Applications close at 11:30pm AEDT on Sunday, 8 February 2026. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is seeking skilled legal professionals at the APS Levels 4, 5 and 6 classifications for Legal Officer roles to work across multiple legal roles in the Legal Division and Trade Law and Economic Security Division. If you have (or will soon have) a law degree and are a motivated, passionate, and talented officer seeking to further your career, we want to hear from you. In the role of Legal Officer, you will use your legal skills to inform Government decisions and provide strategic legal advice on issues that contribute to the development and implementation of DFAT's foreign, trade and development policy and its global corporate management functions. These roles will see you negotiate, advise, and litigate on a diverse range of high profile international, trade, investment, and domestic law issues. Upon commencement of employment, Legal Officer roles require you to have a law degree (or equivalent), from a recognised Australian tertiary education provider, or a degree from an overseas tertiary education provider recognised for admission to practice in Australia. For some roles you must be admitted, or eligible to be admitted, to practice in Australia. We offer a great team environment with a constant stream of interesting and rewarding work across the breadth of the Government's agenda. We also offer flexible work arrangements, including part-time hours. For further information, please refer to the Applicant Information Pack on the DFAT Careers website. The key duties of the position include Your duties and responsibilities will be aligned to the relevant APS Work Level Standards . APS Level 4/5: Your key duties will include: • problem-solve, undertake analysis and provide timely advice and analysis; • have an eye for detail and an ability to engage accurately on technical matters; • have highly developed written and verbal communication skills; • work collaboratively and as an effective team member; • be stakeholder/client-focussed and comfortable operating within a complex environment; • liaise effectively with other agencies and stakeholders; • undertake research and prepare advice, including on complex legal and legal process issues; • distil information into clear and concise written products. APS Level 6: You will undertake one or more of the following tasks with a broad degree of self-direction: • problem-solve, undertake analysis and provide expert timely legal and policy advice or submissions. • undertake research on complex subject matter and distil information into clear and concise written products. • manage regulatory and compliance processes in line with best-practice. • provide expert legal or policy advice related to a wide range of high-profile matters and policies for Ministers, DFAT and whole of government colleagues, and • work collaboratively with other enabling service functions in the department.
