Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)’s role is to spot and investigate security threats, wherever they arise, and supply advice to guard Australia, its people, and its interests. ASIO’s functions begin within the Australian counterintelligence Organization Act 1979 (the ASIO Act).

Security is defined within the ASIO Act as espionage, serious threats to Australia’s territorial and border integrity, sabotage, politically motivated violence, the promotion of communal violence, attacks on Australia’s defense system, and acts of foreign interference. It also includes completing Australia’s responsibilities to any foreign country about security threats with a specific specialization in politically motivated violence.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) story

After WWII, Soviet spies were discovered accessing confidential government data from both the united kingdom and Australia. In 1949, this prompted the Prime Minister to issue a ‘Directive for the Establishment and Maintenance of a Security Service’, which set in motion the creation of ASIO.

ASIO has worked to guard Australia and Australians for over 70 years. While many things have changed during this time, ASIO’s purpose has remained constant. As Australia’s National Security Service, very similar to its foreign counterparts like Britain’s MI5, it’s tasked with collecting and assessing counterintelligence, investigating, and responding to threats to national security. During the conflict, this largely consisted of keeping an eye fixed on Soviet interference. More recently, it’s been involved in everything from preventing terrorist attacks to catching spies.

ASIO protects the state from foreign interference, espionage, sabotage, terrorism, and threats to Australia’s border integrity. When investigating threats to Australia’s security, the ASIO Act 1979 allows officers to try certain things that might rather be unlawful. Use of those special powers is strictly limited by legislation, and ASIO operates within the letter and, therefore, the law’s spirit. The Director-General of Security leads ASIO, which may be a statutory agency within the Home Affairs portfolio.

The culture

ASIO counters threats through the dedication of its staff—ordinary people that do extraordinary things—and strong partnerships with enforcement and national security agencies, governments, industry, academia, and international counterparts.

ASIO is committed to diversity and inclusion. Seeking to reflect the community it protects, ASIO recognizes the worth of diverse thinking. It actively encourages women in Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) and people from diverse backgrounds to use. The Australian Workplace Equality Index has awarded ASIO silver accreditation.

However, there’s a rigorous selection process to figure at ASIO. While your application information is strictly confidential, people not comfortable providing detailed personal information might wish to think about if ASIO is true for them.

Social contribution

ASIO helps keep Australians safe, often within the background, with little public recognition of its team’s work to guard the state. ASIO staff are extremely dedicated to their work, but that doesn’t mean it’s all they are doing. ASIO’s people are from all walks of life, and their passions outside of the workplace reflect this.

The recruitment process

ASIO employs graduates from a variety of disciplines, counting on what role you’re applying for. The secret agent or Analyst Program accepts clever, curious candidates from any field of study, as long as you’ve got the proper aptitude.

To become a professional secret agent or Analyst, ASIO will train you over the 12-month initial educational program. Intelligence Officers have a good array of career opportunities within ASIO, completing postings in analytical and human intelligence collection roles. Intelligence Analysts focus specifically on analysis and are posted to a broad range of analytical roles throughout their career with the Organisation.

Technology more your thing? The Technologists Graduate Program is trying to find people that have studied STEM and ICT subjects like CyberSecurity, Computer Forensics, Mathematics, Data Science/Analytics, Network Engineering, Software Engineering/Development, Telecommunications, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, Information Security and ICT Systems Integration and Management.

This program builds on your existing skills to organize you as an ASIO Technologist, which involves using or developing technology to collect and analyze intelligence. This will include telecommunications interception, computer exploitation, technical surveillance, data science, and electronic or software engineering.

Because of the above roles, ASIO recruits psychologists, lawyers and linguists, and corporate staff in areas like IT, HR, communications, and finance. If you’re trying to find a start to your career in these areas, ASIO handles all of those functions houses, so keep your eye on their website for opportunities.

To apply, you’ll get to be an Australian citizen. you’ll undergo an extended and demanding assessment process. This may include an in-depth background check to determine whether you’re eligible for a ‘Positive Vetting’ security clearance. As a part of the safety clearance process, you’ll be drug tested, have your digital footprint verified, and be required to provide information about your current and past financial situation.

You’ll also get to be discreet – ASIO doesn’t even like people revealing they’ve applied to figure there. ASIO doesn’t supply much information about the stages of the recruitment process. Like other public service graduate programs, you ought to be prepared for an extended process, which starts with a web application. 

Remuneration

You’ll earn $80,797 while doing the Technologist graduate program, with a pay bump to $83,936 once you’ve completed it.

For the Intelligence Professionals program, you’ll earn between $83,936 and $90,107. Upon completing the program, you’ll be promoted, and therefore the salary range will increase to between $92,773 and $104,533.

All salaries attract superannuation of 15.4% on top of those figures.

Career prospects

Both graduates and mid-career professionals will have professional development opportunities through graduate-entry and leading intelligence and management training programs within ASIO’s career management frameworks.

You can select from and move between a spread of ASIO jobs, always growing and developing new skills during your counterintelligence career.

As with most public service roles, you’ll get to develop your capabilities to be competitive when trying to find a promotion to a subsequent level.

The vibe of the place

ASIO may be a unique workplace with a crucial purpose. Its success is made on its team’s imagination and intelligence, staff who are committed to delivering on its national security mission.

The Organisation will work with you and support you through the great times and the tougher times. The environment is busy, and therefore the work is often stressful, but ASIO officers look out of every other. Therefore the Organisation provides a variety of support services for our all staff.

About Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)

• What it does: Australia’s National Security Service.
• Staff stats: Around 2000 employees, mainly based in Canberra, but ASIO also has offices across Australia.
• The good bits: Serving your country. ASIO staff help protects Australia and Australians from threats to their security.
• The not so good bits: You can’t vent a few bad days at work. The identity of ASIO officers and, therefore, the work they are doing is secret, so you can’t tell people what you are doing or who you’re employed for. 
• Hiring grads with degrees in Health & Medical Sciences; Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences; Law & Legal Studies; Property & Built Environment; Sciences; Engineering, Maths, IT & Computer Sciences; Finance, Accounting, Communications, Economics & Business Administration.