I'm starting my career | Australian Signals Directorate

We offer a range of entry-level programs giving tertiary students and school-leavers opportunities to enter the workforce and Year 11 and 12 students a chance to undertake work experience with the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD).

We provide a practical and dynamic learning experience where you will engage with our knowledge and skills in ICT, cyber security and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Graduate opportunities

Explore your unique potential through the ASD Graduate Program. As part of your graduate journey, you will experience three four-month rotations that will develop your skills and allow you to explore different areas of interest. You will receive bespoke training and mentorship from leading experts in their field. You will be encouraged to try new things while working across multidisciplinary teams focusing on critical intelligence matters or mission-critical projects.

Upon successful completion of the program, you will have a permanent role at ASD that is relevant to your degree and interests.

Diversity powers our mission. To achieve our goals, we require people with solid integrity and a mix of skills, passion, adaptability, resilience, curiosity and creativity. Our work is challenging, and our history shows that the best teams contain a diverse range of people.

What will I do?

Your degree doesn’t define your career at ASD we are looking for graduates from almost every discipline, with opportunities in areas including:

How do I apply?

Applications for the 2025 Graduate Program will open early 2024.

ASD cadetships

As a cadet, you will work on various projects that contribute to Australia’s national security while being supported by ASD mentors and supervisors. You will also undertake specialised training to improve your skills and get real-world experience that you won’t get at university.

A cadetship is for university students currently studying for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. You’ll receive an academic allowance of $800 per subject (capped at four subjects per semester). This allowance is paid at the end of each semester upon successfully completing your subjects.

Cadets will work part-time for a minimum of 2 days a week. The remainder of your time will be dedicated to finishing your university study. After completing the ASD Cadetship program, you will be promoted to a full-time position.

Career paths for all disciplines

Your degree doesn’t define your career at ASD. ASD is looking for Cadets from almost every discipline, with opportunities in areas including:

How do I apply?

Applications for the 2025 Cadetship Program will open early 2024.

Eligibility

You must be an Australian citizen.
You must be prepared to undergo a comprehensive security assessment.
You must be studying for an Australian recognised degree.

What is the experience like?

“I always sat in university lectures wondering how the concepts and theory I was learning could be applied practically. This cadetship has allowed me to apply that knowledge in a real-world setting, while simultaneously strengthening my studies with skills learned at work. Working part-time and studying full-time at university can be challenging, but I am able to work my hours around my university timetable and I always have support from my mentors, supervisor and fellow cadets. So my time in the cadetship is spent doing what I enjoy and with minimum stress.” - Anita, 21, was able to flexibly complete her Bachelor of Software Engineering degree while gaining real-world experience.

“The cadetship program has given me some great experience working in a real dev team, giving me the opportunity to contribute to ASD's software projects. The flexible working arrangement allows me to keep a good balance between work, life and university. Through the program, I'm able to try a wide range of roles such as software development, user experience design and business analysis. This has been a great start to my career in the ICT industry and I'm excited to discover the opportunities available to me in the future as part of ASD.” - Michael, 20, discovered his interests and strengths in a variety of areas.

“The cadetship has been an invaluable experience to kick-start my career. It exposed me to numerous technologies and methodologies that are used across the industry, which had not been covered in my university course. Best of all, I was able to work on real-world problems in a professional work environment and try a variety of different roles, such as programming and UI/UX, all while still at university.” - Kieran, 23, was a cadet working in data science.

ASD apprenticeships

As an apprentice at ASD, you will work on various projects that contribute to Australia’s national security while being supported by ASD mentors and supervisors. Whether you are a school leaver or looking for a career change, we encourage you to apply if you have a passion for Australia’s national security.

You will work four days per week, with the rest of your time dedicated to completing a Certificate IV (two years) or a Diploma (three years). ASD will pay for your studies and your work under a competitive remuneration package.

In addition to your formal studies, you’ll undertake an extensive internal training package where you can obtain nationally-recognised qualifications.

What will I do?

You will work as part of a team with opportunities in a variety of areas, including:

How do I apply?

Applications for 2025 Apprenticeship Program will open early 2024.

Eligibility

You must be an Australian citizen.
You must have a Year 12 certificate or equivalent.
You must be prepared to undergo a comprehensive security assessment. This is a requirement to work in ASD on top of the apprenticeship requirements.

ASD internship program

We offer a 3-month internship for tertiary students during university summer holidays (November to February). The program is run primarily from Canberra, with placements in other ASD locations considered. Students are engaged in a non-ongoing role at an ASD 2-level salary.

We are interested in people who want to further their knowledge and apply their skills in practical roles. Your work will vary depending on your skills and your team's function.

As an Analyst, Cyber, Data or Technologist Intern, you will directly contribute to the day-to-day operations of ASD. You will complete a supervised project relating to a current program or future initiative. You might have the opportunity to:

research, develop, design, or test tools and programs used in cyber security analysis, development and exploitation
perform software vulnerability analysis and auditing, which could include code analysis, static analysis, fuzzing, reverse engineering and vulnerability research
contribute to, review and test current and new information security policies
design and build complex infrastructure solutions including virtualisation, data storage and user interfaces
investigate new directions in cryptography
perform malware analysis, including static and dynamic binary code review, and web shell analysis
implement predictive and prescriptive analytics and machine learning, by using your data science and analytical skills.

As a Corporate Intern, you will contribute to our future and support the day-to-day activities that enable our mission. Depending on your field of study you may:

perform service management and general business support functions across a breadth of challenges
conduct asset and financial management activities, developing strong data management skills
develop and design education and training materials, which could include communications to increase workforce engagement, improve awareness and change behaviour
apply project management and problem-solving skills to support the delivery of complex cyber security capabilities.

As a Psychologist Intern, you will provide critical support to ASD in a national security environment. You will develop skills in assessing risk factors through the psychological assessment process, as well as in developing empirically based mental health training and materials. You might have the opportunity to:

perform psychological services, including evidence based clinical interventions and supportive counselling
interpret and utilise psychological assessments, including psychometric testing, interviewing, and analysis
provide sound psychological advice to stakeholders, organisational research, and project work.

Eligibility and selection criteria

To apply for an internship, you must meet ALL the following eligibility and application criteria:

be an Australian citizen
be a full-time or part-time tertiary student
be studying a relevant specialisation
have completed or will complete a minimum of 2 years full-time equivalent tertiary study before commencing the program
have a minimum of 12 months study remaining in your degree
provide a letter of recommendation and endorsement from a current course teacher or employer
provide your current academic transcript
you must be prepared to undergo a comprehensive security assessment. This is a requirement to work in ASD on top of the internship requirements
Psychology Interns must be studying a Master of Clinical Psychology and have completed 1 year full-time equivalent in the Masters program
Psychology Interns must hold a minimum conditional registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Application process

Applications for the ASD Internship Program are currently closed

What is the experience like?

“I found myself surrounded by mentors who were dedicated to helping me succeed. I worked on meaningful projects and had the opportunity to achieve personal goals, including developing skills relevant to my degree and networking with fellow interns and ASD employees.” Max

“I definitely enjoyed my experience and it had everything it needed for someone who didn't have any prior cyber security experience.” Jacqui

“Compared to other internships, ASD has by far the best workplace culture I’ve ever experienced, and I’m grateful for all the wonderful people I got to interact with.” Sam

“One thing that was quite unexpected was how much of an impact this project had to my team. I expected to walk into the internship doing some inconsequential tasks, but realising the significance of my project really kept me motivated throughout the internship.” Clarice

“My expectations of this program were average. The experience was fantastic. I now intend to apply for a career at ASD!” Kath

ASD cyber security and robotics work experience program

The ASD work experience program is for Year 11–12 (and high-achieving Year 10) students at the Australian Cyber Security Centre. The program focuses on students who are considering further studies in a STEM-related field.

The week-long program offers you an opportunity to extend your knowledge and skills through practical challenges. Scenarios could include:

identifying security intrusions on a computer system
learning how to identify email compromises
learning to monitor network traffic to detect exploits
learning how to conduct forensic examinations of hard drives
learning about web application vulnerabilities
learning modern encryption methods
learning about different types of encryption and how they protect data
using open-source software to recover keys and encrypt and decrypt data
learning about geospatial analysis and how to use geospatial tools for imagery analysis
engineering hardware and software solutions for security problems
robotics programming using Arduinos
construction of Arduino electrical circuits.

Students who enjoy discovering how technology works are considered favourably over those who use technology.

All placements are in Canberra. Students from interstate are encouraged to apply. Interstate students will receive assistance with travel (transportation) costs. Interstate students are responsible for their own accommodation.

Upcoming work experience program dates

18–22 September 2023 – Closed
25–29 September 2023 – Closed

What is the experience like?

“The program was excellent. It gave me the opportunity to experience working at ASD in real time. The challenges and tasks set were based on real life operations and really fostered my interest in cyber security. The staff and ASD mentors were fantastic. To be selected for the placement was a huge honour and I would encourage any students keen on working in this field to look into the program.” – Fletcher, Queensland

“The ASD Cyber Security and Robotics Work Experience Program has given me the insight of how people work in ASD on a daily basis and in real time. The skills, activities and the mentors supporting us are extraordinary and had lots of fun in both cyber security and robotics, giving us a pathway to take if interested. Although some of the experiences are challenging, it gave me the ability to think critically and make decisions. The peers are both enjoyable to hang out with and also great buddies to get the work done as a team together, giving each other the helping hand where needed. It was an honour to have a placement here and I highly recommend for people who have even the slightest interest of cyber security, robotics or even technology to consider taking this program!” – Albert, ACT

“If you’re even slightly considering a career in cyber security, I would highly recommend doing this program. It was an unforgettable and amazing experience that helped me learn more about ASD and how vital their work is in protecting our nation.” – Parakh, NSW

ASD CyberEXP

Defence civilian undergraduate sponsorship

Thinking of studying computer science and cyber security at university?

We sponsor computer science or cyber security degrees through the Defence Civilian Undergraduate Sponsorship program. The program is in partnership with the University of NSW, Canberra, at the Australian Defence Force Academy. The sponsorship provides financial contributions towards your studies, and work placements at ASD.

This program is for Year 12 students moving into university studies. Find out how to apply.

Girls' Programming Network

Are you interested in computers and technology? Would you like to meet other girls with similar interests? Then the Girls' Programming Network (GPN) might be for you.

The GPN is an extra-curricular program run by girls for girls. It inspires and supports girls interested in computers and technology. It's designed for girls in Year 4–12 of all programming abilities. Dedicated female tutors from university, industry and government specialising in software development and cyber security run each session. Find out about a GPN node near you.