing amidst political pressures will also form part of your remit.

About You

If you are a geotechnical engineer looking for a landscape that challenges and inspires, Townsville offers a dynamic mix of terrain and geology that makes every project unique.

Your CV will highlight:

• Extensive experience as an engineer with a broad range of experience in design, maintenance, and operation of civil and geotechnical infrastructure, in particular, investigations of requests or complaints relating to geotechnical matters.
• As excellent knowledge and experience of civil and geotechnical design principles, guidelines, Codes of Practice, and relevant State documents.
• Excellent knowledge and experience of geotechnical legislation in its application to the design and planning of civil and geotechnical infrastructure.

Why this Role?

This is your chance to escape the cold weather if you are working in LG elsewhere or the grind of a consultancy environment and embrace a role that offers autonomy, purpose, and balance. You will work independently while collaborating with enthusiastic teams across Council, using your skills to assess landform changes, respond to community needs, and contribute to long-term urban resilience. With access to geological, storm tide, and flood reports, you will have the tools to make informed, impactful decisions.

Beyond the technical challenge, this role offers an enviable lifestyle. Imagine working a 9-day fortnight, enjoying five weeks of annual leave, and living in a city with over 300 days of sunshine. Whether it is hiking escarpments, diving the reef, or simply making a difference in a community that values your expertise—this is more than a job, it is a career-defining opportunity.

As a guide and dependent upon qualifications and experience, a salary of between $103-$138K + super will be paid to the successful applicant. As mentioned above, benefits include a 9-day fortnight, 5 weeks’ annual leave and 17.5% holiday loading as well as ongoing learning and development opportunities. Generous relocation assistance will also be provided, and Council will support you to secure appropriate accommodation in this tight market. Future Learning and Development opportunities are also supported together with reimbursement of some professional registration fees.

The Candidate Briefing Document can be accessed HERE

PEAK Services is working in conjunction with Townsville City Council, exclusively on this position. We offer local government expertise across a wide range of professional fields, providing tailored solutions for councils and other similar organisations. We work with our clients to deliver meaningful outcomes in recruitment and contracting services.