Data Engineer
Shortage Now
JSA currently reports no national or state/territory shortage signal for this occupation.
Snapshot
Median salary
Not available
People employed
55,200
Estimated workforce
Shortage signal
No shortage (national)
Categories identify where a shortage occurs; they are not a severity score.
What you actually do
Designs, builds, operationalises and maintains the systems and processes for storing, transforming and analysing datasets.
Read official OSCA descriptionSkills & main tasks
Official main tasks
- Builds, tests and maintains data pipelines to support analytics and data processing systems
- Develops and optimises processes and tools for data extraction, transformation and loading
- Identifies, designs and implements process improvements, including automating manual processing, optimising data delivery, and redesigning infrastructure for optimum scalability
- Implements secure data handling and storage procedures, protects data privacy, and ensures compliance with regulations and best practices
Where people work
State / territory distribution
Highest education
Share of workers
Education & work pattern
Part-time
8%
Female rate
16%
Median age
37
2030 & 2035 employment outlook
to 2030
+16%
29,193 projected jobs
to 2035
+27%
49,626 projected jobs
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OSCA skill level 1
A classification attribute describing the occupation; it is not a personal eligibility or qualification decision.
Real jobs right now
Live signal from SEEK, Indeed & moreCurrent vacancy signal
QLD · May 2026
507
ACT · May 2026
312
VIC · May 2026
910
NT · May 2026
15
SA · May 2026
195
NSW · May 2026
1,197
Where could this career take you?
Compare state-level shortage signals, salary context, study options and visa information for Data Engineer.
Regional demand
Largest employment base
#1 Melbourne - West
18,165 estimated employed
- 1
Melbourne - West
18,165 employed
VIC
+15.3%
year on year
- 2
Melbourne - Inner
17,521 employed
VIC
+14.65%
year on year
- 3
Melbourne - South East
11,339 employed
VIC
+14.81%
year on year
- 4
Sydney - Parramatta
10,007 employed
NSW
-0.21%
year on year
- 5
Sydney - Blacktown
8,447 employed
NSW
+2.28%
year on year
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Ranked by current shortage signal and projected employment growth.
Workers in this occupation
63,810
Moved in from another occupation
7,435
Moved to another occupation
3,100
Recommendation score: shortage = 2 points, no shortage = 1 point, plus 1 point for each 10% of projected growth to 2035.
- 1
4
points
- 2
4
points
- 3
4
points
- 4
4
points
- 5
3
points
Data status
- Classification
- OSCA 223233
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
- Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia OSL · Jobs and Skills Australia DOM · ABS OSCA · Department of Home Affairs Core Skills Occupation List matched via ABS OSCA 2024 v1.0 correspondence Table 2
Labour-market data coverage
- Shortage signal and drivers: JSA Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO unit group where applicable).
- Work profile, state distribution and education: JSA Occupation Profiles (ANZSCO mapped).
- Regional employment: JSA NERO, June 2026.
- Career-move observations: JSA DOM, last available 2020–21. Observed Australian worker transitions are not personalised recommendations; many contractors and sole traders are excluded, as are transitions below 10 workers.
- Vacancy signal: JSA Internet Vacancy Index, 3-month average (ANZSCO unit group).
- Employment outlook: JSA employment projections (ANZSCO unit group).
Data confidence: official-profile-and-csol.