Areas of engineering

Obtained by having a Civil Aviation Safety Authority Instrument of Authority

Aeronautical engineering concerns the theory, technology, and practice of flight within the Earth's atmosphere, the design of aircraft and propulsion systems and study of the aerodynamic performance of aircraft and construction materials.

*The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is the Commonwealth Government body that regulates Australian aviation safety. CASA personnel who hold an Instrument of Authority from CASA may be eligible for registration as a RPEQ in the area of Aeronautical engineering.

Assessed by Engineers Australia

Aerospace engineering involves the development of aircraft and spacecraft. The purpose of aerospace engineering is to achieve optimal integrated aerospace systems.

Assessed by Engineers Australia

Biomedical engineering deals with combining design and problem-solving skills in applying engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes.

Assessed by Engineers Australia and Institution of Chemical Engineers

Chemical engineering helps to manage resources, protect the environment, and control health and safety procedures, while researching and developing the processes that make the products we desire/depend on.

Chemical engineers understand how to alter the chemical, biochemical or physical state of a substance, changing raw materials into useful products used every day, such as food, pharmaceutical products, petrol, plastics, paints, paper, ceramics, minerals and metals. The operation of plants where these  every day products are processed is also part of chemical engineering.

Engineers working in this field may specialise as combustion engineers, petroleum engineers, principal chemical engineers, smelting engineers, water treatment engineers or environmental engineers. There is also scope for chemical engineers to move into related areas including biotechnology, food engineering and mineral engineering.

Assessed by Engineers Australia, Institution of Civil Engineers, Institute of Civil Infrastructure, Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia and Professionals Australia

Civil engineering involves the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, e.g. dams, bridges, pipelines, roads, towers and buildings, transport systems, gas and water supplies, sewerage systems, harbours, airports and railways. Civil engineering also involves assessing the impact large scale projects have on the environment, and the collection and treatment of sewage and industrial wastes. Other environmental areas include pollution control, environmental control, transport, urban development and municipal services, resource protection of building and construction of other infrastructure and service industries.

Assessed by Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Engineers Australia and Professionals Australia

Electrical engineering involves the research, design, development, manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance and management of equipment, plant and systems within the electrical, electronic, communication and computer systems areas.

These activities can apply to electricity generation, transmission, distribution, electrical installations in buildings and on industrial sites, electrical equipment manufacturing, instrumentation and control systems applications in industry, communications networks, electronic plan and equipment, and also the integration and control of computer systems.

Assessed by Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Engineers Australia

Environmental engineering is concerned with protecting the environment by assessing the impact a project has on the air, water, soil and noise levels in its vicinity. This is done by studying the project’s design, construction and operation, and minimising any adverse effects that it may have on the environment. Environmental engineering is also involved in removing problems caused by past activity, such as cleaning contaminated industrial land, so it can be used for housing. Environmental engineering helps predict what problems may be caused by accidents and assess what may cause problems for the environment in the long term. Environmental engineering is also involved in research and development of alternative energy sources, water reclamation, waste treatment and recycling.

Assessed by Engineers Australia

Fire safety engineering deals with the protection of life, property and environment through the application of engineering principles, rules and judgement to the fire phenomenon, the effects of fire and the reaction and behaviour of people.

Assessed by Engineers Australia and Professionals Australia

Geotechnical engineering deals with the mechanics of soil and rock and its applications to engineering elements. It deals with the analysis, design and construction of structures or systems that are made of or are supported by soil or rock.

Geotechnical engineers identify, design and implement practical solutions to engineering problems concerning soil, rock and groundwater. They apply scientific and engineering techniques to predict and manage the behaviour of the ground where it interacts with or responds to human activity.

Some of the indicative activities that may be undertaken when practising geotechnical engineering are: construction, consultancy, design, development, project management and research.

These activities could take place in any of the following geotechnical engineering domains: airports,  embankments and dams, environmental, transport infrastructure, deep basement and retaining walls, foundations & piling, mining, ports, rock slope engineering, site reclamation and formation, soft ground engineering, specialist testing and instrumentation, subdivisional geotechnics, retaining walls, roads and rails and tunnelling.

Assessed by Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Geotechnical (Mining) engineering investigates plans, designs and monitors the process of creating fit-for-purpose mining excavations associated with the surface or underground excavation of an in-situ rock mass, or matters directly associated therewith, including the construction or excavation of in-pit or underground infrastructure, the construction of waste dumps and stockpiles, or tailings dams, and the placement of backfill.

Assessed by Engineers Australia 

Information, telecommunications and electronics engineering deals with scientific engineering design to develop computer modelling tools, broadband capability, improve telecommunications systems, hardware and software, systems for media broadcasting and sound, and sophisticated electronics.

Assessed by Engineers Australia

In-Service Inspection of Amusement Rides and Devices Engineering involves a thorough understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements, the capability to scope and conduct inspections to AS3533, the capacity to report appropriately on inspections and a commitment to relevant CPD.

Assessed by Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Engineers Australia and Professionals Australia

Mechanical engineering is a diverse discipline that encompasses the teaching, practice and leadership of others in the development and application of scientific principles to mechanical systems. Mechanical engineering covers the ability to solve problems that deliver and optimise safe, sustainable and ethical solutions for the design, production and operation of devices, machines, structures, processes and systems involving mechanical elements. Mechanical engineering frequently overlaps and/or combines with other engineering technologies to create multi-disciplinary projects/solutions.

Assessed by Engineers Australia

Mechatronics Engineering is multidisciplinary and deals with integrating electrical and mechanical systems. It can include a combination of robotics, electronics, computing, telecommunications, systems, control, product engineering, and electronics to create functional, smart products.

Assessed by Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Metallurgical engineering involves the investigation, planning, design and the process of converting minerals produced by mining into primary commodities of economic value in sufficient quantity to be used in the manufacture of economic goods.

Assessed by Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Mining engineering deals with the investigation, planning, design and the process of extracting naturally occurring minerals containing useful commodities from the earth’s crust.

Assessed by Engineers Australia and Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA)

Naval architecture deals with the safe design and specification of marine vessels and structures. Naval architecture can also be involved in the construction, repair, refit or operation of such marine vessels and structures.

Assessed by Engineers Australia

Petroleum engineering deals with four main sub-disciplines which are reservoir, drilling, production, and formation evaluation engineering. The focus is on achieving optimal integrated exploration, technical assessment, production and development of oil, gas and geothermal resources and reserves upstream of processing plants, refineries and power stations.

Assessed by Engineers Australia, Institution of Structural Engineers and Professionals Australia

Structural engineering deals with the understanding, prediction, and calculation of the stability, strength and rigidity of built structures. Structures can include buildings, bridges, in-ground structures, footings, frameworks and space frames.