Welcome.  Curious about what a career looks like at Optiform? Thinking of a change?  Looking to start a career?  We’d love to give you a sneak peek….  But before you do, we’d love to probe just a little…

Working with Purpose

• What would your ideal workday actually look like right now?
• Are you getting to do the kind of work you trained for, or just what’s been handed to you?
• If you’re honest, how sustainable does your current work pace feel?
• When was the last time you finished a day and felt genuinely satisfied with your work?
• What kind of impact do you want to have on the families you support?
• Are you building the kind of clinician you set out to become?

Support & Team

• What difference would it make to be part of a team that truly has your bests interests at heart?
• Do you feel supported in your professional growth, or mostly left to figure things out alone?
• How would your work change if you had consistent guidance and shared thinking around you?

Flexibility & Lifestyle

• What would your life look like if work didn’t take everything from you?
• How much time do you currently have for the things that matter outside of work?
• What would it feel like to finish your day with energy still left?

Growth & Career Path

• Where do you want to be in 12 months — and are you on track to get there?
• What areas of practice are you genuinely curious to explore further? Is there scope to do that in your current role?
• If you had the support, what would you want to build or specialise in?

Environment & Systems

• How much of your day is spent doing meaningful work versus chasing systems?
• What would it be like to walk into a space where everything is already set up for you?
• How would your clinical work shift if the environment fully supported you?

Lifestyle

• What would it mean to have more time back in your day?
• How would your week feel with a 10-minute commute instead of an hour?
• What kind of life are you trying to build outside of work?

Decision Moment

• Six months from now, what do you want your days to feel like?
• What would need to change for work to feel sustainable again?
• Is it time for a role that actually supports the life you want to build?

 Probing over, let’s get into it!

 Come for the role. Stay for the life you can build.

At Optiform, we know that choosing a new role is rarely just about the job.

For many clinicians, it is about finding the right community, the right pace, the right opportunities for your family, and the right place to build a full and meaningful life.

That is why we love Ballarat.

It offers space, connection, character and opportunity; with great schools, a thriving arts and sporting culture, beautiful streetscapes, access to nature, a respected university presence, and the kind of commute people in big cities only dream about. Yep we say “Hi” when we pass each other on the street!  Ballarat is also close to Melbourne, with regular V/Line services and regional fares capped at the metropolitan price, making day trips and city access easy and affordable.

Why Ballarat?

A place to raise a family

Ballarat gives families room to breathe. There are excellent schooling options, a strong sense of community, sporting pathways, creative opportunities, and a lifestyle that feels grounded and generous. It is a place where children can grow up with space, fresh air and genuine connection.

A city with culture

This is not a town you pass through. Ballarat has real character. From theatre, galleries and public art to community events, our own Marathon, heritage streets, live music and local creativity, there is always something happening. The city is home to major attractions, including the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Botanical Gardens, Lake Wendouree precinct and a rich calendar of arts and cultural experiences. (Visit Ballarat)

Food, wine and good weekends

Ballarat has built a serious food and wine reputation. Great cafes, bars, distilleries, restaurants and easy access to winery regions mean your weekends can look however you want them to look; long lunches, bushwalks, farmers markets or a quiet coffee after sport.

Outdoors on your doorstep

Lake Wendouree, the Botanical Gardens, bushwalking tracks and open spaces are part of everyday life here. Federation University’s Ballarat presence also adds to the city’s energy, opportunity and long-term growth. (Federation University)

Close to Melbourne, without living in Melbourne

Need the city? Melbourne is within easy reach by train, with Ballarat line services taking roughly 80 to 90 minutes, depending on the service. Regional public transport fares remain capped at the metropolitan price, which keeps commuting and city days far more affordable than many people expect. (vline.com.au)

The commute here is delightfully ridiculous

In Ballarat, “traffic” is mostly a rumour. Ten minutes gets you almost anywhere. Less time in the car means more time for family, exercise, dinner at home, or simply having a life outside work.

The weather builds character

We truly believe that every new Ballarat resident should receive complimentary gumboots and a Kathmandu jacket.  We agree, it gets cold! But there is also something pretty special about Ballarat’s crisp mornings, distinct seasons and clear, beautiful winter light. You learn to love the weather here, and then become strangely proud of surviving it, “Cold? You don’t know what cold is…”

Relocating to Ballarat

Thinking about making the move? We are offering a relocation bonus to clinicians moving to Ballarat who commit to staying with Optiform for at least 3 years. Because when the right person joins our team, we are not just filling a position. We are investing in a long-term future; for you, your family, our clients and our community. You bring the experience. We will help make the move worthwhile.

Balla-curious?

Want to know what Ballarat is really like to live and work in? *

 

About Optiform

Our people

• It’s hard to describe our team without smiling a little.
• We’re a mix of musical theatre lovers, live music regulars, tap dancers, ceramicists, gardeners and athletes;  people who bring their whole selves to work, not just their clinical skills.
• What connects us isn’t just what we do, but how much we care.
• Our team is deeply invested in our community and in the families we support. We show up, we advocate, we problem-solve, and we celebrate the wins (big and small) alongside the people we work with every day.
• There’s a genuine warmth here. People look out for each other. They check in. They step up. They laugh a lot.
• And while we are a professional, high-performing team…we’re also a little bit like a family. Not the “corporate” version of that word,
  the real version.

 Professional Development

• We don’t just do Professional Development. We live it.
• At Optiform, learning isn’t something that happens a few times a year.
• It’s constant. It’s embedded. It’s part of who we are.
• Our clinicians are curious, driven and deeply committed to understanding more; not just to improve their own practice, but to better support the people and families we work with.
• And the most exciting part?
• Many of our services didn’t start as “services” at all.
  They started as questions, passions, and projects.
• And then they grew into something much bigger.

Clinics built from passion

AAC Clinic – What began as a strong clinical interest for two of our incredible clinicians Imogen and Ella has evolved into a comprehensive service supporting individuals through assessment, device trials, implementation and training. We walk alongside families to find the right communication system, and make sure it actually works in real life. We also run our own AAC support playgroup, creating a space for connection, practice and shared experience.

Feeding Clinic – Once the “baby” of our remarkable Senior Clinician Emmy, this service is now a vital part of Optiform. Supporting children and families with feeding and swallowing challenges, this clinic has grown into both individual and group-based intervention programs, helping young people build skills, confidence and positive experiences with food, including the social connection that comes with eating together.

Language & Literacy Clinic – Led by the magnificent Sally, and shaped by clinicians who were teachers in past lives, this clinic brings together deep knowledge of the classroom with strong clinical expertise. It is supporting many young people who are finding literacy challenging, with practical, meaningful strategies and programs that translate into real-world learning.

Dysphagia & Swallow Clinic – One of our long-standing areas of practice, and one we continue to invest in. We are always expanding our knowledge and refining our approach to ensure we can safely and effectively support vulnerable individuals in our community with eating and drinking.

Neuroaffirming Support Program – A genuine game changer. This program supports young people to better understand their own brains, communication styles and identities, building insight, confidence and self-advocacy in a way that is respectful, empowering and truly neuroaffirming.

Behaviour Support – We are incredibly fortunate to have Georgie, our Behaviour Support Practitioner, whose compassionate, thoughtful and deeply knowledgeable approach supports both our clinicians and our families. She helps us understand complex behaviours, ask better questions, and always come back to what matters most, the human in front of us.  We met Georgie and knew we had to do whatever possible to create a Clinic that could accommodate individuals who would benefit from incredible expertise.

Mental Health Service – Andrew Sullivan, our Senior Occupational Therapist and Optiform founder, leads our Mental Health service, working across Ballarat and surrounding regions. Supporting multiple organisations and teams, Andrew brings depth, experience and perspective (and yes — spends more time in his car than the rest of us combined).

Follow your interest. Build something meaningful.

At Optiform, if something sparks your interest, we don’t shut it down.

We explore it.
We support it.
We help you build it.

Because the best services and the most fulfilling careers often start with a simple question: “What if we could do this better?”

How we celebrate

At Optiform, we kind of love a celebration. Be it a birthday, farewell, babies, milestones, new dogs, Christmas, everything!*

And yes… our Christmas parties are a thing

Every workplace says they have a “great culture.”  We prefer to show it.

Our end-of-year celebrations have become a bit of a legend. Think competitive, creative and slightly chaotic (in the best possible way).

Each year our team brings it — from themed events to our now-iconic Special Interest Presentations, where clinicians take the stage to share something they are wildly passionate about. Past topics have ranged from the deeply clinical to the completely unexpected… and everything in between.

It’s equal parts professional development, entertainment and friendly rivalry.

Safe to say: they’re competitive, they’re epic, and they’re very, very Optiform.

What else have we got to offer?

At Optiform, we recognise that doing meaningful clinical work requires energy, presence and sustainability, and that doesn’t happen without genuine opportunities for rest and recovery.

We place a strong value on protecting time to recharge. Alongside 4 weeks of annual leave, all part-time and full-time team members receive an additional 2 weeks of “Life Leave.”

Life Leave is designed to be used flexibly, with a particular focus on aligning with school holiday periods (including the summer break). This allows our team to step away from the day-to-day demands of clinical work, spend meaningful time with family and friends, travel, or simply rest.

We believe that:

• Great clinicians need space to think, reset and breathe
• Sustainable workloads require intentional breaks
• Time away supports better care for the families we work with

By building this into our structure, we’re not just encouraging rest — we’re actively making it possible.

Because when our team is well supported, everyone benefits.

Happy Benefits

Because we partner with Happy HR to ensure a high level of industry compliance and best-practice employment frameworks, our team also gains access to Happy Benefits, a platform designed to support both financial wellbeing and everyday lifestyle needs.

Through Happy Benefits, staff can access a range of pre-tax and post-tax options, including:

• Novated car leasing
• Financial wellness support and resources
• Mental health and wellbeing programs
• In-store and online vouchers
• Store cards and discounts with major retailers and suppliers

It’s a practical way we aim to ease cost-of-living pressures and support our team beyond the workplace, adding real, everyday value to being part of Optiform.

Spaces where we work, learn and connect

At Optiform we have 2 beautiful locations; Ballarat East (our original “home”) and Sebastopol.

But you want to know the most exciting thing?  Our brand new, purpose-built space is almost finished!  We are so excited to pack our bags and begin moving our ridiculous toy collection up the road to our gorgeous new home.

Come for a walk through some of our Clinic spaces **

 

What life at Optiform looks like

This is the important bit. Because culture matters. People matter. And choosing where to work should feel personal.

Want to get a real feel for who we are?

Who you will work with? **

• Click on the link to see some videos from staff during their day at work

What do our Staff Say?

Build your next chapter with us!

VISIT OUR CURRENT VACANCIES PAGE

Go on, come and work with us!

If you’d like to come and meet us, speak with some current team members or arrange an interview, please contact us. We can’t wait to meet you.