2026 Graduate, Research & Development Tax

Shape your future. Ignite your potential.

At Grant Thornton, we’re committed to shaping better futures - starting with yours.

Our graduate program is designed to give you the guidance, resources and real-world experience you need to grow your career with confidence. From day one, you will be supported to learn, contribute and build capability through meaningful work and a culture that values what makes you different.

Beyond this, you will have a clear path to progress, building skills and taking on new opportunities as your career grows. Whether you are passionate about accounting, business, commerce or technology, here you’ll find the flexibility, exposure and support you need to build a career that feels truly remarkable.

What we offer you:

• Remarkable support – grow your technical knowledge and business acumen through structured and on‑demand development sessions; financial and study leave support to help you undertake your CA qualification; a dedicated coaching Manager and Partner to help you thrive in your career journey.
• Remarkable exposure – work alongside leading Partners and specialists across a broad range of industries and experiences, develop strong relationships with your clients, and participate in national and international secondment opportunities as they arise.
• Remarkable impact – make a meaningful difference in a way that feels personal to you through a range of social, environmental and sustainability initiatives, committees and networks.
• Remarkable perks – including a 9 day fortnight, flexible working arrangements, a complimentary health club and gym membership, social events and clubs, wellbeing and mental health support, and paid volunteering leave.

Your opportunity

Australia's continued support for research and development (R&D) makes it one of the most attractive locations in the world for organisations to innovate and commercialise new technologies.

Our Innovation Incentives team works alongside innovative businesses ranging from start-ups to multinational corporations, helping them access government incentives and funding that support their growth, investment and innovation. This role offers the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients across software, engineering, manufacturing, life sciences and other innovation-driven industries.

We assist clients with all aspects of the R&D Tax Incentive, from identifying eligible activities and calculating R&D expenditure through to preparing technical submissions and supporting regulator reviews and audits.

Joining the Innovation Incentives team as a Graduate will see you:

• Working closely with clients to understand their business, technologies and innovation objectives
• Working with legislation related to eligibility and review processes
• Analysing technical, scientific and financial information, including large datasets and financial records using Excel
• Distilling complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to address eligibility criteria
• Calculating eligible R&D expenditure and preparing claim documentation
• Supporting clients through regulator reviews and audits
• Building trusted relationships with clients, technical specialists and key stakeholders
• Contributing to business development initiatives and broader client service opportunities

To be successful

You are a curious and motivated graduate or early-career professional with a passion for innovation and problem-solving. You enjoy working with technical and commercial information and can clearly communicate your ideas both verbally and in writing. You are comfortable working with data and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including the ability to analyse and organise large volumes of information efficiently.

We welcome applications from graduates with a range of academic backgrounds, including Science, Engineering, Information Technology, Commerce, Finance, Accounting, Law and related disciplines.

Your application

Five easy steps to starting your career at Grant Thornton:

• Get to know us
• Apply online
• Complete our online testing – the Grant Thornton Strength Assessment
• Complete the video interview
• Attend an assessment centre and/or interview

For more information on each step of the recruitment process, as well as tips and advice from our Early Career teams, click here.

Need additional support?

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible for anyone who wishes to apply, and we warmly welcome applications from students who have a disability or identify as neurodiverse. 

Should you require any adaptations to the recruitment process or need any additional support from us to help you perform at your best, please reach out to our Early Careers team at earlycareers@au.gt.com to discuss your application and your individual circumstances.