OSCA occupation

OSCA 243236: Water Engineer

Plans, designs, researches, manages and oversees water-related engineering projects involving the supply of clean water, prevention of flood damage, and disposal of wastewater and sewage. This record sits in Civil Engineering Professionals. Related ANZSIC industry links are included for faster classification cross-checking. Skill level 1 is attached to this occupation record.

Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?

OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.

Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.

Check the current ABS guidance on OSCA and ANZSCO use

Official ANZSCO correspondence

Role overview

Plans, designs, researches, manages and oversees water-related engineering projects involving the supply of clean water, prevention of flood damage, and disposal of wastewater and sewage.

Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.

Occupation facts

Skill level
1
Major group
2 Professionals
Sub-major group
24 Design, Engineering and Science Professionals
Minor group
243 Engineering Professionals
Unit group
2432 Civil Engineering Professionals

Tasks

  • Plans, develops and improves water facilities and equipment, such as sewers, pipes and pumping stations
  • Develops plans for controlling runoff and overland flow to minimise the risk of contamination of nearby bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes, by polluted water
  • Studies water quality to identify and characterise sources of water pollution
  • Uses computer models to simulate risks of flooding and propose engineering solutions
  • Evaluates the operation and maintenance of water or wastewater systems to identify ways to improve their efficiency in a sustainable way
  • Designs building features to ensure the supply or removal of fluids in a safe and efficient way
  • Designs water or wastewater treatment plants, sewage systems, stormwater capture and treated water reuse schemes

Skill level guidance

Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.

How to use this occupation page

Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.

The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.

Compare before choosing

Compare OSCA 243236 with related occupations

Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.

Comparison pointCurrent code243236 Water Engineer243231 Civil Engineer243232 Geotechnical Engineer
Official role definitionPlans, designs, researches, manages and oversees water-related engineering projects involving the supply of clean water, prevention of flood damage, and disposal of wastewater and sewage.Plans, designs, organises and oversees the construction and operation of dams, bridges, pipelines, gas supply schemes, airports and other civil engineering projects.Plans, directs and conducts survey work to analyse the mechanics of soil and rock, and its applications to engineering problems to support the safe and efficient design and construction of infrastructure projects.
Skill levelSkill Level 1Skill Level 1Skill Level 1
Key tasks
  • Plans, develops and improves water facilities and equipment, such as sewers, pipes and pumping stations
  • Develops plans for controlling runoff and overland flow to minimise the risk of contamination of nearby bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes, by polluted water
  • Studies water quality to identify and characterise sources of water pollution
  • Uses computer models to simulate risks of flooding and propose engineering solutions
  • Analyses site locations and conducts surveys to determine the feasibility and requirements of civil engineering projects
  • Undertakes calculations, designs and develops specifications for civil engineering projects, and provides solutions to design-related issues
  • Studies, evaluates and reports on the environmental implications of civil engineering projects to ensure compliance with existing regulations
  • Determines construction methods, materials and quality standards for civil engineering projects
  • Assesses construction plans to determine its feasibility based on the understanding of the construction site gathered from geological maps, aerial photographs, project data, collected historical information and other sources
  • Collects and tests soil and rock samples to determine their properties and assist in the assessment of geotechnical parameters used in design
  • Assesses the impact of soil and rock mechanical properties on the stability of existing structures
  • Performs geotechnical calculations and modelling to evaluate the characteristics of the site under study, and use the results from their analysis to design foundations and other geotechnical structures

Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.

Compliance risk score

4 of 4 factors passing

10 / 10
Verified official source
- ABS OSCA occupation record present
Previous edition migration
- OSCA to ANZSCO correspondence attached
Complete hierarchy
- Major, sub-major, minor and unit group links are present
Legacy crosswalk
- Legacy ANZSCO correspondence attached

How we calculate this score →

In this section

Frequently asked questions

What does OSCA 243236 do?

Water Engineer is the current ABS occupation record used to describe a specific occupation. It sits in the OSCA hierarchy and carries skill-level context plus related titles and tasks.

How should I read the skill level?

The skill level tells you the educational or training depth that the ABS associates with the occupation. It is a classification signal, not a salary band or a qualification checklist on its own.

Why is industry context shown on an occupation page?

Industry context helps when the title is common or ambiguous. It shows where the occupation is typically employed so you can compare it with the right ANZSIC family.

Source and trust

Official source
ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
Last reviewed
2026-04-17

This site is an independent reference resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the ABS, ATO or any Australian Government agency.

Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.

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