Careers with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Thank you for considering a career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Department is responsible for advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally. To carry out this mandate, the Department employs over 2,000 people on a permanent basis, of whom about 520 are serving overseas at any one time. We also employ a large number of locally engaged staff at our overseas missions (see LES Recruitment by Australian Embassies and High Commissions below).

The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Australian Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) are also part of the Government's Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio. However, each agency runs its own independent recruitment program, details of which can be found on their respective websites.

The Department is committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the Australian community. Our recruitment decisions are made on the basis of merit and we do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability. Our employees enjoy equity and fairness in the workplace, opportunities for professional development, and support to balance their work and private lives.

The Department operates in a complex and highly dynamic international environment. We look for, and value in our employees:

• responsiveness, especially to the Government we serve, but also to a wide range of other clients, such as parliament, business and individual members of the Australian public;
• knowledge of the international environment and issues relevant to the promotion and protection of Australia's national interests;
• the capacity to operate with sensitivity in many distinct cultural environments, while projecting clearly and confidently our Australian identity;
• vigilance in the protection of sensitive information handled in the Department, both in Australia and abroad;
• high standards of ethical and personal conduct, especially abroad where, in representing Australia, officers have a real impact on our international reputation;
• comprehensive and contemporary management approaches, encompassing best practice, family friendly policies, continuous improvement, performance evaluation, strict accountability and a strong commitment to training and development; and
• personal and corporate flexibility, versatility and adaptability, all of which are demanded in a portfolio characterised by a uniquely diverse agenda and an often demanding and unpredictable environment.

Avenues for pursuing a career with the Department

There are several different avenues for entering the Department. Our policy and corporate graduate programs are a popular avenue for both new graduates and others. Each year, the Department also conducts several bulk recruitment rounds as well as ad hoc specialist rounds which are open to the public. Indigenous Australians are encouraged to consider the Indigenous Cadetship Program which combines financial assistance while completing your tertiary studies with paid work experience during the summer breaks. It is also possible to work for an Australian embassy, high commission or consulate overseas by responding to one of their ‘locally engaged staff' (LES) advertisements. All LES recruitment is managed autonomously by the relevant post.

Further details on these avenues and other recruitment information are provided in the following links.

• Graduate Recruitment Programs
• Indigenous Cadetship Program
• Generalist Recruitment
• Specialist Recruitment
• Temporary Employment
• LES Recruitment by Australian Embassies and High Commissions

Terms and conditions of employment

Terms and conditions of employment are covered by the Department's Collective Agreement.

Australian citizenship

Under the Public Service Act 1999, all employees of the Department must be Australian citizens.

Conduct and ethics

Working for the Department both in Australia and overseas requires the highest standards of conduct. Exemplary ethical conduct on the part of the Department's employees contributes significantly to the standing of the Department in Australia and overseas and the overall effectiveness of its work.

In implementing the Collective Agreement and undertaking their duties, employees are required to uphold the Australian Public Service (APS) Values and comply with the APS Code of Conduct as enshrined in the Public Service Act 1999. Employees also need to comply with the Department's Code of Conduct for Overseas Service, which takes account of the particular significance of the Department's representational role outside Australia.

Security clearance

Pursuant to Section 22 (6) of the Public Service Act 1999, a security clearance is a condition of employment for employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Department is responsible for organising and conducting the security clearance process. This process consists of several steps and can take up to six months to complete. In addition to providing detailed and comprehensive financial, relationship and other information, preferred candidates for vacancies will be required to give their written consent for the Department and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to conduct their own detailed background checks and enquiries.

If a preferred candidate is not successful in obtaining a security clearance, his/her offer of employment with the Department will be withdrawn. However:

• should ASIO issue a qualified or adverse assessment, DFAT will advise the preferred candidate in writing so that, if the preferred candidate wishes, he/she can seek a review of ASIO's assessment by the Security Appeals Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
• if the Department does not grant a security clearance to the preferred candidate on grounds other than the ASIO security assessment, the preferred candidate may request a review of that decision by first writing to the Secretary of the Department. If the preferred candidate is not satisfied with the outcome or the progress of this review, he/she may then request that the Merit Protection Commission (if he/she is a current Commonwealth employee) or the Commonwealth Ombudsman (if he/she is not a Commonwealth employee) conduct a further investigation on the preferred candidate's behalf.

Once a person has been appointed to the Department, loss of a security clearance at any time will result in the termination of the person's employment with the Department.

Medical clearance

All employees commencing work in the Australian Public Service must have passed a standard medical/fitness examination. Information about this examination will be provided to successful applicants with their commencement papers.