Cultural Heritage Officer

Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD; Mackay Regional; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible full-time

Diverse regional work

Major infrastructure projects exposure

Professional development

Supportive workplace culture

Competitive salary & benefits

Job summary

Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD in Mackay, Rockhampton, or Barcaldine invites applications for a Cultural Heritage Officer to support transport projects across Central Queensland. You will provide specialist advice, undertake field surveys and help balance legislative obligations with community expectations.

Based in Mackay or adjacent regions, you will work with project teams, Registered Aboriginal Parties and government stakeholders to deliver compliant, heritage-conscious

Qualifications

• Degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, Social Science, Heritage Management or related discipline.
• Current C class driver's licence.
• Experience applying Queensland cultural heritage legislation in transport/linear infrastructure environments is highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert cultural heritage advice to support road and infrastructure projects.
• Manage cultural heritage processes and ensure compliance with legislation and departmental requirements.
• Conduct cultural heritage research, site assessments and field surveys.
• Identify and manage cultural heritage risks to support project delivery.
• Build and maintain relationships with Registered Aboriginal Parties and stakeholders.
• Negotiate cultural heritage matters to achieve positive outcomes.
• Deliver training and guidance on cultural heritage obligations and processes.
• Respond to unexpected heritage finds in accordance with procedures.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Ethical decision-making

Relationship management

Driver's license (C)

Education

Degree in Anthropology/Archaeology/Social Science/Heritage Management/Heritage Conservation

Job description

Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD – Mackay QLD

Join Transport and Main Roads as a Cultural Heritage Officer and play a key role in delivering road and infrastructure projects that respect and protect cultural heritage values. Working across Central Queensland, you'll provide expert advice on culturalheritage requirements, undertake field surveys, identify and manage project risks, and build strong partnerships with Registered Aboriginal Parties. You'll contribute to major infrastructure programs while ensuring compliance with cultural heritagelegislation and supporting positive outcomes for communities. This is a rewarding opportunity for a heritage professional who enjoys a mix of fieldwork, stakeholder engagement and practical problem-solving, while making a meaningful contribution to Queensland's future.

Protect the past. Shape the future.

Transport and Main Roads is seeking a Cultural Heritage Officer to help deliver road and infrastructure projects across Central Queensland while protecting and respecting the region's rich cultural heritage.

This is a unique opportunity to combine your cultural heritage expertise with meaningful work that supports communities, strengthens partnerships and contributes to the delivery of critical transport infrastructure. Based in Mackay, Rockhampton or Barcaldine, you'll work across a diverse region stretching from coastal communities to the Queensland outback.

You'll provide specialist cultural heritage advice that supports the planning, design, construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure. You'll work closely with project teams, Registered Aboriginal Parties, government stakeholders and community representatives to identify cultural heritage risks and develop practical solutions that balance legislative obligations, project requirements and community expectations.

What you'll be doing

• Providing cultural heritage advice to support road and infrastructure projects.
• Managing cultural heritage processes and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and departmental requirements.
• Conducting cultural heritage research, site assessments and field surveys.
• Identifying and managing cultural heritage risks to support project delivery.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with Registered Aboriginal Parties and other stakeholders.
• Negotiating cultural heritage matters to achieve positive outcomes for projects and communities.
• Delivering training and guidance to support staff understanding of cultural heritage obligations and processes.
• Managing unexpected heritage finds in accordance with legislative and departmental requirements.
• Contributing cultural heritage data and information to departmental systems and records.

About you

You are a relationship-focused professional who can provide clear advice, navigate complex issues and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders. You bring sound knowledge of cultural heritage management practices, strong communication skills and a commitment to ethical decision-making.

You'll hold a degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, Social Science, Heritage Management, Heritage Conservation, or a related discipline, together with a current C class driver's licence. Experience applying Queensland cultural heritage legislation and working within transport or linear infrastructure environments will be highly regarded.

Why join us?

At Transport and Main Roads, you'll work on projects that have a lasting impact across Queensland while continuing to develop your professional expertise.

We offer:

• Flexible full-time employment.
• Opportunities to work across a diverse and unique region.
• Exposure to major transport and infrastructure projects.
• Ongoing learning and professional development.
• A supportive, inclusive workplace culture.
• Competitive salary, superannuation and leave benefits.
• The chance to build strong partnerships and contribute to meaningful cultural heritage outcomes.

Applications to remain current for 12 months.