Utility Locator

Sub Scan Australia; Ballina Shire; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity stake in Sub Scan Australia Pty

Company vehicle

Job summary

Sub Scan Australia, a Northern Rivers–based underground utility locating and subsurface investigation company, is hiring a utility locator to work across Byron, Ballina, Lismore and the Tweed. The role involves EMF techniques, GPR surveys with Leica DS2000, RTK GNSS pickup, and producing deliverables to AS 5488 standards.

Equity stake available for the right candidate, on a full-time basis with a company vehicle.

Qualifications

• 2+ years’ experience as a utility locator, working unsupervised.
• Confident with EMF equipment (RD, Vivax, Leica or similar) and able to read and interpret a GPR record.
• Current CERTLOC certification (formerly DBYD Certification), or eligible and willing to obtain.
• RIICCM202D/E – Identify, Locate and Protect Underground Services, or NULCA equivalent.
• Working knowledge of AS 5488 subsurface utility information classification.
• Construction White Card.
• Sound written English — your reports go straight to clients.
• Physically able to work outdoors, on your feet, in all weather.

Responsibilities

• Locating and marking underground services using EMF techniques — direct connection, induction and clamp.
• Ground Penetrating Radar surveys with a Leica DS2000 dual-frequency system, including interpretation of the radargram.
• Sonde tracing of drainage, conduits and non-conductive services.
• RTK GNSS pickup of located services to survey grade (Leica iCON rover, GDA2020 / MGA Zone 56).
• Reviewing BYDA referrals, site drawings and as-constructed records, and reconciling them against what’s actually in the ground.
• Classifying and reporting findings to AS 5488 quality levels (QL-D through QL-B).
• Producing site marking, sketches, photos and digital deliverables — PDF plans, KML, DXF, CSV.
• Potholing / non-destructive digging support and verification to QL-A where required.
• Completing SWMS, JSAs, permits and daily pre-starts, and holding the safety standard on site.
• Talking to clients on site — explaining findings, limitations and what they need to do next.

Skills

EMF equipment handling

GPR interpretation

Report writing

Unsupervised work

Client communication

Education

CERTLOC certification

RIICCM202D/E – Identify, Locate and Protect Underground Services

Construction White Card

AS 5488 knowledge

NULCA equivalent

Tools

Leica DS2000

Leica iCON rover (RTK GNSS)

CAD/GIS deliverables (LandXML, DXF, QGIS)

Job description

Find what’s underground before the excavator does.

Sub Scan Australia is a Northern Rivers–based underground utility locating and subsurface investigation company. We work across Byron, Ballina, Lismore and the Tweed for civil contractors, councils, developers, surveyors and utility authorities — locating and mapping power, comms, water, sewer, gas and stormwater before anyone puts a tool in the ground.

We’re a small, tight crew that does the job properly: accurate marks, clean data, and deliverables clients can actually build off.

One thing that makes this role unusual: there is an equity stake in the business available to the right person — not a bonus scheme, actual shares in Sub Scan Australia Pty Ltd. It’s an option, not a condition. Take it up or don’t; this is a strong job either way.

Key responsibilities

• Locating and marking underground services using EML techniques — direct connection, induction and clamp
• Ground Penetrating Radar surveys with a Leica DS2000 dual-frequency (250/700 MHz) system, including interpretation of the radargram
• Sonde tracing of drainage, conduits and non-conductive services
• RTK GNSS pickup of located services to survey grade (Leica iCON rover, GDA2020 / MGA Zone 56)
• Reviewing BYDA referrals, site drawings and as-constructed records, and reconciling them against what’s actually in the ground
• Classifying and reporting findings to AS 5488 quality levels (QL-D through QL-B)
• Producing site marking, sketches, photos and digital deliverables — PDF plans, KML, DXF, CSV
• Potholing / non-destructive digging support and verification to QL-A where required
• Completing SWMS, JSAs, permits and daily pre-starts, and holding the safety standard on site
• Talking to clients on site — explaining findings, limitations and what they need to do next

About you

• 2+ years’ experience as a utility locator, working unsupervised
• Confident with EMF equipment (RD, Vivax, Leica or similar) and able to read and interpret a GPR record
• Current CERTLOC certification (formerly DBYD Certification), or eligible and willing to obtain
• RIICCM202D/E – Identify, Locate and Protect Underground Services, or NULCA equivalent
• Working knowledge of AS 5488 subsurface utility information classification
• Construction White Card
• Sound written English — your reports go straight to clients
• Physically able to work outdoors, on your feet, in all weather

Highly regarded

• Essential Energy, Ausgrid or water authority accreditations
• Traffic control ticket (RIIWHS205), confined space, EWP, asbestos awareness
• Survey background, or experience with RTK GNSS and CAD/GIS deliverables (LandXML, DXF, QGIS)
• NULCA membership

Only if the equity side interests you: the commercial maturity to help run a business — quoting, client relationships, scheduling and standards. Not required for the role itself.

The equity — optional, not a condition

For the right candidate there is a 50% shareholding in Sub Scan Australia Pty Ltd on the table, alongside a full-time salary and vehicle.

To be clear: you do not have to take it. This is a complete, well-paid, permanent position on its own terms. If you want to be an owner, the door is genuinely open. If you’d rather do excellent locating work, get paid properly and go home at night, that’s an equally welcome application — we won’t hold it against you and it won’t affect your pay.

If the ownership side does interest you:

Equity is offered on top of your wage — you’re paid a market salary from day one, never asked to work for shares

Structure, timing and any buy-in are negotiable, documented in a formal shareholders agreement, with both sides taking their own legal and accounting advice

Expect a qualifying period so both of us can be sure it’s the right fit before anything transfers

You’d be taking on established clients, systems, accreditations, equipment and software — not starting from scratch

It suits someone already running jobs unsupervised and commercially minded, who’d rather step into something proven than start from nothing. Happy to talk it through properly with anyone who’s interested.