Launching apps behind the lock screen?
Power Manager

If you are happy to use a third party application, Power Manager can do exactly what you want.

There are lots of recipes to help create your schedule. For your situation:


Create a Scheduled Power On/Start Up
Create a Scheduled Application Launch


By default, Power Manager will power on a sleeping Mac to perform scheduled events. The recipe above for launching an application will automatically wake a sleeping Mac. You can adjust the event to power on a shut down Mac, if desired.

Power Manager will launch your application behind the lock screen. This is possible because Power Manager has a helper agent running within each user session. The main scheduler works with the agent to make sure the application is launched in the right user session.



Disclosure: I work for DssW, who make Power Manager; so feel free to ask technical questions.

Fast User Switch

If you are concerned about security, consider having the user be switched back to the login window with Fast User Switching.

While Fast User Switched, your Mac can wake to schedule, run the AppleScript, and complete its task while not risking unguarded access to the Mac.