Engineer of the year awards

The engineer of the year awards recognise the outstanding work of engineering professionals at all stages of their career.

These awards acknowledge and reward the outstanding work of individuals and establish an aspirational benchmark for future engineering professionals.

Award recipients will have demonstrated the following in their work:

• Contribution to the wellbeing of people and communities.
• Formulation of resourceful, innovative and aesthetically appealing engineering solutions or pioneering use of materials or methods.
• Contribution to Engineers Australia’s purpose and strategic vision.
• Contribution to and promote the engineering profession.
• Notable achievements during an engineering career.

Award applicants are reviewed and judged by the Honours and Awards Committee and winners are announced at Engineers Australia's Excellence Gala dinner each year. This event is advertised on the learning and events page each year in the lead-up.

Award categories

The six awards align to the occupational categories for engineering professionals, with the emerging tier for those in the early stages of their careers.

• Professional Engineer of the Year
• Engineering Technologist of the Year
• Engineering Associate of the Year

• Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year
• Emerging Engineering Technologist of the Year
• Emerging Engineering Associate of the Year.

One winner in each award category is selected every year.

Eligibility and nomination

Applicants of these awards can be nominated by their managers, team members and members of Engineers Australia’s various engineering communities. Applicants can also nominate themselves.

The engineer of the year is awarded to individuals who embody:

• Outstanding examples of innovation and resourcefulness within the engineering profession.
• The highest technical, professional and community service standards in engineering.
• The broad nature and impacts of the profession through their significant contributions.

The nomination and eligibility criteria for applicants is the same across each occupational category. 

Nominations for either the emerging professional engineer of the year or professional engineer of the year categories need to stipulate which Engineers Australia division they’re affiliated with.

Nominations in any of the four associate and technologist categories are initially reviewed by the National Committee for Engineering Associates and Technologists.

Nominations from or for international members are welcome. 

If you aren’t currently a member, you’ll be able to join during the nomination process.

When the annual awards season opens, we’ll update this page with the submission timeline and a link to the online application. To find out more, view the people awards handbook.

Benefits for award participants

^{*Engineers Australia micro-credential available to Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year local winners and to the Emerging Engineering Technologist of the Year and Emerging Engineering Associate of the Year. Access to Engineers Australia CEO available to Professional Engineer of the Year, Engineering Technologist of the Year and Engineering Associate of the Year.}