Before you apply
Eligibility
You must be an Australian citizen at the time an offer of employment is made.
You must satisfy the mandatory components of roles as specified in the applicant kit.
Integrity checks
If you’re chosen as the preferred candidate for the role you apply for, you’ll need to satisfy a number of conditions before being offered the role. These may include:
- nationally coordinated criminal history check
- providing proof of:
- Australian citizenship
- identification
- qualifications (where applicable)
- security clearance (where applicable)
- a pre-employment health assessment (only for some roles)
Learn more about integrity checks on the Australian Public Service Commission’s (APSC) APS conditions of engagement page.
RecruitAbility
RecruitAbility aims to attract and develop applicants with disability. We apply the RecruitAbility scheme to all advertised vacancies not under a disability affirmative measure.
Learn more about RecruitAbility on the APSC’s website.
Affirmative measures
Affirmative measures are strategies designed to remove barriers to employment and increase the number of people from under-represented groups, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with disability, working in the Australian Public Service (APS).
These measures, outlined in the Australian Public Service Commissioner's Directions 2022, can include advertising jobs specifically for these groups. For more details, see the APSC’s cracking the code cheat sheet.
Current vacancies
View our current vacancies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and your application
How we use AI
We may use AI to help draft job advertisements or manage application workflows. We do not use AI to determine whether you are suitable for a role; we manually shortlist, interview and make selection decisions.
How you can use AI
We understand you might use AI to help prepare your application. This is fine, but make sure you:
- honestly reflect your own experience and the skills you bring to the role – misrepresentation could lead to disqualification or disciplinary action under the APS code of conduct
- use your own words – AI should support you, not create a version of you that isn’t real
- avoid sharing personal or sensitive information with AI tools, especially those that are publicly accessible – this may pose a data or privacy risk.
Our assessment process is designed to evaluate your unique abilities and how well you fit the role.
Apply online
Understand the job vacancy on offer
Before you start your application, check the job’s application kit for:
- full details about the role (such as classification, location, flexible work options and salary range)
- eligibility requirements
- the key capabilities needed
- any rules for your application, such as page or word limits
- the contact person for questions about the role.
You should become familiar with:
- the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – read about us
- APS classification levels – see the work level standards
- APS capability descriptions and desired behaviours – learn about the Integrated Leadership system
- APS values and code of conduct.
For tips on applying for a job in the public service, see the APSC’s cracking the code.
Tailor your resume
When you apply for a role, adjust your resume to highlight the experience, skills and achievements most relevant to that role. You don’t need to rewrite your entire resume – just make it focused.
How to tailor your resume:
- Review the job description and note the key responsibilities, capabilities and skills.
- Highlight your most relevant experience – it might not be your most recent role.
- Use language from the application kit to match the terminology
- Show measurable achievements that demonstrate your impact – for example, “reduced processing time by 20%”
- Include transferable skills if you’re changing industries or roles.
Explain any gaps in employment, such as travel, parental leave, or time between jobs.
A tailored resume helps your application stand out because it shows you:
- understand the role and its requirements
- can clearly demonstrate how your experience fits
- took the time to present your skills in a way that matches the opportunity.
Stand out with purpose
A tailored resume helps your application get noticed for the right reasons. It’s not about changing who you are – it’s about highlighting your strengths, skills and why you’re the best person for the role.
Write your application
If you’re asked to provide a written statement or answer specific questions about your skills and why you are the best fit for the position, start by drafting your response in Microsoft Word.
Once finished, you may need to upload the document or copy and paste your answers into the online form. We assess all applications on merit.
When writing your response:
- organise your answer and use examples to show your skills, capabilities and experience
- consider using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to structure your examples (see the APSC’s Cracking the code guide for details)
- focus on the key capabilities listed in the application kit – they’re what we use to assess your suitability
- stick to the word or page limits in the application kit
- don’t use double spacing between sentences or extra returns between paragraphs as these count toward the word limit.
For more help on writing application responses, view the APSC’s fact sheet Addressing selection criteria.
Start your application
- On the current vacancies page, click on the ‘Login’ button at the top, right hand side of the page.
- find the job vacancy you want to apply for and select the ‘start a new application’ link.
Submit your application before the deadline
Each job listing shows the closing date and time for applications and you can submit your application any time before this. We do not accept applications submitted after the deadline.
Once you submit, we will send you a confirmation email to the email address you provided. A copy of this email will also be stored in the system for your records.
Important points to know:
- Updates about the selection process will be sent by email.
- Only withdraw your application if you no longer want to be considered. If you withdraw, you won’t be able to access your application again unless the Recruitment team reinstates it in eRecruit.
More information
If you have any questions about a vacancy, you can contact the person named in the job advertisement.