South Australia’s high paying jobs: 13 positions and their salaries
Want to earn $5600 a week? It’s entirely possible right here in South Australia, with some massive salaries on offer for qualified candidates. Here are 13 jobs offering huge incomes.
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Lucrative jobs across South Australia are going unfilled despite attractive incentives on offer to attract prospective employees.
As the hunt for a suitable chief executive to steer the Coober Pedy council enters its fourth round, a recruitment specialist has revealed the job trend is leaning toward employers.
Coober Pedy successfully secured an additional $40,000 for the position – the pay packet now totalling up to $275,000 – and also lists a fully-furnished house, extra leave and unlimited use of a car for the successful person.
While the salary was a primary reason for failing to fill the Coober Pedy role, Robert Walters Adelaide senior director Ella Morgan said geography in several high-paid roles was also a factor for remote hirers.
“The difficulty in filling these roles is not solely due to salary, as there are other factors to consider,” she said.
“These factors include a lack of qualified candidates with the necessary skills and experience, a limited pool of talent in the local market, specific job requirements that are hard to find, and challenging working conditions or location.
“To attract candidates to these roles, employers may offer employment perks such as free housing or housing allowances, company cars or car allowances, generous relocation packages, flexible working hours or work-from-home options, and professional development opportunities.”
SA Health and the state Department of Education have a range of incentives to recruit and retain staff to regional and remote areas, including relocation allowances and retention bonuses.
An SA Health spokeswoman said it offered up to $15,000 to cover relocation expenses, and the possibility of accommodation and study subsidies and assistance.
“Salaries for SA Health employed doctors, both in Adelaide and regional areas, are provided consistently within industrial agreements,” she said.
“Our single employer model, which has been successfully trialled in the Riverland, is being explored for further expansion across the state.
“This is one example of where we are creatively finding more ways to entice qualified medical staff to our regional areas, creating a sustainable workforce now and into the future.”
The department engages locums for remote and regional facilities to ensure specialist care, with some medicos able to earn more than $3000 a day, with free housing, for short-term work in some areas.
The Education Department, which employs about 17,000 teachers and leaders across 900 sites in the state, had 44 unfilled vacancies as at the end of September 2024.
The positions range from primary and high school leaders and teachers, with the most vacancies in the state’s far north.
“The department continues to work with the leaders of these sites to implement strategies to attract teachers to these positions or to mitigate the impact of these vacancies,” a department spokesman said.
“The department recently began recruitment for the 2025 school year and this involves advertising ongoing positions over two rounds.
“During the first round of recruitment 270 permanent positions were advertised externally, of these positions currently 59 are unfilled.
“A number of these positions, including those at Bordertown, Port Pirie and Port Augusta have been readvertised during the second round of recruitment which began recently.”
Ms Morgan said the effectiveness of additional perks or incentives in attracting candidates was “subjective” and came down to individual preferences of the applicant and the market demands.
“Some candidates may prioritise salary over perks, while others may value work-life balance or other benefits,” she said.
“Currently, the South Australian market is experiencing an employer-led market, where the number of candidates exceeds the number of available jobs.
“This means that employers have more choices which can slow down their hiring processes, particularly at higher levels.
“It is important to note that market conditions can vary each year, and we see job market trends fluctuate often.”
The Advertiser has waded through the hundreds of jobs available across the state, highlighting 13 highly paid positions that are in demand.
English teachers
Public school teachers are being offered cash incentives between $10,000 and $20,000 to move to regional and remote postings.
A senior English teacher at Bordertown State High can earn up to $116,000 per annum working about 290km from the capital city in a school of 290 students.
A job listing for the position says the teacher will be responsible for developing and implementing lessons, providing students with opportunities to develop their learning interests, monitor student progress, and also have the opportunity to be involved in extra-curricular activities.
In the state’s far remote north, a middle school English teacher at Coober Pedy can earn the same pay packet, teaching students in years 7-10.
“The ability to teach a SACE subject would be an advantage” to the teacher applying for the outback role.
The Coober Pedy teacher would also be charged with “collaborating with colleagues and participating in professional development opportunities” and “communicating effectively with students, parents and staff”, and planning and delivering engaging lessons that meet the needs of all students.
Successful applicants for both jobs could be eligible for the state government’s relocation package. Plus last year the department announced a pilot program to entice first-year teachers to the bush offering an extra $20,000 if they stay two years.
See the full range of state government jobs available here.
$4000 a day locum positions
Gorilla Jobs is a specialist medical and legal recruiter for permanent and locum positions, designed to help fill skills vacancies across Australia.
Its locum positions in SA carry heft salaries of up to $4000 a day.
It is currently recruiting for anaesthetic consultants for positions in the state, promising opportunities that combine “flexible and highly rewarding” roles while exploring “some of the most beautiful and diverse regions in the country”.
“Locum positions are available in various locations across South Australia, offering the perfect opportunity to balance work with adventure,” the website states.
The positions also cover flights, accommodation and occasionally, a car.
Read more here.
CEO – Southern Mallee District Council
This unique opportunity seeks a solutions-driven leader with an inquisitive mindset to lead change.
The ideal candidate will excel in change management and collaborate effectively with a proactive and engaged Elected Body, bringing staff and the community along on this journey.
Strong experience in finance, asset and infrastructure management, along with a commitment to a high level of customer experience and community engagement, is highly valued.
A competitive salary package inclusive of a fully maintained car and a recently renovated council house will be offered to the successful candidate.
The council’s CEO salary range is $235,040-$270,504.
See more here.
Dentist – locum position
Qualified and registered dentists can earn up to $126 per hour working as a locum across S.
Tapping into the lifestyle element that casual, short term positions such as high-paid locum roles provide, the listing offers a range of locations for candidates.
It pays $96-$126 per hour with the option of superannuation on top, or taking 40-45 per cent of billings “depending on experience”.
The job listing states most placements cover accommodation and travel, and applicants are encouraged to take their partner and children to the locations.
Applicants must have at least two years of dentistry experience, with positions available Australia-wide including South Australia.
See more here.
Royal Adelaide Hospital Emergency Department head
Arguably the toughest job in SA Health is on offer for up to $620,000 a year plus perks — more than Premier Peter Malinauskas’ $460,000 a year and just behind SA Health chief executive Dr Robyn Lawrence’s package of $674,977 a year.
SA Health is advertising for a head of unit for the Royal Adelaide Hospital Emergency Department, on a three-year contract on a pay band of $459,691 – $620,068 a year plus “Large Unit Managerial Allowance, Superannuation & Salary Sacrifice Benefits.”
As revealed by The Advertiser, joint RAH ED directors Dr Christopher Hercus and Dr Katrina Romualdez have decided not to renew their contracts for the leadership role but will stay on as consultants with SA Health.
Read more here.
CEO – Coober Pedy council
Free rent and an all-expense paid car are among the extra perks on now offer for the state’s most remote council’s chief executive officer, in a desperate bid to hire someone to the role.
The Advertiser last week revealed the Administrators of Coober Pedy council secured an extra $40,000 to top up the possible salary of its next CEO.
It was hoped the additional funds would make the position more appealing to a qualified executive to help steer it towards financial stability.
In the latest job advertisement, it can be revealed that on top of the $197,600-$274,437 available salary, the successful applicant could also live rent-free with a fully furnished council house and have “unlimited private use” of a car.
Read more here.
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Consultant
It’s big money but a highly specialised field, with the successful candidate playing a crucial role in providing care for patients with disorders of the ear, nose, throat and related structures.
the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network is seeking an ENT consultant to join its Division of Surgical Specialties and Anaesthetics.
The total indicative remuneration ranges from $353,110 to $792,732 per annum pro rata in an ongoing part-time role working 7.5 hours per week.
Locations include the Lyell McEwin and Modbury hospitals in Elizabeth Vale and Modbury – under the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network.
The successful applicant must have a Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery, or equivalent, with appropriate specialist qualifications and be registrable with the Medical Board of Australia.
The total indicative remuneration figure is calculated “taking into account base salary, leave loading and superannuation as well as managerial allowances, professional development or any other allowances where appropriate”.
Read more here.
General Manager, Adelaide Women’s Prison & Pre-Release Centre
With up to $235,543 on offer, the Department of Correctional Services is searching for the next general manager of the Adelaide Women’s Prison and Pre-Release Centre.
The rare opportunity for an experienced senior manager who has worked “within a sensitive, confidential environment” must have a tertiary qualification in Justice Administration, Behavioural Sciences, Business Administration or a similar field.
The successful applicant must also work with government departments and stakeholders to achieve the new target of reducing reoffending by 20 per cent by 2026, and also see progress on programs reducing the rate of adult Aboriginal incarceration.
The listed SAES 1 salary band ranges from $152,974 to $235,343.
Read more here.
Solutions architect
Experts in secure data and lakehouse systems can earn from $140 an hour working eight hour days, or 40 hour weeks.
The math makes that at least $5600 a week, or $134,400 for the six-month contract on offer for a federal government agency.
The pay packet includes superannuation and casual loading, and there is potential for three six-month extension options.
The solution architects is needed for a “medium sized Commonwealth agency” to design modern, cloud-based architectures so that “data, analytics and AI become drivers across the organisation”.
Successful candidates must have five or more years experience in cloud and/or lakehouse design in AWS, Azure or GCP, strong experience with cloud data warehousing (Snowflake), a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science or Information technology, or related field, and familiarity with Alation and Workato platforms and tools.
Read more here.
Australian Submarine Company CEO
A global search is under way to find the next head of the Australian Submarine Company, prominently charged with building nuclear powered submarines under the historic AUKUS agreement.
It comes as veteran ASC chief Stuart Whiley announced in September he would step down from the Adelaide shipbuilding firm set to construct AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines in a $368bn project.
Mr Whiley, who started at the then Australian Submarine Corporation in 1989 and has headed the government-owned firm since 2014, will depart in 2026.
ASC has engaged executive search firm Korn Ferry in its recruitment mission.
Read more here.
Senior Software Engineer
Up to $170,000 a year plus superannuation is on offer for a software engineer that promises to do away with bureaucracy and let you see a project through to completion.
The Adelaide-based Defence SME lays out why engineers tend to leave “prime defence companies” – typically that they don’t make enough impact or see the end result of their work.
Instead, it promises closure on projects creating the “absolute cutting edge of signal processing and RF for edge devices”.
The right candidate, with a range of specialty projects, would also work with “more cool tech than you can imagine”.
The workplace also has a “flat structure, direct reporting and flexibility” and “bureaucracy will be a thing of the past”.
“You will have a team that doesn’t clock watch, doesn’t care about what you’re wearing while you get your job done,” it reads.
“It’s an outcome focused team that gets together in the office 3 days a week to collaborate and share.”
Read more here.
Plastic and Reconstructive Consultant
A permanent part-time role working 7.5 hours a week with a total indicative remuneration salary of up to $711,442 per annum (pro rata) is on offer for a plastic and reconstructive consultant.
The highly specialist role is for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network working out of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woodville.
The consultant would provide clinical leadership at the hospital and also initiative research and development projects, and quality assurance programs, associated with plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Candidates must has the appropriate specialist qualifications for consultant/senior consultant (plastic and reconstructive surgery) and be able to be registered as a specialist with the Medical Board of Australia.
Read more here.
General practitioners
Dozens of general practitioners are advertised across metropolitan and regional South Australia, with generous salaries on offer for candidates.
Among them is Paragon Medical and Dental Clinic in Adelaide which is searching for either a full or part-time GP for an immediate start.
The seven-day mixed-billing clinic is offering $350,000 pro rata with the medico to take over an existing patient base from the outgoing doctor.
The clinic also includes nursing support and offers flexible hours, and onsite parking.
See more here.
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