Are you a
skilled public servant but can't find a job? Would you like to work in a new
building once dubbed ''Lubyanka on the Lake''?
Then you should become a spy.
Jobs working for the government might be scarce - just 82
permanent jobs were available in the 160,000-person strong public service last
week - but the Australian Security and Intelligence Agency and the Australian
Secret Intelligence Service are hiring.
ASIO's number of staff is more than three times what it was
12 years ago, according to the organisation's publicly available figures.
A total of 1707 staff were employed in the agency, compared
with just under 600 in 2000-01.
Advertisement
Its latest job ad offers a number of grade four roles with
salaries of $68,568 to $87,300 a year gathering and analysing intelligence.
It appears the jobs will be based at the new $700 million
building in Parkes, overlooking Lake Burley Griffin, which has reportedly
received the ''Lubyanka'' nickname from sharp-tongued observers drawing
similarities with Russia's former KGB headquarters, a neo-baroque building with
just as much front.
But there are a few unique criteria to grab these ASIO
jobs.
You cannot discuss your application with anyone and the
organisation is looking for people who want a career rather than a stop-gap
job. After all, the work involves battling espionage and counter-terrorism.
The security clearance required is more extensive than most
public servants are used to and involves a detailed background check. According
to a four-year-old report, only a small percentage of applicants are trusted
enough to make it to the vetting stage.
Director-General of Security David Irvine recently wrote
there had been an increase in Australians travelling overseas to participate in
terrorist training or engage in foreign disputes. Syria is the primary
destination.
''The concern is not only for Australians who risk their
lives overseas, but also the likelihood of radicalised Australians returning
home with an increased commitment and capability to pursue violent acts on our
shores,'' he said.
The Australian Secret Intelligence Service is in the middle
of a graduate recruitment campaign using an ad which says ''IQ + EQ = ASIS''
and has been displayed online and even in ACT cinemas.
Chosen applicants will be rotated through operational and
non-operational work placements and have the opportunity to do specialist
training and receive mentoring.
From there, ASIS chooses people who will be offered an
ongoing position.
The service, which focuses on intelligence collection, is
also searching for technologists who are experts in areas such as data science
and IT security as well as intelligence officers, who will work overseas.
No comments:
Post a Comment