Data Stream

Register your interest

Our program

Are you passionate about working with data? Do you want to work with a wide variety of rich data sources from across our department’s broad remit, while advancing and learning new data skills in a supportive environment?

The department is eager to recruit graduates who can apply their strong analytical, numeric and communication skills to real-world issues to help develop policies and deliver programs that contribute to Australia’s workforce and skill needs today and into the future to further Australia’s prosperity.

We offer formal and on-the-job training supported by experienced supervisors to develop your skills in quantitative data analysis using industry-standard software including, but not limited to, SAS, R, Python, Power BI, and SQL. Programming experience is not essential but may be beneficial for some graduate placements.

Throughout the graduate program, you will have the opportunity to work with and learn from subject matter experts to advance your data skills. You will also benefit from the department’s Data Analyst Network, an online forum for data analysts to share information and skills on a broad range of topics relating data and data analysis.

Who are we looking for?

There are no requirements for any degrees or disciplines, however, the types of backgrounds that may be advantageous for a data graduate position include analytics, actuarial studies, business, commerce, computer science, data management, data science or mining, demography, economics, econometrics, engineering, finance, mathematics or mathematical modelling, machine learning, psychology, risk and intelligence analysis, science, social sciences, and statistics and research.

If you have a desire to use data to inform evidence-based policy which aims to help develop and improve outcomes for Australians, we want to hear from you. We are looking for highly motivated graduates from a wide range of disciplines and life experiences who want to play a part in shaping Australia’s future and informing the decision-making process.

What our data graduates do

Data graduates get exposure to and use data from a range of rich data sources within the department’s portfolio.

Data graduate roles cover the full data lifecycle including survey and questionnaire development, data acquisition, data engineering and data analysis, as well as more specialised disciplines such as data science, economics, financial and budget analysis, methodology, geospatial analysis, machine learning and modelling, and data management.

The work our data graduates undertake supports evidence-based decision-making in relation to all aspects of government, including policy development, program management and service delivery.

Some examples of this work include (but are not limited to):

• Data Collection and Management
  • improving the way the department collects, manages, analyses and releases data. This includes designing and conducting surveys to collect first-hand information from program stokeholds, developing administrative data collected through services delivery for further analysis, and establishing data management and sharing policy and protocols to ensure data value is maximised in a safe environment.
• Performance analysis and program evaluation
  • applying advanced analytical techniques to a range of integrated datasets to gain insights into complex policy problems or to evaluate the performance of policies and programs to assess if they achieve designed objectives.
• Compliance and Assurance
  • monitoring program performance and protecting government outlays by using cutting-edge techniques and visualisations to identify non-compliance and fraud.
• Economics
  • developing strategic economic advice through analysing economic and financial data, including economic models and costings to support policy development.

We are seeking highly motivated graduates with enthusiasm, a good work ethic, and an attitude open to learning and innovation who enjoy working as part of a team.

Learn more about this rewarding work in our Frequently Asked Questions document.

Eligibility

To be eligible for AGGP Data Stream, you must submit a completed application prior to the closing date and time. Eligibility criteria may also include the following:

• evidence of Australian citizenship
• have completed (or will complete) at least an Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7 qualification (a Bachelor degree), equivalent, or higher equivalent by 31 December 2024
• have completed your most recent degree no more than 5 years ago on the date you lodge your application
• be able to obtain and maintain a valid Australian Government security clearance once accepted onto the program when required. Further information on security clearances is available from Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA)
• be willing to undergo any police, character, health, or other checks required.

Successful applicants will be placed in a merit pool that will be considered by the APS and Commonwealth entities. Please note that agencies and departments and will offer different employment conditions and graduate program features.

How to apply

We participate in the AGGP Data Stream which is part of the Australian Government Graduate Program (AGGP). Applications for the AGGP streams are now closed. If you are interested in joining the program in 2026, you can register your interest and be the first to know when applications open.

If you have any questions, please email entrylevel@dewr.gov.au.