Melbourne, Australia — Underground & Above Ground Asset Expert

Rajat
Taneja

Rajat Taneja

Ten years locating, mapping and modelling what's beneath Australia's roads, rail corridors and construction sites — so the people building above ground never hit what's below it.

Technical roots, commercial edge

Ten years turning technical delivery into commercial outcomes — tender wins, client growth, team leadership, and a growing hand in strategy and P&L across the business.

Electric Gas Water Sewer Comms Recycled water
10+Years in underground utility investigation & geophysics
25Field staff led at peak, across metropolitan Melbourne
2Features in national trade magazines
5Peer-reviewed publications in geophysics & geochemistry
What I do

Core capabilities

Every capability below is colour-matched to the actual locating code used in the field.

01

Leadership & team empowerment

Building and running crews of 20+ locators, surveyors and subcontractors.

02

Stakeholder engagement

Councils, road authorities, Defence and Tier 1 contractors, from kickoff to handover.

03

Business improvement & tendering

Proposal writing, costing and contract negotiation that grows the client base.

04

Underground utility management

DBYD-certified locating and NDD excavation, compliant with Australian Standard AS 5488.

05

Shallow subsurface geophysics

Field-proven methods for characterising ground conditions for infrastructure and environmental sites.

06

3D/4D modelling

Turning field data into CAD and 12d deliverables for design teams.

Roads & Infrastructure Magazine
Earthmovers & Excavators
July 2025

"Converge Expo: Solution specialists front and centre"

Rajat was interviewed as a subsurface and utility mapping manager ahead of Converge 2025, on the decision to exhibit alongside No-Dig Down Under at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre — speaking to the value of continued investment in locating technology and the role of acting as both locator and problem-solver for councils and civil contractors.

Read the article on Roads & Infrastructure →

Professional career

A decade in the field

Project and people management across utility locating, feature survey and geophysical investigation.

01
Oct 2021 — Present

Subsurface & Utility Mapping Manager

Melbourne

Leads an underground utility investigation and mapping service line, covering ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity, electromagnetics and non-destructive digging to Australian Standards. Converts field data into 3D utility models used by consultants and designers to plan new road, water, sewer and electrical works, and to identify clashes before construction begins.

Represents the business externally, including as a featured speaker at Converge 2025 (Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre), on the value of continued investment in locating technology.

02
Jan 2017 — Nov 2021

Project Manager, Major Works

Melbourne

Managed a team of approximately 25 Dial Before You Dig locators and 5–6 subcontractors delivering underground asset identification for engineering, transport and construction clients under AS 5488 — owning tender submissions, permits and stakeholder reporting while growing the client base through active business development.

03
Jul 2010 — Jan 2017

Geophysicist to Senior Geophysicist / PM

NSW & Victoria

Seven formative years in field geophysics, progressing from hands-on survey work to project leadership. Delivered ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic, seismic refraction, MASW and magnetic surveys, then moved into managing unexploded ordnance (UXO) investigations for Department of Defence and civil clients at bases nationally, including Puckapunyal, RAAF Sale and Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

Research career
5
peer-reviewed publications on the geochronology of seamount volcanism in the northeast Indian Ocean
PhD
Earth Sciences, Macquarie University
Education
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Earth Sciences
    Macquarie University
    2010 — 2014
  • Master of Science, Geology
    University of Delhi
    2007 — 2009
  • Bachelor of Science (Honours), Geology
    University of Delhi
    2004 — 2007
Publications

Full citations and journal details to be added.

Trusted by

Clients & project experience

Infrastructure & government

Local councils, Victoria VicRoads, MRPV, VIDA

Defence

RAAF bases, national Shoalwater Bay Training Area

Let's talk about your next underground works project

Send a message directly and Rajat will get back to you.