The Australian Federal Government Agency, Services Australia (the agency) is working with Specialisterne Australia to attract the skills, talents, and abilities of prospective people on the autism spectrum, who can contribute to their workforce.
The agency recognises every story counts. Each individual brings their own range of skills and perspectives to the workplace. The agency values inclusion and diversity and supports staff to reach their full potential. The agency values the mutual benefits to both the incoming candidates sourced through the Aurora Neurodiversity Program 2022 and the valuable skills and abilities people on the autism spectrum can offer.
Specialisterne Australia is excited to be partnering with Services Australia to deliver the Aurora Neurodiversity Program 2022. We are looking to recruit individuals interested in cyber security, test engineer, technical engineer, solutions design and developer roles from our community of talented autistic candidates.
Specialisterne Australia offers an alternative pathway for people on the autism spectrum to connect with employers who recognise and value the contributions and talents that individuals on the spectrum can bring to their organisations.
Specialisterne exists because autistic candidates are being overlooked for employment, largely due to the many barriers that autistic candidates come up against when competing for employment in typical recruitment practices.


Aurora Neurodiversity Program 1 – Canberra: 2022
10 x Roles Available
Location of roles
All job roles are located in Canberra and applicants should live within a commutable distance to Canberra. Applicants prepared to relocate to Canberra for employment through the Aurora Neurodiversity Program 2022 are encouraged to apply.
Note that because of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in common workplaces in ACT, some of the roles may require that you initially work remotely from home for a period of time.
*If you are applying from outside of Canberra and would require relocating, please consider the various factors associated with relocating and Government relocation incentives.
Applicant Requirements
Must have
To apply for these roles, these things are essential:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Must have a diagnosis of autism (including Autism Spectrum Disorder; Asperger’s Syndrome; Autistic Disorder or PDD-NOS) ‘Specialisterne may be required to provide evidence of your diagnosis to Services Australia to confirm your eligibility for the program.’
- Must have proof of Australian Citizenship and agree to Services Australia background checks
- All candidates must be able to undergo a police check, and some will require a government clearance.
- Must be able to participate in the Specialisterne Australia Talent Program process
Nice to have
These things are not essential, but if you have them that’s great:
- Motivated, focussed and strong attention to detail
- Good analytical skills and demonstrated problem-solving skills
- Ability to work autonomously, take initiative and work as part of a team environment
- Obtained a TAFE Qualification or Bachelors Degree in Information Technology; Computer Science; Network Security; Data and Analytics; Mathematics; Statistics; Engineering; Business; Software Development; Cyber Security; Security; Administration; Project Management; or related disciplines or have relatable real-world experience in same or similar fields
- A strong interest in any of the following: Systems Testing, Applications Development, Data Analytics, Systems Analysis, Business Analysis, Systems Administration, Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure, Linux Docker, Kubernetes, DevOps, Networking, Engineering)
- An understanding of programming languages and/or development and production environments – Python, Java, JavaScript, SQL, C#, .NET, Node.js/Express, MySQL, PostgreSQL and other desirable languages


Application Process
Before you can apply for jobs through Specialisterne Australia, you must first register with us as an eligible candidate using the form below. You only need to do this once, existing candidates already registered using this form can proceed to login at the candidate portal. To commence the registration process, please make sure you have the required documents stated below:
- Evidence of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Evidence could be a Diagnostic Assessment or a letter from a treating medical practitioner.
- Proof of Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residence Visa. Accepted documents are one of the following:
- Australian Birth Certificate
- Current Australian Passport
- Certificate of Australian Citizenship
- Permanent Residency Visa in Australia (excluding bridging visas)
NEW CANDIDATES
Upload your documents using the form provided on this page below. A member of our team will check your eligibility and you will then be sent a link to complete an online application with Specialisterne Australia. After you have completed your application, you will be sent a link to the candidate portal to upload supporting documents and apply for our jobs.
EXISTING CANDIDATES
If you have already registered as an eligible candidate with Specialisterne Australia using the form below, you can login to your account in the candidate portal to apply for the jobs or opportunities you are most interested in. A link to the candidate portal is contained in the form provided on this page below.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in a 1-day practical screening workshop where they will find out more about the roles and undertake activities and assessments to determine their suitability for the various opportunities.
At the conclusion of the Talent Program activities, successful candidates will be offered employment. If you are unsuccessful, you may be considered for other Specialisterne opportunities.
Talent Program activities will have the option to be delivered in-person and online in a virtual assessment centre environment and therefore candidates are expected to have use of their own computer with a webcam and microphone, and have access to the internet in order to participate.
At Specialisterne Australia our values are Respect, Clarity, Accommodation, and Accessibility. We keep these in mind in all that we do. We work with our partner employers to promote and sustain a diverse and inclusive workforce. To support you further throughout your journey, we provide a mentor and buddy, and we work with you to tailor an individual plan to accommodate your needs in the workplace, also providing a period of support for both you and your future employer, ensuring a successful transition into your new role.
Please Note: All applications must go through Specialisterne Australia. Our partner employers do not handle applications directly for these opportunities.
More information:
We look forward to receiving your applications.
Aurora Neurodiversity Program
A pathway for people with autism to start their career in the Australian Public Service (APS) with opportunities in Services Australia.

The Aurora Neurodiversity Program (the Program) recognises the unique skills and talents people who are neurodivergent can bring to work. The Program seeks to improve career outcomes and offers professional development and work experience by providing a gateway to the APS.