Biomedical engineer
Apply engineering principles to medical devices, diagnostics and bioinformatics.
Salary
Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time weekly earnings | $2200 | Job Outlook (2025-06-01) |
| Graduate starting salary | $72,000 | QILT (2025-03-01) |
What a biomedical engineer actually does
Biomedical engineers fall into two broad camps. Hospital-based clinical engineers manage medical devices across a hospital fleet. Their day looks like checking infusion pump calibrations, leading device incident investigations, supervising biomedical technicians and signing off on the installation of large equipment like MRI scanners. Industry-based device engineers work for medical device companies, prosthetic and orthotic manufacturers, or research start-ups. Their day looks like CAD design, biocompatibility testing, preparing TGA submission documents and running user trials. Australian leaders in the field include companies like Cochlear, ResMed and CSL. Hours are typically 38-45 per week with the occasional weekend testing window or device upgrade in a hospital environment.
Typical tasks
- Design prosthetic, orthotic and implantable devices.
- Develop medical imaging and monitoring instruments.
- Lead biocompatibility and regulatory testing.
Skills you'll use
- 3D CAD for medical devices, prosthetics and instrumentation
- Biocompatibility testing and ISO 10993 standards
- Reading and applying TGA requirements and ISO 13485 quality systems
- MATLAB or Python for signal processing and modelling
- Clinical risk management to ISO 14971
- Working with clinicians to capture user requirements
- Technical writing for regulatory submissions and clinical evaluations
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English, Maths Methods or Specialist, Physics and ideally Chemistry or Biology
- 2Complete a 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) with a biomedical major accredited by Engineers Australia, or a non-biomedical engineering degree plus a biomedical Masters
- 3Apply for graduate programmes at Cochlear, ResMed, CSL and other device companies, hospital biomedical engineering departments, or research institutes
- 4Build experience with quality systems (ISO 13485) and regulatory affairs early. Most regulated work needs your signature off the back of those processes
- 5Work toward Chartered Engineer status with Engineers Australia in the biomedical college
- 6Consider postgraduate study in a niche such as imaging, neural interfaces, prosthetics or regulatory affairs if you want to move beyond a generalist role
Where you can work
- Australian medical device companies including Cochlear, ResMed and CSL
- Tertiary hospital biomedical engineering departments
- Prosthetic and orthotic manufacturers
- Research institutes including the Garvan, WEHI and the Bionics Institute
- Universities with biomedical engineering programmes
- Smaller med-tech start-ups in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
- Therapeutic Goods Administration and state health departments
Career progression
Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.
- Graduate0-2 yearsTypical roles: Graduate biomedical engineer, Clinical engineer, Research and development engineerSalary band: $70,000 - $85,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Engineer3-6 yearsTypical roles: Biomedical engineer, Clinical engineer, Regulatory affairs specialistSalary band: $95,000 - $130,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Senior7-12 yearsTypical roles: Senior biomedical engineer, Senior clinical engineer, Lead R and D engineerSalary band: $135,000 - $175,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
- Manager or Principal12+ yearsTypical roles: Engineering manager, Principal engineer, Director of biomedical engineering
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You want engineering work with a direct impact on patients
- You enjoy a mix of engineering, biology and regulation
- You are happy spending time in clinical settings working with nurses and doctors
- You can handle the rigour of medical device documentation
- You are interested in a small but well respected Australian device ecosystem
This might not suit you if
- You want a fast product cycle with little regulatory work
- You dislike paperwork and audit trails
- You want to avoid clinical settings or patient-facing environments
Three ways in
Uni, TAFE and trade routes for biomedical engineer. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Apprenticeship trade
Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.
Not an apprenticeship trade.
Sources
- https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/explore-careers/occupation/other-engineering-professionals
- https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/anzsco-australian-and-new-zealand-standard-classification-occupations
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.