Become a Fellow

Use your skills to directly impact everyday people’s lives and transform government from the inside out

How It Works

The Code for Australia fellowship is a full-time, paid program for experienced technologists and designers.

Cross-functional teams of three are embedded in local and state governments for 6-12 months to develop digital tools that help deliver key public services to those who need it most.

Our Values

We’re not an ordinary workplace. We work quickly, agilely and passionately to create positive impact in everything that we do. We also enjoy working in the open have some pretty strong values which drive us forward.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, check out our Ambassador Guidebook.

Diversity at Code for Australia

Our work is based on the belief that the problems we face cannot be solved unless a greater number and diversity of people become involved in civic life and have input into critical community issues. The current situation – where few participate and public institutions don’t reflect the interests or demographics of the people they serve – is a dead end. Reinventing government for the 21st Century can only happen if new ideas and priorities can gain a purchase in the public sector, and that won’t happen without broadening the spectrum of people who have a hand in shaping public life.

Diversity in our partnerships

One of the key reasons that governments are failing to adequately meet the needs of their residents is that they don’t represent the diversity of the communities they serve. Without a mix of perspectives inside government, and input that includes the range of views found in the community, crucial ideas for improving government will be lost or ignored and decisions will continue to serve those at the decision-making table at the expense of groups that have traditionally been excluded: principally people of colour, the poor, women, young people, the disabled, immigrants, and LGBT individuals. Both during our engagements with governments and other public institutions, and through the applications that we develop to help solve civic problems, we seek to bring diverse voices into the public discussion of community goals and reforms.

Diversity in the tech sector

Currently the technology sector is almost completely devoid of women, people of colour and other traditionally excluded groups. As technology influences an increasing amount of our lives, and provides an increasing percentage of living-wage jobs, it is imperative that we open up opportunities for members of underrepresented groups in the technology workforce and among its leadership. Code for Australia actively recruits and supports women, people of colour and members of other minority groups in our fellowship, giving them a platform to become tech and civic leaders.

Diversity in our organisation

A diverse staff and leadership are essential to fulfilling our goal of making Code for Australia look like and represent Australia. We strive to include a full range of voices as we explore solutions to civic problems with our partner communities and institutions, and critical to that endeavour is having diverse perspectives represented on our team. Consistent with this goal, Code for Australia does not discriminate against any person on any basis including, but not limited to, gender and gender expression, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability or veterans status. We encourage the participation of women and members of other underrepresented groups in our work.

“Everyone really wants to make a difference so it brings a lot of energy. It’s a great opportunity to share your skills but at the same time, acquire a lot of new skills.” – Irina Anastasiu, Fellow, Moreton Bay Regional Council

Common Questions

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Who are Fellows?

Fellows are mission-driven digital professionals with multi-disciplinary experience in development, design, user experience, research and product management. Fellows are curious, creative, entrepreneurial, and have a demonstrated commitment to teamwork and respectful communication. We welcome and support technologists from traditionally underrepresented communities.

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Where do Fellowships happen?

Fellows are based where their respective government partner is located with travel to our HQ in Melbourne. So far, we’ve run Fellowships throughout Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.

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I already have a job - can I be a Fellow?

Some of our Fellows have taken secondment or sabbatical opportunities from organisations with flexible working practices. It’s usually a HR or senior management call. If you need help convincing your boss, let us know. We have lots of resources just for this.

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When is the next Fellowship?

We run Fellowships on an ongoing basis. The next Fellowship may start in a couple of weeks or in a few months.

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Is this a volunteer thing?

Definitely not. Fellowships are a full-time, paid opportunity.

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I live overseas - can I be a Fellow?

We welcome Fellows from all over the world! We’re not in a position to sponsor anyone, but if you are eligible to work in Australia, we’d love to hear from you.

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How do I apply?

As we’ve grown in size, we’ve been overwhelmed by applications of incredible people who want to join us. We’ve currently closed applications while we work through the current applicants, and work to find more opportunities for Fellowships. Stay tuned via our newsletter or by joining us on Slack to find out when we’ll open applications again.

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We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging across Australia.

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