Graduates, interns and early career professionals
Graduate opportunities
Internship opportunities
Starting your career with us
We want the start of your career journey to be a smooth experience, so here’s everything you need to know about applying for a position, life as an early career professional, and the opportunities you’ll have to develop your career with us. Learn about our community impact initiatives, flexibility, culture, and cool projects we get to work on.
The application process
Screening: We do the bulk of this after applications close. It can take a little while 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 get to record some short videos that help 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 to learn more about your skills and experience. And 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.
Offer: If you’re successful, we’ll talk through all the finer details, like salary, your start date, and our background checking process.
Graduate Development Program
Our two-year Graduate Development Program is designed to give you a smooth start to your consulting career. 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.
In your first year, we’ll focus on the fundamentals of consulting to help you find your rhythm in the industry. You’ll have the chance to help deliver exciting projects, contribute to bids and tenders, and even get hands-on with occasional site work. 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.
Some other highlights:
- An intensive yet fun induction and orientation session
- Learning opportunities, both formal and informal
- Regular check-ins for coaching and feedback
- Optional involvement in our mentoring program
- Support for attaining professional accreditation
Career development
Beyond your two years in the Graduate Development Program, you'll find plenty of opportunities for professional growth and training. With support from the GHD Business School, our internal learning and development platform, your development will be 70% on-the-job learning, 20% coaching and mentoring, and 10% structured workshops and courses.
Our Career Pathways tool guides your career planning, helping you build a diverse portfolio of skills and experiences. The Talent Exchange program is another great opportunity, moving people across different parts of the business (and locations, if that’s your aspiration) to share skills and knowledge.
Early career professionals can also participate our Young Professionals network, which mixes learning and global networking across a wide range of social, community and professional development activities. Think tree planting at a local park, running a marathon, Friday night social events, and more!
Flexibility
With the nature of work changing rapidly, we recognise that adopting a hybrid working model, which blends working at the office and from home, helps enable a productive and engaging work environment where our people can thrive.
Some GHD teams are located across Australia so often this means collaborating virtually at flexible times. We want our people to feel empowered to accomplish the usual requirements of their role, regardless of where they work.
Culture
We want everyone to feel they belong at GHD. Our culture celebrates and reflects the brilliant diversity of our people, our clients and the communities we work in.
Since 2016, we’ve been a proud member of Pride in Diversity. Over the years, Pride in Diversity has provided us with significant consulting and inclusion advice so that every LGBTQIA+ team member can bring their whole self to work.
We’re also committed to advancing our employees into leadership roles through the Cultivate Sponsorship Program. Our active participation helps foster strategic alliances between people across our business to promote career progression and tackle gender inequality.
In 2024, we proudly launched our Indigenous Strategy and Indigenous Employment Strategy, deepening our commitment to create meaningful outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, businesses and communities. We also partnered with Cultivate Indigenous to pilot their new six-month ‘Warra’ sponsorship program for Indigenous emerging leaders.
We’re also genuinely committed to creating a more female-friendly workplace, having been accredited as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace by the Australian Breastfeeding Association.
Community impact
Community impact is important to us. It influences how we work, the projects we choose to work on and how we give back. Our GHD in the Community program partners with not-for-profit organisations, giving our people an opportunity to volunteer or fundraise for causes close to their hearts. We also provide financial support to the GHD Foundation which aims to help children across the world access STEAM education.
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.
Projects
Since we began in 1928, we’ve been involved in iconic, community-shaping projects like the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Canberra’s National Convention Centre and many dams across the Asia-Pacific.
More recently, we’ve been working on the Level Crossing Removal Project in Victoria, Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro in Queensland, Snowy 2.0 in New South Wales, the Kwinana Battery Energy Storage System in Western Australia, and the Whangarei Māori Land Court in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
And that’s just a taster! See more of the projects we get to work on here.
Who could you be at GHD?
“I’m Tiarne, a civil and rail engineer working on rail projects across Australia.”
“When I was studying a double degree in Civil Engineering and Commerce (Finance), I was drawn to the kind of problem‑solving that had a real‑world, tangible impact. Engineering felt like the perfect fit: practical, purposeful and people‑centred. What appealed to me about GHD was its breadth: a global, multidisciplinary firm where your career can genuinely move in different directions.
During university I worked in a small civil consultancy designing stormwater systems, then moved to a larger construction company where I gained onsite experience. That time onsite was invaluable, it broadened my understanding of how design becomes reality, but I ultimately realised I wanted to return to design. That’s what led me to GHD’s graduate program.
A key part of my growth has been the opportunity to rotate between teams. I began in the civil team, then moved into rail, and discovered that’s where I wanted to stay. That exposure helped me see just how many pathways exist within engineering.
One of the benefits that has genuinely supported my wellbeing at GHD is being able to purchase up to four extra weeks of leave each year. Having the space to recharge means I come back to work with more energy, balance and focus.”
“I’m Faye, a Power Advisory graduate working on projects that shape the energy sector.”
“In the final year of my Electrical Engineering degree, I took a subject called Power Systems Analysis and it changed everything. I learnt how rapidly the Australian electricity network is transforming, and how many system security challenges come with that change. The idea that I could help solve some of those challenges is what drew me into power engineering.
Right now, I’m working across generator connection projects and energy regulatory advice. Before a generator can connect to the grid, it must undergo rigorous testing under the national electricity rules. Our connection studies make sure these generators don’t negatively impact the network, and that they can support voltage and frequency stability when conditions are tough. When these projects succeed, the whole energy system, and everyone who relies on it, benefits.
What keeps me at GHD is the sheer variety of work and how much there is to learn. Whenever I hit something new, there’s always someone willing to share their expertise.
If you’re passionate about power, now is the moment; the next decade will bring huge change and opportunity. It’s an exciting time to be part of the industry.”
“I’m Gina, an engineering geologist working on landslide remediation and large‑scale infrastructure investigations.”
“I first fell in love with physical geography in high school and I eventually completed a Master of Science. My first job was in materials testing, where I learnt why soil is so important when designing major infrastructure like dams and roads. After two years I moved into engineering geology.
Most of my work now focuses on landslide assessments and investigations for major infrastructure projects. It’s work that directly supports safer, more resilient communities, protecting homes and roads, informing future land‑use planning, and supporting critical assets.
A career highlight has been my time in the field mapping landslides following significant weather‑related events in Aotearoa New Zealand. Working alongside talented geotechnical specialists from across regions was an invaluable learning experience.
What keeps me at GHD is the variety of work and the strong culture of teamwork. I’ve been supported by mentors, offered overseas development opportunities, and encouraged to keep growing my technical skills. My advice? Say yes to opportunities, step outside your comfort zone, and embrace the challenging work.”
“I’m Elliot, a Senior Analyst in GHD’s Business Advisory team, working across a range of transport data analytics projects.”
“I discovered this field while completing a Master of Science in Geography; Geography gave me a strong grounding in how people and the environment interact, while GIS opened the door to data analytics. It didn’t take long for me to realise I wanted a career that had real‑world impact.
Working in a small team for a not‑for‑profit in London pushed me to learn a wide range of programming languages and tools. That “jack‑of‑all‑trades” environment taught me to solve problems independently, a mindset that’s just as valuable in Aotearoa New Zealand’s smaller, fast‑paced market.
Now, I work on transport data analytics projects, including serving as development lead for Strategy to Street, a multi‑modal transport model that helps authorities plan safer, more efficient active travel networks. I also lead a roading asset management system implementation in Papua New Guinea, supporting transparent, data‑driven investment decisions.
What keeps me here is the variety of work and the ability to contribute locally in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland while also working across Australia and the Pacific.
My advice is to stay curious. Understanding the bigger picture behind the data opens the door to unexpected opportunities in analytics, strategy and project leadership.”