District Medical Officer Procedural and Non-Procedural Pool - East Kimberley

Are you a medical professional with a sense of adventure and a passion for making a lasting impact? 

If so, explore the unique healthcare opportunities available as a District Medical Officer working for WA Country Health Service in Kununurra – East Kimberley.

Discover why WACHS East Kimberley is a great place to work in this video!

This is a recruitment pool to fill Permanent (Full-Time, Part-Time or Sessional) and/or Fixed Term (Full-Time, Part-Time or Sessional) appointments. Fixed Term appointments include the possibility of extension(s) and/or permanency. Closing on 30/06/2026.

Available positions:

• District Medical Officer – Non-Procedural (Emergency Medicine) 2.5 FTE – MP Year 1 - 6: $481,620.08 - $602,976.32 *
• District Medical Officer - Procedural (Obstetrics) 2.5 FTE - MP Year 1- 3: $550,858.26 - $602,976.32*
• Rural Generalist - Year 1 - 6: $550,859.38 - $684,457.01*

*Inclusive of base salary, 12% superannuation and PD allowance.

Please note: If successful, classification and level will be determined based on your qualifications, certifications, experience outlined in your CV and if applicable, assessment outcomes by specialist college and AHPRA registration status.

About the Roles

The roles are vital in delivering comprehensive health services across the East Kimberley. The region provides primary health care to several remote Aboriginal communities, with clinicians regularly undertaking scheduled outreach visits. These visits are shared among permanent DMOs. Obstetric services are also delivered to Halls Creek through a monthly visit. Based primarily at Kununurra Hospital, your responsibilities will extend to Warmun, Halls Creek, Kalumburu, and Wyndham, with approximately 80% of your time spent in Kununurra and the remaining 20% dedicated to outreach in surrounding communities.

You will never be alone in this remote setting. These roles are supported by an exceptional and collaborative clinical team. Clinicians in this service support one another while managing some of the most challenging and rewarding presentations in rural medicine. A doctor is always on site, with shared responsibilities across wards, emergency, clinics, and remote primary care. You'll also have access to resident specialists in person or via telehealth and the WACHS Command Centre offer support with rapid care coordination and team leadership. Even at 3,500 km from the nearest tertiary centre, clinicians are never unsupported.

At WACHS, we value teamwork. As part of our multidisciplinary team, you'll collaborate with Remote Area Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Allied Health staff, Aboriginal Health Workers, and Aboriginal Liaison Officers. Together, we practice medicine in this extraordinary environment, fostering continuous learning and professional development. 

District Medical Officer - Procedural (Obstetrics): 

• Provide high acuity emergency care, including thrombolysis for cardiac arrest post‑ STEMI, emergency caesarean sections for unexpected presentations, fracture reductions‑ and the management of complex lacerations.
• Deliver comprehensive maternity care, including antenatal and postnatal services through weekly clinics, neonatal resuscitation for growth restricted infants and timely‑ response to obstetric emergencies and acute care in collaboration with the hospital team. 
• Participate in on-call‑ rosters for maternity and general medical services, ensuring continuity of care across the region.
• Lead and support the multidisciplinary maternity team, including midwives, fostering a safe and collaborative clinical environment.
• Utilise telehealth to consult with specialist colleagues and provide additional support to remote patients.

District Medical Officer – Non-Procedural (Emergency Medicine):  

• Provide general medical care to patients at Kununurra hospital and across surrounding remote communities. 
• Lead multidisciplinary clinical teams and offer mentorship and support to junior medical staff.
• Respond to emergency presentations and deliver high quality‑ acute inpatient care across a broad scope of practice.
• Participate in on-call‑ rosters in line with role classification, ensuring continuity of emergency and general medical services.
• Utilise telehealth to consult with specialist colleagues and provide additional support to remote patients.

With 4 × 10 hour shifts, dedicated admin time and paid professional development leave (PDL), your days off provide true work–life balance, with opportunities to explore waterfalls, remote landscapes and the natural beauty of the region.

The Successful Candidates for DMO – Non-Procedural & DMO – Procedural (Obstetrics) will:

• Hold specialist registration with the Medical Board of Australia without restrictions.
• Hold fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, or the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
• Formal post graduate qualification in obstetrics or equivalent extensive experience. 
• A record of appropriate Emergency Department skill maintenance in the last triennium of completion of at least 1 of the following and evidence of continued professional development: 
  • ACLS (or equivalent) 
  • APLS (or equivalent) 
  • EMST (or equivalent) 
  • GCCA (or equivalent). 
• Substantial experience working in a cross-cultural environment particularly with Aboriginal people, a high-level understanding of Indigenous Health issues is essential.

Please note: this position does not have capacity to support supervision for trainees or SIMGs. Candidates must be able to practise independently without clinical supervision.

About Kununurra District Hospital

Kununurra is located just 37 kilometres from the Northern Territory border, in a welcoming town of approximately 7,000 people on Mirriwong Dwang (Country), with a strong community connection to culture and land.

Kununurra District Hospital primarily operates under the guidance of General Practitioners and District Medical Officers. It offers a total of 32 inpatient beds and extends its reach by providing clinics and telephone support to Wyndham and Halls Creek Hospitals, as well as to the Warman and Kalumburu communities. Kununurra delivers around 120 babies and does around 500 surgeries a year.  

Working in Kununurra means embracing a dynamic healthcare environment amidst breathtaking natural beauty. You'll tackle a wide variety of medical cases, from tropical medicine to acute and chronic conditions in both adults and children. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth. 

About the Kimberley

The Kimberley is Western Australia's northernmost region, bordered by the Pilbara region to the south and the Northern Territory to the east. Home to around 40,000 people, with approximately 50% identifying as Aboriginal, the region is rich in cultural diversity and experiences.

The East Kimberley district boasts amazing tourist attractions including Purnululu (the Bungle Bungles), Lake Argyle and Mitchell Plateau among so many more locally known attractions that have to be seen to be believed.  Characterised by its distinct wet and dry seasons, the Kimberley experiences a sub-tropical climate. May to October is the dry season, and November to April is the wet season. With a balmy climate, breathtaking scenery, unique flora and fauna and a great variety of adventure and cultural experiences, the Kimberley offers a fantastic lifestyle that is family-friendly and supportive.

What’s in it for you:

• Discover Kununurra: from natural wonders to rugged landscapes, your downtime will be filled with unforgettable outdoor experiences. 
• You’ll become part of a vibrant and close-knit community; the people of the Kimberley are known for their warm hospitality.  
• Flexible working arrangements: Benefit from flexible and adaptable rosters that support a healthy work-life balance where operationally possible. 
• Competitive Salary Package: Inclusive of 12% employer superannuation contributions and a generous professional development allowance.  
• Salary Packaging: Access to salary packaging arrangements up to $19,000 p.a.  
• Generous Leave Entitlements: 4 weeks annual leave, 3 weeks professional development leave, 10 days sick leave, plus other forms of leave for compassionate or cultural reasons.  
• Professional Development: Opportunity to supervise trainees in ED, participate in quality improvement and research. 

• MMM7 classification, attracting additional entitlements for working in a rural location such as district allowance, accommodation subsidies, air conditioner subsidies, travel days and, generous annual leave entitlements.

Keen to know more about the salaries and benefits? Check out the medical practitioner salaries and benefits page. 

About the Pool and Appointment:  

This is an active recruitment pool which will be assessed on a regular basis by the panel to fill both immediate vacant positions and future vacancies. Please note the below: 

• The panel will monitor this recruitment pool for applications and will assess on a regular basis. 
• Suitable applicants will be placed in a pool from which appointments may be made when similar vacancies occur. 
• This pool will close 30/06/2026 at 4pm.
• Appointments may be made from this pool until 30/09/2026.

Application Instructions  

To apply for this position, applicants must have a current and valid email address for online application and communication purposes. If you encounter any difficulties while applying online, please contact  MedCareersWA@health.wa.gov.au. 

Applicants must apply online and submit the following documents: 

• A detailed CV summarising your qualifications, AHPRA registration, and relevant experience.  
• A statement (max 2 pages) addressing the Selection Criteria  Selection Criteria - Kununurra DMO Pool.pdf
• Contact details of two professional referees, one of whom must be your current supervisor or line manager.  

For further information related to this position, please contact Dr Catherine Engelke at 0439 378 027 catherine.engelke@health.wa.gov.au

Other Conditions  

WA Health is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of our service. We embrace diversity and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities.

WA Health engages staff in positions of trust and responsibility. WA Health policies require applicants to undertake criminal records screening and integrity checking as part of the appointment process. Referees may also be asked to comment on an applicant’s integrity and past demonstration of ethical behaviour.   

This vacancy is subject to a Western Australian Working with Children (WWC) Check. For further information please refer to the WWC website at: https://workingwithchildren.wa.gov.au  

Please note this recruitment process requires completion of satisfactory Pre-Employment Health Assessment (PEHA).  Any offer of employment with WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is conditional on satisfactory PEHA to ensure you are able to perform the inherent requirements of the position. An unsatisfactory PEHA will result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.  Please see the attached WACHS PEHA Policy for further information.   

LATE OR EMAIL APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.  

Check out our video below and hear what Rural Generalists have to say about working in the Kimberley!