Who we are

Biosecurity Operations Division delivers biosecurity and imported food regulatory activities to ensure goods, conveyances, travellers and mail meet Australia's import requirements. We are responsible for operational policy and front-line regulatory control settings to manage biosecurity and imported food risk, through the delivery of screening, assessment and inspection activities, and stakeholder engagement and client contact services. The division is made up of a number of different pathways including:

Cargo Operations Assessments assess documentation to determine and manage, biosecurity risks related to cargo entering Australia. Commodities requiring assessment include food, plant, live animals, animal products and bulk commodities. The team are also responsible for providing high-level assessment related client support services. Assessments operate as a national team, working across various regional locations, with the opportunity for working from home arrangements to be considered after completion of probation, training and accreditation. Assessments is a highly engaging and dynamic work area. Those suited to the role will enjoy working as part of a highly skilled team, applying critical thinking and decision making to manage biosecurity threats. Cargo Operations Assessments are office-based roles.

Air/Sea Cargo Inspections are responsible for the inspection of imported food, goods, vessels, aircraft, animals and animal genetic material and the assessment of documentation to confirm compliance with Australia’s biosecurity and export market requirements. The team are also responsible for managing goods that do not comply with import/export requirements and capturing information to support evidence-based decisions. Cargo Inspections mainly operate within core business hours between 06:30 and 18:30, with overtime available outside of these hours where required. Additional wage allowances are provided for working outdoors and at wharf environments. Cargo Operations Inspections are combination office and field based roles.

Client Contact Group (CCG) is the central contact point for external clients to the department. The team responds to a diverse range of phone and email enquiries and accesses information about a broad range of topics to fulfil client expectations. Furthermore, CCG is responsible for actioning client requests for inspection of goods imported to Australia by booking appointments for biosecurity officers. CCG operate as a national team, working across various capital city locations, and consideration of flexible working arrangements to support your work/life balance will be considered after completion of probation, training, and accreditation. The jobs are based in a call centre environment and are office-based roles.

Travellers Operations delivers regulatory screening and inspections of travellers and their goods, at the border to verify compliance with Australia's biosecurity requirements. Travellers Operations works with policy and risk owners within the department to influence and inform operational policy and deliver regulatory functions in accordance with legislative requirements, national standards, and a risk-based operating model. The operations group has a national footprint with a presence at international airports and seaports in all capital cities.

Please note that for Travellers Operations, these are shift based roles and the ability to perform shift work is a requirement when applying for this position(s). Darwin, Brisbane and Cairns Travellers positions are part-time.

Maritime and Regional Ports delivers regulatory assessment and inspections of arriving international vessels to ensure compliance with Australia’s biosecurity requirements. This pathway works with policy teams within the department to influence and inform operational policy and deliver regulatory functions in accordance with legislative requirements. The pathway has a national footprint with a presence in all capital cities and major regional ports. Maritime Operations are combination office and field based roles.

Military Operations are responsible for conducting inspections and assessments related to the movement of military cargo, conveyances, and personnel across both onshore and offshore environments. A significant portion of this work is carried out under the framework of Combined Military Activities, which often leads to increased operational demands at specific ports. The team is agile and responsive, with staff expected to deploy to locations beyond their home port as needed to support surges in activity. Military Operations work typically occur during core business hours, from 06:30 to 18:30, with overtime available outside these hours when required. Staff receive additional wage allowances for working in outdoor and wharf environments. Roles within Military Operations involve a combination of office-based and field-based duties, requiring flexibility and adaptability from team members.

The Job

The duties of a Biosecurity Officer may include, but are not limited to:

• Performing a range of screening, inspection and assurance related activities associated with cargo, conveyances and people entering Australia.

• Assessing documentation to confirm compliance with Australia’s biosecurity requirements.

• Managing goods that do not comply with import/export requirements and capturing information to support evidence-based decisions.

• Providing timely and accurate advice on biosecurity matters to stakeholders/clients, employees and senior managers via telephone and email.

• Identifying trends in biosecurity risks and escalating these to assist in targeting intelligence and risk-based activities.

• Managing, modelling and monitoring compliance with appropriate standards of behaviour in line with departmental expectations and including the APS Code of Conduct and Values.

• Promoting and complying with departmental WHS and Rehabilitation policies and guidelines and being alert for and reporting risks to local management and WHS.

• Providing on-the-job coaching and assisting and supporting other employees on biosecurity issues.

For more information on the day in the life of a Biosecurity Officer, please click here.

Please note that this selection process will be used to fill multiple vacancies, both ongoing and non-ongoing, in operations. Non-ongoing contracts will be offered for an initial period of 12 months with the possibility of extension up to a maximum of two years in total. Some of these non-ongoing position(s) may become ongoing. Should a position become ongoing then the merit pool established through this selection process may be used to fill the vacancy on an ongoing basis. Not all locations have vacancies and the merit pool that is developed will be used to fill expected vacancies. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Gazette, may also be used to fill future ongoing and non ongoing vacancies in the division where the duties are of a similar nature.

Positions may be full-time or part-time depending on business needs and requirements. You will be required to attend full time for an initial training period if you are offered a part time position.

Wherever possible, positions will be offered based on your location and pathway preference as indicated in your application.

What we are looking for

Knowledge and experience

Successful applicants will contribute to the division meeting its regulatory goals of managing biosecurity threats by demonstrating the following key attributes:

• Integrity

- Demonstrate sound moral and ethical principles across all areas of work.

- Undertake duties in line with the Biosecurity Act 2015 and decision support materials.

- Maintain biosecurity and personal integrity at all times.

• Independence

- Ensure activities are performed without interference or undue influence from those being regulated or those who have a vested interest.

- The ability to make decisions within the scope of your authority through sound judgement and decision making whilst working independently with minimal supervision.

• A clear purpose and level of curiosity

- Articulate a clear purpose by understanding your role and the role of the department as a regulator.

- Attention to detail whilst remaining open and inquisitive to consider elements outside the task at hand.

• Appropriate use of authority

- A good understanding of legislative powers (or the ability to acquire) and the ability to use them in a professional manner.

- The ability to make evidence-based decisions using sound judgement in line with legislation.

- The confidence and willingness to challenge, even where doubt exists.

- The ability to manage conflict.

• Accountability

- Accountable for your actions and be able to make and explain informed defensible decisions.

- Take responsibility to see activities through to completion.

- Work effectively in a team environment, building and sustaining collaborative relationships.

• Resilience

- Manage change and maintain focus on strategic objectives.

- Display agility and flexibility to adapt and deliver regulatory functions and operational outcomes in evolving circumstances.

• Transparency

- Fair, impartial and open to scrutiny.