About the role

Reporting to the Operations & Maintenance Supervisor, you will work as part of FIN's field operations team responsible for the safe and efficient delivery of irrigation water across FIN's network. This is a diverse field-based role combining irrigation water delivery, infrastructure operation, maintenance and the use of modern monitoring and control systems. The role involves a combination of water operations, monitoring, customer interaction, routine maintenance, fault response and infrastructure inspections.

Key responsibilities

- Operating and monitoring irrigation channels, regulators, gates and associated control structures.

- Delivering water safely and efficiently in accordance with customer water orders and operational requirements.

- Monitoring channel levels, flow rates, volumes and system performance.

- Using SCADA, telemetry and other monitoring systems to support day-to-day network operation.

- Interpreting operational data and investigating unusual or unexpected system behaviour.

- Undertaking water-delivery calculations involving flow, volume, time and system capacity.

- Adjusting water-control structures to maintain appropriate flows and levels throughout the network.

- Carrying out routine inspections of channels, pipelines, structures and associated infrastructure.

- Identifying defects, asset deterioration and emerging maintenance requirements.

- Undertaking general maintenance and minor repairs.

About you

- Strong practical problem-solving skills.





- An ability to think critically and work through operational issues logically.

- Sound mathematics and numeracy skills.

- Confidence working with flow rates, volumes, measurements, levels and basic operational calculations.

- Experience using SCADA, telemetry or similar monitoring and control systems.

- Competence using Microsoft Excel for recording, reviewing and interpreting data.

- The ability to recognise trends, inconsistencies and abnormal readings and investigate likely causes.

- Practical mechanical aptitude and an ability to undertake minor maintenance and repairs.

- Good communication and customer-service skills.

- A current driver's licence.

About us

Fairbairn Irrigation Network Limited is a locally managed irrigation infrastructure business based in Emerald, Central Queensland. FIN operates and maintains irrigation infrastructure supporting agricultural production throughout the Emerald irrigation area and provides an essential water-delivery service to its customers.

Benefits

- Stable, locally based employment in Emerald.

- Training and development opportunities.

- A supportive and experienced Operations & Maintenance team.

- A varied role combining water operations, technology and infrastructure maintenance.

- Exposure to SCADA, telemetry and automated water-management systems.

- The opportunity to develop skills across irrigation operations, maintenance, plant and water infrastructure.

- The opportunity to contribute directly to the reliability and long-term performance of an important regional irrigation network.

📌 Irrigation Channel Operator-Maintainer (Gladstone Central)
🏢 Fairbairn Irrigation Network
📍 Gladstone Central