How to apply

Complete the online application form by the closing date and include the following attachments:

• a concise statement (maximum 500 words) that tells us a bit about you, including what drew you to apply and why you believe you are suited to the role and the work of the team, considering the role description and selection criteria
• your résumé with your relevant recent experience, qualifications and achievements
• details of two referee, generally current or recent supervisor.

If you are having difficulty accessing or applying for vacancies, please contact recruitment@pc.gov.au

Help with applying

To ensure that you can equitably and fully compete in a recruitment process, you can seek reasonable adjustments throughout a merit‑based recruitment process.

More information is available on our Inclusion and Diversity page.

Alternatively, you can discuss options by contacting our recruitment team via email recruitment@pc.gov.au.

If you accept a job with us, you will also have the opportunity to seek reasonable adjustments as part of your onboarding to meet your workplace requirements.

Integrity checks

We conduct the pre-engagement integrity checks (PEIC) during recruitment and onboarding process.

The purpose of the PEIC is to check suitability for employment with the Productivity Commission (PC) for all external candidates that will be working for the PC.

Integrity check principles

The PC undertakes integrity checks for all engagements, promotions and transfers or secondments to the PC, including from other APS agencies and labour hire contractors.

We consider integrity risks to ensure we are maintaining standards of conduct, public confidence and trust in our people, information, systems and processes. This extends to reasonably and relevantly considering historical conduct matters.

We may contact your current, and in some cases previous, employers to verify your employment history, including your behaviour, conduct and performance history.

We will generally consider the following work history:

• the last 5 years where it relates to a formal underperformance process
• the last 5 years where it related to integrity/conduct or security concern, including not limited to any disciplinary matters, workplace counselling and/or formal Code of Conduct matters (or similar if in another sector) 

We will consider the nature and seriousness of the conduct, the degree of risk it poses, how long ago it occurred, and ongoing standards of behaviour. There may be situations where the nature or pattern of misconduct may preclude you from occupying roles in specific business areas. The final decision rests with the delegate.

You will be afforded the opportunity to provide clarification on any concerns raised about your current or previous employment.

It is not the intention that historical misconduct affects your career indefinitely, without regard to its relevance and the position while reflecting a balance between our interests, your interests and the public interest.

Pre-engagement integrity checks

We do pre-engagement integrity checks for all candidates engaged as Australian Public Service (APS) employees or contingent workers (includes external contractors and consultants, labour-hire staff, secondees) to ensure your suitability for employment with the PC.

If you're engaged as a non-ongoing, casual employee or contingent worker, you'll need to renew your PEIC if there is a break in service.

We can't engage you, or we may terminate your contract or services, if you fail to participate in this process and satisfy the requirements of the PEIC

Identity and citizenship check

You'll need to consent to undergo the followings checks:

• Australian citizenship 

• a security and character clearance (which may include completing an identity verification check and police check, and obtaining or maintaining an Australian Government security vetting clearance if required by the role)

• provide evidence of mandatory qualifications (if applicable).

These checks are conducted via an online platform, Fit2Work. Further details will be provided if you are selected to work at the PC.

Compliance and conflicts

We need to know:

• if you have any conflicts of interest
• if you have any other financial or personal interests that may conflict with (or be seen to conflict with) your work with us.
• if you are undertaking work outside the PC.

If you're being engaged as an APS employee, we'll also need to know:

• you're fit to undertake the essential duties and tasks of the position you are employed for
• details of any workplace adjustments you need, to allow you to be able to perform your job effectively and safely
• if you have received a redundancy payment from an APS agency or the Australian Parliamentary Service and have an exclusion period.

Timeframe

It can take up to 10-20 business working days after we receive your complete and correct documentation. If there are issues with any of the checks or the documentation you provide including conflict of interest declaration, we'll contact you. This may mean the process could take longer and delay your commencement date.

Ongoing integrity

We may also do further integrity checks during your engagement.

To demonstrate required standards of integrity and ethical behaviour, you must:

• follow the APS code of conduct, including actively managing conflicts of interest.

Guidelines for candidate use of AI in recruitment processes

Find out when and how you can use artificial intelligence tools when applying for jobs at the Productivity Commission (PC).

Purpose

These guidelines explain how you can use artificial intelligence (AI) tools when applying for jobs at the PC. They also outline when and how AI should not be used.

The guidelines aim to help you use AI in a way that supports your application, while maintaining your integrity as a candidate.

Scope

These guidelines are for anyone applying for a job at the PC, including current employees and external candidates. 

These guidelines can help you use AI to help you apply for a role without affecting your integrity (honesty) as a candidate.

They cover all stages of recruitment – from preparing written applications to taking part in interviews and completing assessments. As the AI environment continues to evolve rapidly, we may review and adjust these guidelines as needed to ensure they remain relevant, fair and effective.

How we use AI in recruitment

To support transparency, we want to share how we use AI in recruitment. We use AI to help us work more efficiently, but we do not use AI to make selection decisions about candidates. This includes using AI in developing job advertisements and position descriptions, but not to review or screen applications or resumes

A human selection panel makes all decisions about shortlisting and progressing applicants. This makes sure that we assess every candidate fairly and individually.

What we expect from you

While we understand that artificial intelligence (AI) can support and help you during a recruitment process, we also expect all our candidates to participate with integrity and honesty.

Our people act with integrity, make ethical decisions and embody our statement of intent and the APS Values. To keep that trust, we need to make sure our recruitment processes are fair and merit-based. That means we expect you to represent yourself genuinely and truthfully.

When applying for a role with us, you are expected to:

• Be honest
  • only include information that genuinely reflects your own skills, experiences and achievements. Use your own knowledge when answering questions in your written applications, skills assessments or interviews.
• Be transparent
  • if you use AI tools, let us know. When asked, you need to tell us how you have used AI tools to support or enhance your responses during the recruitment process. This helps us understand your approach and ensures fairness in the process.
• Be yourself
  • we want to know who you are. Show us your own ideas, your skills and your understanding of the role. AI can help you prepare, but during interview or other skills assessments, you need to speak about your own experiences and demonstrate your skills without support from AI.
• Be fair
  • using AI in the wrong way could give some people an unfair advantage. This conflicts with the Australian Public Service (APS) merit-based recruitment principles.

By setting these expectations we aim to foster a fair, meritorious, and transparent recruitment environment that recognises the unique contributions of each candidate.

Risks of using AI in recruitment

Using AI to support you in recruitment can be helpful, but it also comes with risks. These include:

• Misrepresentation
  • content generated by AI might not match your real skills and experience. This could damage your credibility and may result in your disqualification from the recruitment process.
• Skills gaps
  • AI might hide areas where your skills don’t match the job you’re applying for. These gaps will be revealed during practical assessments or on-the-job performance.
• Over-reliance on AI
  • if you depend too much on AI, you might struggle to explain your thoughts clearly in interviews or answer questions on the spot.
• Loss of personal voice
  • using AI can make your application sound too polished or generic. This may not convey your unique personality, passion, or suitability for the role.
• Inaccurate information
  • AI can sometimes produce incorrect information. It can generate misleading or untrue statements that sound convincing.
• Data privacy concerns
  • sharing personal information with AI tools can pose privacy risks. Some tools may not protect your personal data very well. This could lead to potential data breaches or misuse of your personal information.

How to use AI the right way

If you choose to use AI, here’s how to do it responsibly:

• Use AI as a supplement, not a substitute
  • AI can support you in helping to organise your ideas or improve your writing. It should not replace your own unique contribution and voice. Always critically assess the AI’s suggestions. Do not just copy and paste what AI tells you to write.
• Use AI to prepare, not perform
  • it’s okay to use AI to help you prepare for an interview or other assessment task. However, we expect that you will not use AI to assist you during the interview or assessment itself. For those activities, you must rely on your own skills.
• Ensure personal, classified or sensitive information is not revealed
  • When using AI, assume that any prompts or supporting information you enter could become public.
• Be accurate, open and genuine
  • make sure everything you share is true and based on your own experience. Ensure that all the information you present throughout the recruitment process is truthful and directly reflects your personal skills, experiences, knowledge and ideas
  • giving any false statements during the recruitment process may disqualify you from employment or lead to disciplinary action under the APS Code of Conduct if you’re already employed in the APS.

We want to learn about the real you. We value authenticity and want to hear about your background, perspective, and what you can contribute to this role and to the PC.