Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
Graduate Policy Officer - Forests (Feb 2025)
Colac, Melbourne, Location: Rotation 1 - Melbourne CBD Rotation 2 - Colac Rotation 3 - Melbourne CBD
Opportunity expired
Opportunity details
- Graduate Job or Program
- AUD 62604 / Year
- Generous program and self-directed learning and development during graduate program
- 1 vacancy
- Apply by 8 Jul 2024
- Start date 2 Feb 2025
About us:
DEECA brings together Victoria’s energy, environment, water, agriculture, forestry, resources, climate action, and emergency management functions into a single department to maximise connections between the environment, community, industry and economy.
Our challenge is to improve Victoria’s liveability with a population that is expected to almost double by 2050, while responsibly tackling climate change and protecting our natural environment, infrastructure and heritage for future generations.
The role:
The Graduate Policy Officer - Forests will support policy development and provide advice to DEECA executives and the Minister for Environment on the transition away from commercial native timber harvesting in Victoria. The role will support delivery of a future forests program which pivots DEECA's policies and programs away from the management of commercial harvesting in State forests, towards ongoing sustainable management of these forests for a range of benefits.
Other rotations for this role will include:
Forest and Fire Planning, Barwon South West Region - Gain an appreciation for how forest and fire policy and programs are applied at a practical level in DEECAs land management functions, working closely with District teams.
Regulatory Strategy and Guidance, Conservation Regulator - Understand the role of the regulator and modern regulatory practice through supporting development and maintenance of regulatory positions, statements, and guidance on how the Conservation Regulator interprets and intends to apply the law. This includes understanding key environmental and compliance risks and supporting the design of effective regulatory interventions to address these issues.
The successful applicant should ideally have a qualification in forest science, environmental science, ecology, conservation or botany. Studies in environmental policy, public policy or law are also complementary to this role.
The successful candidate will be required to relocated for a regional placement at Colac.
The opportunity for you:
The DEECA Science Graduate Program is a two-year learning and development initiative open to recent graduates of science, natural resource management including ecology, conservation, sustainability, geoscience and geology, agriculture, urban and regional planning, computer science, engineering or related fields.
As a graduate, you'll:
- have diverse roles across the Department
- work across metro and regional Victoria
- enjoy flexible work principles, including start times (7am-7pm) and hybrid work teams (mix of on-site and remote work).
- commence as an ongoing employee - with guaranteed job at the end of the program
- upon successful completion of the program, be reclassified to a VPS 3 salary of $74,580
- be supported with mentors and buddies
- participate in extensive learning and development - program guided and self-directed!
We recognise the significant responsibility our Department has as land and natural resource manager to support self-determination and create opportunities for Traditional Owners to care for the Country and provide opportunities to enhance First Peoples' connection to the Country. We are committed to creating a culturally safe environment, where individuals feel safe, valued and able to enable their culture, spiritual and belief systems.
Next steps:
Applications for the 2025 program open in June 2024 and close in July 2024.
Hiring criteria
- No experience required
- Australian Citizen +more
- Sciences
- Bachelor or higher
Reviews
As a graduate officer in Forest Fire Management I have been working across many different aspects of the planning and delivery of fuel management programs. The variety of work means no two days are the same so it's always interesting!
In this grad program, I'm lucky to be able to ask to work on projects that I want to work on, whether they have direct relevance to my usual role or not. Often the projects work towards helping the environment, or communities interact safer/better with the environment, which I find really satisfying. I like the mixture of office and field roles, sometimes you can work on five-year-long projects, and sometimes your tasks can be down to three minute daily tasks. The variability means you can really find something that suits you.
I feel that my work is interesting and important to issues that I care about. However, the incredibly slow pace of the public service and the depth and confusion of our poor record-keeping has made me bored and frustrated with too high a regularity.
About the employer
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
4.3
1,000 - 50,000 employees
Government & Public Service
Join our DEECA Science Graduate program supporting thriving, productive and sustainable communities, environments and industries.
Pros and cons of working at Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
Pros
For me, it has been an incredibly supportive working environment. The workplace is casual and friendly, yet professional and concerned with results
The freedom and flexibility to work in different fields, on different projects and with thousands of different people is a huge bonus
Flexible work and work-life balance arrangements
The variety of work means no two days are the same so it's always interesting
There is much opportunity for training on the job, formally in the classroom, shadowing executives, and talking to others
Cons
Sometimes progress in Government can be slow
There is quite high turnover, both voluntarily and structurally
There is a great deal of anxiety about increasing job insecurity
The interview process can be long and drawn out
I am living paycheck to paycheck, especially given recent rent rises