Questacon > Q Info > Working at Questacon

Working at Questacon

Want to join the team?

Questacon is a great place to work, and we invite you to apply for any positions that you are suitably qualified for.

Current Vacancies at Questacon

If there are any jobs available now, they will show up below. Click on the link to download the selection criteria and job description (downloads are .rtf files).

Recruitment Guidelines

The Human Resources Team at Questacon encourage you to read carefully the following information to maximise your chances of joining us here at Questacon.

Contents

1. Eligibility
2. Preparing and presenting your application
3. Submitting your application
4. Availability for interview
5. Merit Principle
6. Equal employment opportunity (EEO) groups
7. After the interview
8. Enquiries

1. Eligibility to apply

Vacancies notified in the press and Commonwealth of Australia Gazette are open to all Australians unless specifically identified as open only to employees of the Australian Public Service (indicated by a clover leaf symbol before the vacancy in the Gazette listing). There are certain other groups who have access to these restricted vacancies (see the general information preceding the vacancies section of the Gazette). Some vacancies may have mandatory qualifications or specific eligibility requirements, which are advised on the role statement.

To be eligible for engagement as an ongoing or non-ongoing employee, applicants must be Australian citizens. Applicants who have received a voluntary redundancy from the APS in the last 12 months are not eligible to apply.

All engagements as an ongoing employee and some engagements as a non-ongoing employee will be subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period. During the probationary period employees will be assessed against work performance, standard of conduct and medical fitness.

2. Preparing and presenting your application

As an applicant it is your responsibility to demonstrate that you are able to satisfy the requirements of the advertised position. We recommend that you:

• carefully read the Role Statement which contains the vital information regarding the position including the Selection Criteria;
• download and carefully read the Advice to Applicants; and,
• ring the Contact Officer to discuss the particulars of the position, the proposed selection process, the work environment and any other matters.

You may also wish to conduct additional research about Questacon. Our website provides a range of information about the Centre, including the organisational structure, Customer Service Charter, and Collective Agreement as well as about our outreach programs and exhibitions. If you live locally, you may wish to visit the Centre in Canberra and take a look at our latest exhibitions.

Presenting your application

Your application should be typed or neatly handwritten and should include:

• the Personal Details of Applicant form
• a curriculum vitae or resume outlining qualifications and/or employment history;
• a statement of claims against each selection criterion;
• the name, location and daytime contact numbers of at least two referees who can provide comments on your work performance against the selection criteria.

YOU SHOULD SUBMIT AN ORIGINAL PLUS ONE COPY OF YOUR APPLICATION FOR EACH POSITION APPLIED FOR.

Application format

The following approach to writing your application is only a suggested approach. You may submit an application in any written format you choose. However, an application in the suggested format will assist the Selection Committee with the shortlisting process, and should ensure that your claims to the position have been presented comprehensively. It is suggested that your application consist of three parts:

i. A short covering note expressing your interest.

You may use the Personal Details of Applicant form. If you don't, make sure your covering note includes the following:

• classification applied for (eg Australian Public Service Level 4)
• reference number (position number) or job title
• when and where advertised.

ii. Resume or curriculum vitae

This can be typed on a separate sheet of paper. It should contain your personal particulars including:

• full name
• address
• contact telephone numbers
• current employment
• full employment history
• educational/trade qualification
• work experience
• key strengths
• citizenship

Your employment history should include the dates of the employment and the capacity in which you were employed, the name of your employer, and a brief outline of the main duties undertaken. Remember to give your employment history in chronological order starting with your current occupation. Try to give a full picture without being too lengthy. Remember that the Selection Committee will be looking for relevant experience and abilities.

iii. Selection criteria

This is the most important part of your application. Many capable applicants are not selected for an interview because their application does not convince the Selection Committee that they have the skills to meet the selection criteria.

The statement of claims addressing the selection criteria is the most important part of your application. It should be comprehensive and concise. Under each selection criteria you should outline your relevant skills and abilities and cite key examples of your work performance, qualifications, or other relevant experience. Focus on quality not quantity. If you have lots of examples for any particular criteria, choose your most recent ones. If any criterion is not addressed, or insufficiently addressed, your application will receive no further consideration. It is usually not sufficient to merely state that you believe that you meet the criterion — prove how you meet it.

Remember, it is up to you to present your case as convincingly as possible, particularly as the Centre regularly attracts large fields of applicants for advertised vacancies.

iv. Referees

When submitting your application, you should provide the name, location and daytime contact numbers of at least two referees who can provide comments on your work performance against the selection criteria.

It is not necessary to provide written references with your application, but you may do so if you wish. If you are selected for interview, you will be asked to provide at least two written references. It is expected that one would be from your current supervisor. It is understood that in some cases candidates are not able to or do not want to provide their current supervisor as a referee as this may prejudice their continuing employment. If this is the case, discuss this with the Convenor of the Selection Committee when called for interview. A good referee is someone who is familiar with your abilities, and who is able to comment on your claims against all — or most of — the selection criteria.

Ask your referees to provide their report on the Referee Report Form, but make sure you also give them a copy of the Advice to Supervisors/Referees. They should rate you from A to E (or N/A for not assessed) against each of the criterion, as well as providing comments to justify each rating. If a referee is unable to comment on all of the criteria, the reference can still be of value.

3. Submitting your application

Job applications should be sent to:

Human Resources (Loc 920)
Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
PO Box 5322
KINGSTON ACT 2604

Alternately your application may be e-mailed to recruitment@questacon.edu.au. If you e-mail your application you do not have to also submit a printed hard copy. We will reply to you by e-mail by the next business day to let you know we received your application. Note that our spam filter does sometimes reject applications, particularly those sent from Hotmail and similar web based e-mail accounts.

It is important that your application arrives by the closing date as selection committees are not obliged to accept late applications.

4. Availability for interview

You should be available for an interview from the advertised closing date. A minimum of two days notice for an interview will usually be given to short–listed applicants.

5. Merit Principle

All selections in the Centre will be made in accordance with the merit principle as prescribed in Section 10 (1) & (2) of the Public Service Act (1999). This means that the Centre:

• promotes equity in employment;
• provides a reasonable opportunity to all eligible members of the community to apply for vacancies;
• provides a fair system of review of decisions taken in respect of employees;
• will make an assessment based on the relative suitability of the candidate for the duties, using a competitive selection process;
• will make an assessment based on the relationship between the candidates' work-related qualities and the work-related qualities genuinely required for the duties;
• will make an assessment focusing on the relative capacity of the candidate to achieve outcomes related to the duties; and
• makes employment decisions in which the above assessments are the primary consideration.

6. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) groups

Questacon is committed to fair, equitable and non-discriminatory consideration for all applicants, regardless of sex, ethnic or racial origin, or physical disability. The Australian Public Service encourages you to identify if you belong to any of the following EEO target groups so that your needs can be addressed:

• women
• Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders
• people from a non-English speaking background
• people with disabilities

7. After the interview

You may request verbal feedback from the selection committee regarding your interview performance. All applicants will be advised of the selection process outcome in writing. Interviewed applicants will also receive a copy of their individual assessment.

8. Enquiries

Any enquiries regarding the vacancy or the work area should be directed to the nominated Contact Officer. You may also contact the Human Resources Team for advice or assistance at any stage:

E-mail: recruitment@questacon.edu.au
Telephone: 02 6270 2886