Auto Electrician (Mining)
$150,000 – $220,000
About the role
Mining Auto Electricians are among the most in-demand tradespeople in Australia thanks to the rapid rollout of autonomous haulage across the Pilbara. Where a diesel fitter deals with the engine and hydraulics, an Auto Electrician handles everything electrical on the mobile fleet — starter and charging systems, lighting, air conditioning, sensors, wiring looms, engine control modules, telemetry, radar and lidar arrays, GPS antennas and the entire autonomous control stack on driverless trucks. On a modern autonomous mine, an Auto Electrician is expected to diagnose complex faults across multiple integrated systems using OEM diagnostic software, replace radar heads and antennas at height, and configure the truck back into the fleet management system before returning it to service. That combination of trade skills and effectively an IT-networking capability is why base salaries push $150,000 and highly experienced Auto Electricians with HV endorsements and OEM autonomous training clear $200,000+ regularly. The role suits people who enjoy diagnostics and puzzle-solving — you rarely just replace a part; you find why a fault happened. Career progression paths include Autonomous Systems Technician, Reliability Engineer, and Electrical Supervisor. The shortage is genuine: every major operator in the Pilbara is competing for the same pool of qualified trades, and pay is being pushed up year on year. Auto Electricians with HV licences to work on trolley-assist infrastructure and electric mining fleets are already the highest paid trades workers in Australia.
Certificates & qualifications required
- Cert III Automotive Electrical Technology (AUR30320)
- HV Switching / restricted electrical licence (a plus)
- Standard 11 Generic Mining Induction
- Working at Heights and Confined Space
- OEM autonomous systems training (Caterpillar Command, Komatsu FrontRunner)
- HR licence
How to get a job in this field
- Complete an Auto Electrical apprenticeship (Cert III AUR30320).
- Get Standard 11 and target OEM contractors — WesTrac, Hastings Deering, Komatsu.
- Specialise in autonomous or HV systems — this is where the highest rates sit.
- Move onto Pilbara iron ore sites (Rio Tinto, BHP, FMG) once you have 2+ years post-apprenticeship.
- Consider Reliability or Autonomous Systems Technician roles after 5 years.
