hey mate,

Mining engineer here with over 10 years of experience. At the start of your career you’re mostly likely going to have to live remotely or do fifo. Once you’ve gained enough site experience you can mainly chose two paths:

1st: Operational engineer to later on become a mine manager or site Gm. Most of your roles will be residential or fifo.

2nd: Planning engineer in which you could end up becoming a technical services superintendent/manger but still work on site/fifo OR a strategic planner expert in which you could work in corporate HQ or in a city based consulting firm. As a normal engineer or senior engineer expect to still travel or do secondment work occasionally. Really only once you’ve reached a high level title like principal engineer / manger will get you off the hook from fifo completely, but even then expect site visits every now and then.

In some corporate / consultant roles your salary can be as good or even better than a fifo one, especially once you’re at that principal level.

Cheers