Yarra Valley Water Summer Vacation Program
Be inspired. Be challenged. Be the change.
* November February 2026
* Up to 38 hours per week, Mitcham based
* $31.20 per hour (inclusive of casual loading) plus super
Working in the water industry means being able to make a difference. At Yarra Valley Water, we're led by purpose and driven by people. Water is the most precious resource on earth and with a changing climate and a growing population, how we manage it is more important than ever.
The Role We're seeking curious and critical thinkers who are great communicators and collaborators. You'll enjoy the balance between working in technical detail but love to engage with a broad range of stakeholders to have impact in your day to day.
Our Vacation team member opportunities cover a range of disciplines, including:
* Engineering (mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, construction, environmental)
* Business, Commerce, Project Management
* Machine Learning, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence or IT
* Science (ie Environmental, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Ecology, Physics)
As a Vacation team member at Yarra Valley Water you will be immersed into one of the following teams and undertake a bespoke learning journey that provides real-world experience and a chance to discover where a career in the water industry could take you
Our Vacation teams are:
Development Planning
Work as a critical key interface between developers, development industry stakeholders, agencies and internal teams across the organisation.
Water networks & Sewer networks
Translate service and investment plans into optimised programs, projects, actions, performance monitoring and urgent works planning for holistic, integrated asset and growth outcomes for the water network and sewer network.
Mechanical and Electrical Reliability
Lead, maintain and optimise the asset class plans for mechanical and electrical assets and lead the translation of service and investment plans.
Treatment and Land
Lead the translation of service and investment plans into optimised programs, projects, actions, performance monitoring and urgent works planning for holistic integrated treatment and land outcomes.
Treatment Land & Energy
Lead the adaptive master planning and integrated service and investment planning for treatment, land and energy outcomes.
Asset Data Science and Modelling
Work towards bringing future capabilities in data science, advanced analytics and the path to autonomous modelling, enhancing asset outcomes.
Strategic Asset Management
Take a human-centred design approach to uplift, simplify and govern our asset management framework, operating around the asset lifecycle.
Stewardship Planning
Responsible for expertise in strategic planning on Country for integrated water cycle, land and nature.
Operations
Operate and optimise Treatment Plant, Sewer, Water and Waste to Energy Assets to deliver safe and trusted services to our customers and the environment.
Network sites
Honour and heal Country by creating safe, secure, healthy and compliant network sites.
Asset reliability and renewals
Deliver customer, asset and environmental outcomes through the coordinated renewal of water, sewer and associated infrastructure.
Authority works
Protect our assets, maintain reliability and strengthen stakeholder relationships with Authorities through managing Authority interfaces.
Mechanical and Electrical Projects
Deliver new and upgraded mechanical and electrical assets in line with the transition to our proactive M&E asset management strategy.
Major Pipeline projects
Design and deliver large and complex water and sewer projects.
Community Sewerage Programs
Lead the planning, design and construction of reticulated sewerage services (pressure or gravity) in established areas that currently rely on septic systems
Enterprise Portfolio Management Office
Support enterprise-wide standards, processes and reporting that helps YVW deliver infrastructure and digital projects.
Network Intelligence
Responsible for designing, constructing, integrating and analysing asset technologies, like flow and pressure sensors, to help achieve YVW's water conservation goals.
You can find out more about our Vacation Program at the following link
About us We're on a mission to create a brighter future, where you can be a change maker at the actual source. We're one of Australia's largest water utilities with over 30% of Victoria's population relying on us for their essential water and sanitation services.
Our award-winning culture fosters an inclusive, collaborative, and flexible environment that enables our people to thrive. Here, you'll be inspired and challenged to grow alongside us.
We're committed to reconciliation and supporting the self-determined role for Traditional Owners/Custodians in water and land management.
Why Yarra Valley Water?
* Our Vacation Students work up to full time hours and will be paid $ per hour (inclusive of 25% casual loading), plus 12% superannuation
* Flexible working arrangements where our people are empowered to design their days with their team. Read our hybrid playbook HERE.
* Vacation students are a key part of our pipeline into further opportunities across our business.
* You will be provided with a laptop and headset, fee and secure on-site parking alongside an on-site café at our Mitcham office.
To read more about our benefits and culture, read our employee handbook HERE.
How to applyClick on the 'Apply now' button and complete the online application form answering all questions. Your application must include a Cover Letter, Resume and Academic Transcript (please also advise the date when you finish your exams). Vacation Students will likely commence in late November
Closing Date: Friday, 5th September
We welcome applications from everyone, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, mature age and young job seekers, members of the LGBTIQA+ community and people of all cultural backgrounds. If you need this information in an accessible format or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please call or email If you need any help with the application process or would like to discuss the recruitment process, please contact us via email
Successful applicants must be eligible to work in Australia and agree to provide information for pre-employment checks, if required for the position. This may also include a Police Check or AusCheck, where an offer will be subject to a satisfactory outcome of these checks.