Indigenous Internship Program 2026-2027

National Health and Medical Research Council; Waverley Council; Remote; AUD 73,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

National Health and Medical Research Council invites current university students who are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage to apply for its Indigenous Virtual Internship Program. The internship offers hands-on experience with NHMRC’s work and can be completed remotely Australia-wide, with office-based options in Canberra or Melbourne for those based locally.

Participants may engage with government funding processes for health and medical research, contribute to guidelines, and

Qualifications

• Strong written and oral communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to build rapport and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• Accountability for completion of allocated tasks and team goals.
• Self-starter with a reliable team mindset and proactive attitude.
• Ability to work independently and manage workloads, including prioritising deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain effective relationships within NHMRC and with external stakeholders.
• Provide critical operational and administrative support in projects.
• Draft communications with grant recipients and stakeholders.
• Provide administrative support for corporate and project activities such as drafting messages to the research sector, gathering inputs for briefings, and information requests, plus data extraction and analysis.
• Bring fresh ideas and creative thinking to drive improvements across the business.

Skills

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Accountability

Self-starter

Independence

Education

Undergrad or Master in health/science

Job description

National Health and Medical Research Council – Bondi NSW

13d ago , from National Health and Medical Research Council

• Australia wide

Are you passionate about health?Do you want to contribute to Australia’s future?Do you see yourself working in the health and/or medical research?If so, this may be the internship for you!

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) invites current university students of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage to apply for our Indigenous Virtual Internship Program. This dynamic program offers you the chance to dive into NHMRC’s important work while enriching your academic journey with hands‑on experience.
The Indigenous Internship Program is available Australia wide as remote work, however candidates based in Canberra or Melbourne will have the option to work from the NHMRC office.

Each internship is unique, depending on your project you may have the opportunity to:

• Engage directly with government processes involved in funding health and medical research
• Contribute to developing guidelines and addressing ethical challenges
• Explore how knowledge is shared and promoted across communities
• Gain a deeper understanding of public administration and accountability in action

• APS Level 3
• $72,620 - $80,492 per annum plus 15.4% Superannuation
• Australia wide

Are you passionate about health?Do you want to contribute to Australia’s future?Do you see yourself working in the health and/or medical research?If so, this may be the internship for you!

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) invites current university students of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage to apply for our Indigenous Virtual Internship Program. This dynamic program offers you the chance to dive into NHMRC’s important work while enriching your academic journey with hands‑on experience.
The Indigenous Internship Program is available Australia wide as remote work, however candidates based in Canberra or Melbourne will have the option to work from the NHMRC office.

Each internship is unique, depending on your project you may have the opportunity to:

• Engage directly with government processes involved in funding health and medical research
• Contribute to developing guidelines and addressing ethical challenges
• Explore how knowledge is shared and promoted across communities
• Gain a deeper understanding of public administration and accountability in action

Job specific duties

As part of the internship program, you will have the opportunity to take part in various projects to:

• Build and maintain effective relationships within NHMRC and with external stakeholders
• Provide critical operational and administrative support in exciting and impactful projects
• Draft communication with grant recipients and stakeholders
• Providing administrative support for corporate and project related activities such as:
  • Drafting communication messages to the research sector
  • Gathering and providing input to briefings and requests for information
  • Data extraction and analysis
• Bring fresh ideas and creative thinking to drive innovative improvements across the business

Core capabilities

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following capabilities:

• Strong written and oral communication skills and attention to detail
• Ability to build rapport and maintain strong stakeholder relationships within NHMRC and with external providers
• Accountability for completion of allocated tasks, review of work and contribute to team goals
• Being a self-starter and a reliable team member with a ‘can do’ attitude
• Ability to work independently and manage workloads, including prioritising urgent deadlines

To be eligible you must:

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or master’s degree in a health, medical research or science related field and provide evidence to confirm that you are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
• Be available for approximately 200 hours from mid-November 2026 to mid-January 2027 (during the summer university break). However, there is flexibility around these timeframes.
• Submit a completed online application form with your Resume prior to the closing date and time, be an Australian citizen and be able to provide evidence of this. If successful, you will also be required to undertake a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

For further information

Please refer to the Job Description or contact Sam Faulkner, Director Indigenous Advice via ***************@nhmrc.gov.au

NHMRC is an inclusive and diverse employer that supports gender equity and diversity in leadership. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including People with Disability, First Nations peoples, LGBTIQA+ people, mature age people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Eligibility

This opportunity is only open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people under Clause 31 of the Public Service Commissioner’s Direction 2022 and is within the meaning of special measures under subsection 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. You will be required to provide confirmation of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage prior to receiving a formal offer of employment.

Applications close

11:30 PM AEDT Sunday, 25 October 2026