About the stream
Join one of Australia’s largest employers of vets and kickstart your public service career with real impact. Our 12-month Graduate Development Program is your chance to grow your skills, make a difference, and help protect Australia’s animals and agriculture.
What you’ll do
As a veterinary graduate, you’ll:
- Help shape policies on animal health, diseases, and welfare.
- Support safe trade by developing science-based import/export standards.
- Work on emergency response plans for animal disease outbreaks.
- Contribute to animal welfare strategies for livestock at home and overseas.
Why join us?
- Diverse career paths: Gain hands-on experience in biosecurity, exports, and welfare.
- Supportive environment: Access mentoring, training, and a strong graduate community.
- Great benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, relocation help, and flexible work options.
- Real-world learning: Rotate through different teams, from policy to operations.
- Professional growth: Join APS-wide graduate events, get formal training, and build your network.
Meet our veterinary graduates
Hear from veterinarians who started their journeys as graduates, discover a variety of career paths, and get an inside look at the daily experiences of a veterinary stream graduate.
Taylor
Senior Veterinary Officer
Graduate
Working as a veterinarian in the Department is immensely rewarding as you use your technical knowledge to engage in meaningful initiatives that have a broad impact on agriculture, fisheries and forestry stakeholders while supported by dedicated and collaborative teams.
The veterinary stream of the graduate program was instrumental in setting me up for a successful career in the department, providing invaluable opportunities to explore the diverse areas of veterinary work within the department, establish connections with both experts and peers, and identify the areas which align with my core interests.
Yushara
Veterinarian
Graduate
Joining the veterinary stream in DAFF's graduate program was a rewarding shift from clinical practice, and I haven't looked back! The most fulfilling part of my work in the Pacific Engagement space has been helping to strengthen the veterinary and animal health workforce across the region, and by extension protecting Australia's biosecurity and animal health systems.
How to apply
Applications for the 2026 Veterinary Stream are now open!
Visit our job vacancies list to find out if you are eligible and to apply.
Applications close on 11:00pm AEST 30 June 2025.
Veterinary careers with the department
Our department offers a wide range of exciting jobs for veterinarians.
You can subscribe for job alerts on our job vacancies portal.