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Council Jobs in Australia

Council jobs are roles at Australia's local government authorities: the city, shire, regional and municipal councils that run libraries, roads, waste, planning, parks and community services. They are advertised by each council separately, and most are covered by the Local Government Industry Award. Council Careers brings current vacancies from councils across every state and territory into one searchable place.

Search all council jobs Browse councils hiring

How many council jobs are available right now?

There are 502 open council vacancies on Council Careers right now, advertised by 68 employers. That count is read from the live job list, so it moves as councils publish new roles and as closing dates pass. Search every current vacancy.

Council jobs by state and territory

Open roles in each state and territory, counted live. Select a state to see only its vacancies.

Open council jobs by Australian state and territory
State or territory Open roles
New South Wales (NSW) 206
Western Australia (WA) 130
Queensland (QLD) 90
Victoria (VIC) 52
Tasmania (TAS) 13
Northern Territory (NT) 11
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 0
South Australia (SA) 0

Council jobs by category

Categories that currently hold at least one open role.

Open council jobs by category
Category Open roles
Business Services 145
Community Services 92
Labour and Trade 43
Planning & Development 37
Engineering & Asset Management 34
Property 26
Parks & Sports Facilities 20
Tourism, Culture & Recreation 20
Human Resources 17
Communications 16
Environment 15
Finance 11
Transport / Driver 11
Economic Development 7
Water 6
Health Care Services 2

How much do council jobs pay?

Pay depends on the role, its classification level and the individual council. Most local government employees are covered by the Local Government Industry Award (MA000112), which the Fair Work Ombudsman administers and which sets minimum rates and conditions by classification. Many councils also hold an enterprise agreement that pays above the award minimum. Individual listings usually state a salary range, so read the advertisement for the role you want.

How do I apply for a council job?

  1. Find a role. Search by keyword, category or state, or browse the state and category tables on this page to see where councils are hiring right now.
  2. Read the position description. Open the listing and read the selection criteria, the classification level, the employment type and the closing date before you start writing.
  3. Prepare your application. Update your resume for the role and address the selection criteria directly, giving a specific example for each one rather than restating the criterion.
  4. Apply before the closing date. Submit through the link on the listing, which takes you to the council advertising the role. Councils rarely accept late applications, so allow time for any portal registration.

Which councils are hiring?

There are more than 530 councils across Australia, according to the Australian Local Government Association, and each recruits independently. Local government accounted for 218,000 employee jobs in June 2025, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. You can browse councils and employers or find one near you on the councils map.

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    • See all 502 council jobs

    Council jobs: common questions

    Council jobs are paid roles at local government authorities, which are the city, shire, regional, district and municipal councils that deliver services in a defined area. Typical employers include a city council, a shire council or a regional council. The work covers everything a council is responsible for, from libraries and childcare to roads, waste, parks, town planning, environmental health and corporate services.

    There are 502 open council vacancies listed on Council Careers at the moment, advertised by 68 employers. The figure changes as councils post new roles and as closing dates pass, so the number above is read live from the job list rather than updated by hand.

    Council Careers currently lists roles in New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Northern Territory. Each state and territory has its own page showing only the vacancies in that area.

    Pay depends on the role, the classification level and the individual council. Most local government employees are covered by the Local Government Industry Award (MA000112), which the Fair Work Ombudsman administers and which sets minimum pay rates and conditions by classification. Many councils also have their own enterprise agreement that pays above the award minimum. Check the Fair Work Ombudsman summary for current rates, and read the individual advertisement, because councils usually state a salary range.

    Not for most roles. Councils recruit accountants, engineers, librarians, planners, mechanics, customer service officers, childcare workers and labourers, and a large share of those positions ask for the trade, professional or administrative skills themselves rather than prior council experience. Planning, building surveying and environmental health roles are the usual exceptions, because they involve statutory functions that require specific qualifications or registration.

    It varies widely by role. Depot, parks and customer service positions often ask for a relevant licence or certificate and relevant experience. Professional roles such as engineering, planning, accounting and environmental health usually ask for a degree and, in some cases, registration with a professional body. Every advertisement lists its own essential and desirable criteria, so read the selection criteria before applying.

    Search for a role, read the position description, then apply through the link on the listing. Most councils ask for a resume and a short statement addressing the selection criteria, and many run their own recruitment portal. Council Careers sends you to the council advertising the role, so your application goes to the employer rather than to a recruiter.

    Councils advertise all of these. Ongoing permanent positions are common in service delivery and corporate teams, while fixed-term contracts are often used for funded projects and capital works. Casual roles are frequent in aquatic centres, libraries, childcare and events. Each listing states the employment type, and you can filter the job search by it.

    New vacancies appear throughout the week rather than in a single weekly batch, because every council recruits on its own timetable. Listings are removed from the search once their closing date passes, so what you see is current.

    Yes. Searching, viewing and applying for roles is free for jobseekers. You can browse without an account, and creating a profile is optional.

    There are more than 530 councils across Australia, according to the Australian Local Government Association. Each one recruits independently, which is why vacancies are spread across hundreds of separate council websites and why a single search across them is useful.

    Local government accounted for 218,000 employee jobs in June 2025, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics release on public sector employment and earnings published in November 2025. That is roughly 8 per cent of all public sector employment in Australia.

    Vacancy counts last updated 22 October 2026.

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