Company Profile

Company overview

Industry

Science & Research

ACER is one of the world’s leading educational research centres. Our goal is to support every learner, every learning professional, every learning institution and our learning society through our work.ACER has built a strong reputation as a provider of reliable support and expertise to education policy makers and professional practitioners since it was established in 1930.As a not-for-profit organisation, independent of government, ACER receives no direct financial support and generates its entire income through contracted research and development projects and through products and services that it develops and distributes.ACER has experienced significant growth in recent years and now has more than 380 staff located in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Dubai, Jakarta, London, New Delhi, Perth and Sydney.Source: This is an extract from the company's own website.

Reviews overview

2.88 ratings in total

5

2

4

0

3

2

1

2

100%

Rate salary as high or average

38%

Employees recommend this employer to friends

What’s it like working at Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)?

AI summary of recent reviews

ACER offers a workplace environment characterised by supportive and professional colleagues, including the opportunity to work alongside respected researchers in the education field. The organisation's convenient location near Camberwell station with nearby amenities is appreciated by staff, and some teams benefit from supportive management and learning opportunities.

However, employees have noted several areas for improvement, including limited career progression opportunities, particularly for young researchers. There are challenges with cross-team collaboration and communication, while the IT infrastructure and technical systems could be modernised. The organisation's structure includes layers of bureaucracy and some resistance to change, which can impact operational efficiency.

Recent reviews

2.0

Graphic Designer

Jan 2026

Camberwell VIC 3124Less than 1 year in the role, former employee

Potential but too much unprofessionalism.

The good thingsCoworkers were kind and supportive Very close to train station Cafes/food nearby

The challengesManagement toxicity Massive workload Literal fights between coworkers Unprofessional management

2.0

Researcher

Sep 2025

Camberwell VIC 31248 to 9 years in the role, former employee

Mixed experiences, depends on division

The good thingsMet some amazing researchers, enjoyed translating research into practical tools for schools and other education bodies

The challengesDifficult to set a research agenda, little agency over what you work on

1.0

Assessment and psychometric research division

Mar 2022

Toxic

The good thingsWorking with a few respected researchers and support staff.

The challengesThe culture is toxic. A few great people do the work whilst others ride on their coat tales. Career progression and opportunities are non existent for young researchers. Cross division cooperation is difficult. IT infrastructure and software tools impede efficiency and complicate work outcomes. Overall a challenging and complex environment paralysed by hierarchies and excessive bureaucracy.

Ratings for Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) are shared as-is from employees in line with our community guidelines

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