The ABS is recruiting for a number of casual roles in the lead-up to the August 2026 Census. Image: ABS.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has started a recruitment drive for more than 2700 Field Managers for the 2026 Census, which will be held on 11 August.
The ABS said Field Managers played a critical role in helping communities across Australia complete the Census, with each manager expected to train and lead a team of up to 12 Field Officers in their local area.
Field Managers will also help places such as hotels, hospitals and caravan parks to prepare for the national survey.
Applicants are expected to have experience in managing, training and supervising teams, strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, connections to their community, local area knowledge, and an ability to communicate sensitively and respectfully while considering different backgrounds.
In some cases, the ability to speak a language other than English may also be required, and positions are available in all major cities and regional areas nationwide.
Census national spokesperson Emily Walter said where possible, Field Managers would be hired locally to provide local knowledge and support to Census staff.
“To run a successful Census, we need to reach everyone across Australia, from our capital cities to our most remote towns,” she said.
“While we expect most people will choose to complete the Census online, there are many people who will require extra support. Field Managers will play a key role in providing this support.
“We’re looking for people who have experience training and supervising teams, and who are interested in flexible, temporary work beginning in April 2026.”
In addition to Field Managers, the ABS is looking for Local Engagement Officers. It says these people should have experience working with diverse communities, including people experiencing homelessness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people who speak languages other than English.
Applications will also soon be open for Mobile Field Representatives, Remote Area Management team members and team leaders, and Community Field Officers.
People interested in applying should visit www.census.abs.gov.au/jobs.
The opening of applications follows the publication of the 2026 Census Topics and Data Release Plan, which outlines the questions that will be included in the Census, and when and how the data will be released.
Census general manager Jenny Telford said the publication was a significant milestone in the lead-up to 11 August.
“Today’s release of the 2026 Census Topics and Data Release Plan follows a period of extensive public consultation and testing to ensure the Census produces high-quality data that reflects contemporary Australia,” she said.
“The 2026 Census will deliver richer insights, with the addition of a new topic on gender and sexual orientation, and updates to existing topics to meet emerging data needs.
“We will make Census results freely available across a range of products, making it easier than ever for people to access and use.”
The ABS will publish the 2026 Census data in three phases, with information on most of the topics scheduled to be released in June 2027, with other data, including employment-related details, to be made available in October 2027.
The topics and data release plan are available on the ABS website.
