Working with Hilltops Council
Why work with us? It’s ‘more than just a job’
Hilltops Council provides a highly rewarding opportunity to build a career, contribute to your community and gain skills and experience that will carry you forward for the rest of your life. There are many different paths to take on your career journey with local government, and joining our Council is a great way to take your first step or extend your career.
We offer many and varied opportunities and encourage you to bookmark this page and check-back regularly to see what opportunities we have on offer.
Current Vacancies (click below to open)
Open Spaces Apprentice (Harden and Boorowa)
Open Spaces Apprentice x2
(Harden & Boorowa)
Term contract for up to 4 years
Full-time | 76 hours per 9-day fortnight
- Excellent apprenticeship opportunities based out of our Harden & Boorowa Works Depots to build your career and skills as part of our friendly Open Spaces teams.
- Rate of pay up to $63k p.a. (Trainee band – dependent on age/qualifications/experience) + 12% Superannuation with other entitlements from the Local Government State Award.
- Great employee benefits including regular wellbeing initiatives, Fitness Passport, annual flu vaccinations, health checks & much more
About the role
As our Open Spaces Apprentice, you will assist in the maintenance of Council’s open spaces, facilities and amenities while undertaking the qualification of Certificate III in Parks & Gardens.
Over the course of your apprenticeship, you will provide labouring & plant operation duties under supervision and play an active role in shaping the natural beauty of your community. You’ll come to play a key role in building and maintaining Council’s urban infrastructure across Harden, Boorowa and the wider Hilltops Local Government Area through undertaking work-rotations at other depots.
This is an ideal opportunity for recent school leavers with a desire to pursue a career in horticulture, or those looking to start a new career in the field.
Applications
Please refer to the attached position description & application form for details. If you require further details about the position, please contact Gordon Finlay, Acting Manager Operations on 1300 445 586.
Applications will remain open until midnight 14 June 2026.
When applying please email the completed application form, and a cover letter or email with your contact details (your résumé is optional but highly recommended) to careers@hilltops.nsw.gov.au, addressing applications to Duncan McGregor, Director Infrastructure.
Application forms are mandatory, or if you cannot complete the application form – you must address all selection criteria in your email.
hilltops.nsw.gov.au
Civil Maintenance Assistant (Harden)
Civil Maintenance Assistant
(Harden)
Permanent, full-time | 76 hours per 9-day fortnight
- Excellent entry level opportunity based out of Harden Works Depot to kickstart your career in Civil Operations.
- Remuneration up to $61k p.a. + allowances + 12% Superannuation.
- Excellent learning & development, health & wellbeing and career progression opportunities available across Council.
About the role
As Civil Works Assistant Maintenance, you will work as part of a road maintenance patching/sealing civil crew on a range of labouring tasks across Hilltops.
This is a great chance for a motivated labourer looking to commence their career in civil operations, on a permanent basis (subject to completion of a 3-month probation).
Please be advised that the successful applicant may be expected to work reasonable overtime from time-to time or as part of a rotating on-call roster, noting that shift penalties/on-call allowances would be applicable. Although predominately based out of Harden, all staff in Civil Operations may commence work from any of the depots across Council.
Applications
Please refer to the attached position description & application form for details. If you require further details about the position, please contact Paul Muller, Manager Operations on 1300 445 586.
Applications will remain open until midnight Sunday 14 June 2026.
When applying please email the completed application form, and a cover letter or email with your contact details (your résumé is optional but highly recommended) to careers@hilltops.nsw.gov.au, addressing applications to Paul Muller, Manager Operations.
Application forms are mandatory, or if you cannot complete the application form – you must address all selection criteria in your email.
hilltops.nsw.gov.au
Civil Works Concreting Crew Members x 2 (Young)
Civil Works Concreting Crew Members x 2
(Young)
Permanent, full-time | 76 hours per 9-day fortnight
- Excellent opportunities for multi-skilled labourers to join a dedicated concreting crew, with a job offering security and work-life balance.
- Rates of pay between $66k and $73k p.a. + allowances + 12% Super, with entitlements under the Local Government State Award.
- Great employee benefits including regular wellbeing initiatives, Fitness Passport, annual flu vaccinations and structured progression and training.
About the role
Join a dedicated road construction and maintenance crew to construct essential infrastructure that supports our community. We’re looking for motivated and skilled operator who enjoys hands-on, outdoor work, is self-directed and takes pride in delivering quality workmanship.
In this role, you will be involved in a wide variety of concreting works such as the construction and maintenance of roads, drainage, footpaths, roundabouts and more, all across our Local Government Area.
Please be advised that you would be expected to be available to work reasonable overtime and to be on a rotating on-call roster (shift penalties/on-call allowances would be applicable at those times).
Applications
Please refer to the attached position description & application form for details. If you require further details about the position, please contact Paul Muller, Manager Operations on 1300 445 586.
Applications will remain open until 10am Tuesday 16 June 2026.
When applying please email the completed application form, and a cover letter or email with your contact details (your résumé is optional but highly recommended) to careers@hilltops.nsw.gov.au, addressing applications to Paul Muller, Manager Operations.
Application forms are mandatory, or if you cannot complete the application form – you must address all selection criteria in your email.
hilltops.nsw.gov.au
Customer Service & Information Officer (Harden & Young)
Customer Service Information Officer
(Harden up to 3 days & Young up to 2 days p/w)
Temporary, full-time (mat leave relief up to 6 months)
- Excellent opportunities for multi-skilled labourers to join a dedicated concreting crew, with a job offering security and work-life balance.
- Rates of pay between $66k and $73k p.a. + allowances + 12% Super, with entitlements under the Local Government State Award.
- Great employee benefits including regular wellbeing initiatives, Fitness Passport, annual flu vaccinations and structured progression and training.
About the role
As our Customer Service & Information Officer, working up to 3 days from Harden and up to 2 days from Young each week, you’ll be serving customers as Council’s first point of contact. You’ll handle enquiries, GIPA requests, transactions and service requests from both internal and external stakeholders, ensuring high service standards are consistently met.
This is a great opportunity to join a friendly, knowledgeable and supportive team in a temporary full-time capacity providing maternity leave relief for up to 6 months. In this position, you’ll deliver broad customer service to the community while enjoying the benefits of working within local government.
Applications
Please refer to the attached position description & application form for details.
Applications will remain open until midnight Sunday 21 June 2026.
Please address your application to Gerard Dunn, Acting Director Corporate & Community. For further details regarding the position, please contact Gerard on 1300 445 586.
Application forms are mandatory, or if you cannot complete the application form – you must address each selection criteria in your email.
hilltops.nsw.gov.au
Water & Sewer Operators (Young) Permanent and Casual Roles
Water and Sewer Operators
Permanent and Casual opportunities available
(Young)
- Excellent opportunity for experienced Plant Operators/skilled labourers/plumbers to join our Water & Sewer crew in Young.
- Permanent: Rate of pay between $61k and $68k p.a. + allowances + 12% Superannuation with generous leave provisions and other entitlements under the Local Government State Award.
- Casual: Decent hourly rate of pay between $39.15 & $43.37(dependent on skills and experience) + allowances + 12% Superannuation.
- Great employee benefits including regular wellbeing initiatives, Fitness Passport, annual flu vaccinations and professional development.
About the role
As a Water & Sewer Operator, you will assist our crew in preventative and reactive maintenance and ongoing operation of water & sewer reticulation, ensuring safe drinking water and effective wastewater treatment for Young, and across Hilltops.
This is a great chance to utilise your existing skills in a vital industry and keep busy working as part of a highly productive and dedicated team. To ensure your success, you will be given excellent opportunities during your deployment to maintain and update your skills as well as trial working in different areas suited to your skills.
Please be advised that you would be expected to be available to work any day of the week (shift penalties apply for work outside of usual working hours). This is a great entry point to the team and a chance to put your skills to good use, and there are great opportunities for consistent employment as we regularly recruit for permanent staff across the organisation.
Applications
Permanent role
Please refer to the attached position description & application form for details.
Casual role
Please refer to the attached engagement description & application form for details.
If you require further details about the positions, please contact Jonathan Hook, Manager Water and Waste on 1300 445 586.
Applications will remain open until we secure suitable applicants and will be assessed on an ongoing basis.
When applying please email the completed application form, and a cover letter or email with your contact details (your résumé is optional but highly recommended) to careers@hilltops.nsw.gov.au, addressing applications to Jonathan Hook, Manager Water and Waste.
Application forms are mandatory, or if you cannot complete the application form you must address each selection criteria in your email.
hilltops.nsw.gov.au
Civil Maintenance Crew Member (Boorowa)
Civil Maintenance Crew Member
(Boorowa)
Permanent, full-time | 76 hours per 9-day fortnight
- Great opportunity for an experienced multi-skilled plant operator to join our Civil Maintenance team, working form our Boorowa depot.
- Rates between $61k and $68k p.a. dependent on skills and experience + allowances + 12% Superannuation.
- Excellent employee benefits including professional development, wellbeing initiatives, Fitness Passport, and career progression.
About the role
As a Civil Maintenance Crew Member, you will work as part of a maintenance crew on a range of skilled-labouring and plant operation tasks, with a focus on culvert cleaning, drainage as well as various civil maintenance duties as a multi-skilled plant operator.
Crew Members form the bulk of our Operations crews across Hilltops, and we provide our crews with a wide variety of work and learning opportunities that allow them to advance their careers and bolster their skills. This is a great chance to broaden your existing expertise in the field.
Please be advised that you would be expected to be available for reasonable overtime and to be part of a rotating on-call roster, noting that generous shift penalties/on-call allowances would be applicable at those times.
Applications
Please refer to the attached position description & application form for details. If you require further details about the position, please contact Paul Muller, Manager Operations on 1300 445 586.
Applications will remain open until we secure suitable applicants, and will be assessed on an ongoing basis.
When applying please email the completed application form, and a cover letter or email with your contact details (your résumé is optional but highly recommended) to careers@hilltops.nsw.gov.au, addressing applications to Paul Muller, Manager Operations.
Application forms are mandatory, or if you cannot complete the application form – you must address each selection criteria in your email.
hilltops.nsw.gov.au
Our Purpose
We are part of the community we serve
Service to our Community is central to all that we do, and Council has recently undertaken a review of its organisational values, and we are promoting these throughout our organisation. Our collective staff values are Safety, Trust, Accountability and Respect – STAR
As staff, we strive to integrate these values into all aspects of our work, and we are seeking candidates who also embody these values.
Veterans Employment
Council supports the NSW State Government’s Veterans Employment Program. We understand the skills and attributes veterans can bring to our council and welcome applications from veterans for any of our vacancies. We encourage veterans to request specific application feedback, and we are able to provide support or refer veterans to the NSW Veterans Employment Program for further support with applications and interview techniques.
See below links for more information:
NSW Local Government Rank 2 Grade Guide
Equal Opportunity statement
Hilltops Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to building a welcoming and supportive workplace culture. We encourage applications from those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, people with disabilities and those from diverse backgrounds and demographics.
General instructions for applying
Council recruits using merit-based selection, and we require candidates to demonstrate how they satisfy their eligibility for a vacancy by addressing selection criteria, which are indicated within the relevant application form.
Unless indicated otherwise in the advertisement, to be considered for a role with Hilltops Council, your application will require submission of an application form, which describes your claims to preferred criteria for the vacancy, which are derived from the position description.
Application forms are found on the relevant vacancy’s landing page and should be emailed to careers@hilltops.nsw.gov.au. If you cannot complete the application form due to technical issues, please instead respond to the selection criteria in your email. You should provide a cover letter or email detailing your personal details, your motivation for applying and a bit of information about yourself.
The application is just the first part of our selection process, and merit will be determined over time, using several metrics to determine suitability.
Generally, a copy of your résumé is considered optional, but including one is highly recommended. Think of your résumé as a tool to connect the broader context of your previous experience with your application.
A good rule for your application is that it should stand on its own merit, and you should be clear in your application how you meet relevant criteria.
Once advertising closes, a selection panel collectively assess all applications and agree on a candidate shortlist, and interviews are conducted with shortlisted candidate(s).
Not all meritorious candidates may be interviewed if there are many applicants that are suitable, making it essential that your responses set your application apart from others.
Responding to selection criteria (with examples)
Simply answering yes or no to a question will not allow for the selection panel to determine your merit, so a bit of detail is the best way to demonstrate that you meet the criteria, although we do not expect you to write extensively.
Using the STAR principle (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is a good way of demonstrating your suitability for selection criteria. For an example, look at the following 2 criteria:
- Certificate III in Civil Construction or equivalent relevant experience.
- Previous experience of 1 or more years working in a civil construction or parks and gardens setting.
| Strong answer | Weak answer |
| Question 1) | |
| I obtained my Civil Construction (Plant Operations) Certificate III in 2020 through TAFE NSW and have attached the transcript and certificate. | Yes (no transcript or certificate attached) |
| Question 2) | |
|
I worked for Hilltops Council from 2020 – 2024 as Crew Member in the Open Spaces team. During this time, I undertook tasks involving the building and maintenance of parks and gardens within the Young, Harden & Boorowa region. I also completed line-marking for sports ovals during the sporting season and installed irrigation equipment under direction throughout various parks in the area. I learned a great deal during this time and completed several informal and formal courses during my time that helped upskill me as a Crew Member. |
Yes, I worked with Council from 2020 – 2024. |
Eligibility for employment
To be eligible for employment with Council, you must be willing to:
- provide 2 (minimum) professional referees who will vouch for your previous experience and performance in work/study, and
- demonstrate rights to work in Australia (birth certificate/visa/passport), and
- consent to undertake relevant pre-employment checks (medical checks, probity/police checks, reference checks).
Some roles may also require that you satisfy a working with children check, that you hold and maintain a suitable driver’s licence, or hold other forms of licencing such as high-risk work licences. Please include scanned or photographed copies of these and/or details of these with your email.
General applications or résumés submitted without a vacancy
While Council does accept résumés submitted without a corresponding vacancy and retain these on file, they are generally not followed up with applicants.
Instead of submitting your résumé via email or ‘over the counter’ at one of our offices, please check the website regularly for vacancies and apply directly for a vacancy.
Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the application process
Council accepts that generative AI such as ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini and others are widely used. However, Council strongly discourages candidates from using these tools to write their applications.
We have means available to us which help identify when AI has been used, and if there are reasonable grounds for the selection panel to believe this has been used to create a candidate’s application, it is noted and further follow-up with candidates may be undertaken.
A broad, generalised answer and lack of relevant information, either in support of the selection criteria or about yourself undermines the merit of your answers. We would much prefer to read answers that are written by yourself that relate to what you’ve achieved, rather than generated by prompts that do not help us get to know what you are capable of.
Local Government Information Statement & Award
Council employees who are employed under the Local Government (State) Award, have entitlements and protections at work in accordance with both the Award and relevant industrial legislation (including the Local Government Act 1993 and Industrial Relations Act 1996). To download a copy of the Local Government (State) Award click here
For more information, click here to download a copy of the Local Government Information Statement prepared in collaboration with relevant unions and Local Government NSW.
For employees new to NSW Local Government, aside from a great workplace and the benefits mentioned above, there are many additional benefits available that you may not be aware of. The local government unions (United Services Union, Development & Environmental Professionals’ Association, Local Government Engineers Association) and the employer body, Local Government NSW, have developed a short induction video for new staff which can be found here.