GHD Graduate Program 2026/27 - Engagement & Communication - Perth

GHD; Perth; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

GHD is inviting recent graduates to join their two-year Engagement Development Program as a Graduate Engagement Consultant. You will work with senior advisors to shape how communities participate in infrastructure projects, translating data into accessible visuals and ensuring local voices influence planning decisions.

The role seeks candidates with degrees in Planning, Social Performance, or Digital Communications (or related fields) and values a curiosity for technology, strong analytics,

Qualifications

• Curiosity about how technology can solve real-world infrastructure challenges.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication for diverse stakeholder engagement.
• A collaborative mindset with enthusiasm for continuous learning.
• Passion for sustainability and community impact.

Responsibilities

• Building understanding through connection: designing and facilitating community consultations, workshops, and public forums to capture diverse local perspectives.
• Translating the technical: turning complex infrastructure data into clear, accessible narratives for the public.
• Advocating for communities: ensuring local voices shape major project designs and planning decisions.
• Unlocking sustainable value: identifying social risks and opportunities for long-term positive outcomes.

Skills

Tech curiosity

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Collaborative mindset

Sustainability passion

Education

Planning degree

Social Performance

Digital Communications

Job description

We’re GHD.

We don’t do hair. But we do straighten out some of the world’s biggest challenges.

We’re engineers, scientists, designers, architects, planners, advisors, innovators and change makers, committed to making energy, water and communities sustainable for generations to come.

Since 1928, we’ve been wholly owned by our employees. Today, we are 11,000 diverse and skilled individuals working in over 160 offices across five continents — Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, and the Pacific region.

Who could you be at GHD?

As an Engagement Graduate in GHD’s Engagement & Communication team, you will be part of a dynamic group that helps clients solve complex challenges - whether it’s shaping how we engage with our communities on complex infrastructure projects, undertaking demographic analysis to inform social impact assessments or navigating opportunities for innovation in human-centered design. You won’t just observe - you will have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to real projects from the start.

As our next Graduate Engagement Consultant, you will ideally hold a degree in Planning, Social Performance, or Digital Communications and be eager to dive into stakeholder and community engagement. We will also consider candidates from Communication, Public Relations, Science, Psychology, Politics, Media, or Public Policy backgrounds. Working alongside senior and executive advisors, you will help shape sustainable, resilient, and future-ready communities by:

• Building understanding through connection: Designing and facilitating community consultations, workshops, and public forums to capture diverse local perspectives.

• Translating the technical: Taking complex infrastructure, engineering, or environmental data and transforming it into clear, accessible, and visual narratives for the public.

• Advocating for communities: Ensuring local voices and social considerations are genuinely integrated into major project designs and planning decisions.

• Unlocking sustainable value: Identifying social risks and opportunities that drive long-term, positive outcomes for both clients and communities.

We’re looking for students who have:

• A curiosity about how technology can solve real-world infrastructure challenges
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication abilities for diverse stakeholder engagement
• A collaborative mindset with enthusiasm for continuous learning
• The passion for sustainability and community impact

Our two-year Graduate Development Program is designed to give you a smooth start to your consulting career. Alongside your peers, managers and mentors, we’ll help you detangle any challenges along the way.

A frizz-free application process:

We want your journey to be as smooth as possible, so here’s everything you need to help you prep like a pro:

• Your CV: This gives us a snapshot of what you’ve studied and your experiences, both paid and unpaid.
• A cover letter: Think of this as your chance to show us where you’d love to grow within GHD, while letting your communication skills shine.
• Your transcript: This helps us understand what you’ve been learning, from your core subjects to the electives that sparked your curiosity.

Your journey to joining GHD:

Here’s what to expect, step by step:

• Screening:We review applications as they come in, but be mindful that the bulk of our screening happens after applications close, so don’t worry if you don’t hear from us right away.
• Virtual Assessments:If you make it through the first stage, you’ll record some answers to a few straightforward questions and complete some cognitive games. This helps us get a better sense of your work style and alignment to GHD Graduate roles.
• Meet the team:If you’re successful, you’ll have a face-to-face interview (wherever possible) with your prospective team. We’ll chat through some behavioural based questions to learn more about your skills and experience. It’s also a chance for you to get to know us!
• Offer:Congratulations! We’ll talk through all the finer details, like salary, your start date, our onboarding process and what to expect before your first day.

We’re committed to being as inclusive as possible and giving everyone an equitable chance of getting through our application process. If you identify as someone who is neurodiverse or have a disability and need adjustments to any part of the process, let us know in your application form—we’re here to help.

Start dates and opportunities

Most of our full-time roles kick off in February 2027, though some teams might have earlier start dates in mid-2026. Plus, there might also be casual work opportunities throughout your final year of study to give you a head start.

Ready to shine?

We’ve got your documents polished and prepped, the application should only take 10-15 minutes.

GHD: The Power of Commitment

At GHD, we don’t just believe in the power of commitment, we live and breathe it every day.
Community impact is important to us, influencing how we work, our projects and how we give back. Our GHD in the Community program partners with not-for-profit organisations so that we can work on pro-bono projects, as well as volunteering and fundraising for philanthropic and humanitarian causes. As a business, we also channel some of our profits into the GHD Foundation, a registered charity that addresses disadvantage and inequality in children accessing STEAM education in the countries where we live and work.

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.