Parliamentary Security Service (PSS) Officers - Casual/Part Time Sessional
Date: 26 Feb 2026
Location: AU
Company: Department of Parliamentary Services
Job Details
Job Title: Parliamentary Security Service (PSS) Officers
Location: Canberra, ACT
Employment Type: Ongoing - Part-time Sessional/Casual positions available
Classification: PSL 1/2
Salary Package: Generous salary + terms and conditions such as shift penalties, 15.4% superannuation, free parking and gym membership.
Closing date: 11.30pm AEDT, Sunday 15 March 2026
Contact Details
The Opportunity
Every year, around 800,000 people visit Australian Parliament House to experience the parliamentary process and to enjoy the architecture, art collections, events, tours and dining experiences - all made possible by our people, who are active participants in an environment where no two days are the same.
Would you like to be part of the team that keeps Australian Parliament House safe and secure, while enjoying a free gym membership, free parking and convenience of on-site childcare, banking services, cafes and a post office? As a casual or permanent part-time (Sessional) Parliamentary Security Service (PSS) Officer, you can have a great career while working in the most iconic building in Australia.
The Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) is recruiting passionate, customer focused casual and permanent part-time (Sessional) PSS Officers to join a high performing team. We are committed to attracting, retaining and developing a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
If you’d like to be part of the team but only want to work a few shifts each week around your existing personal or work commitments, a casual PSS Officer role may be the best fit for you. This option offers flexibility and allows you to choose shifts that suit your availability.
Permanent part‑time (Sessional) employment as a PSS Officer is a unique opportunity within the Australian Public Service. As a Sessional PSS Officer, you are a permanent part‑time Commonwealth employee and commit to working only on the days Parliament is sitting. sitting (have a look at the 2026 sitting calendar here for full details). As a Sessional employee you primarily support the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers, giving you a front row seat to Australia’s democracy in action.
Casual and Sessional employment is perfect if you want the certainty of Commonwealth employment, however, may also want to study, work predominantly outside of school holidays, are returning to work or starting to transition away from full time employment, have another part time role or just want to spend most of your time pursuing other interests outside of work!
As a casual and sessional PSS officers, your training and uniforms are provided, you will receive a competitive salary and additional shift penalties paid for shifts worked outside of 6:30am to 6pm. Casual officers work on an ad-hoc basis and Sessional officers work Monday to Friday when Parliament is sitting
Who we are looking for
Work ethic, integrity, a positive approach, strong communication skills and a willingness to learn is more important to us than other roles you may have previously worked in.
We also understand that sometimes people need to step out of the workforce for a period, we will provide you with all the training that you will require to be successful as a PSS officer. You do not need prior experience in the security industry to be successful in this role.
Our ideal candidate would:
- Take pride in delivering exceptional customer service
- Possess good judgement and communication skills
- Value teamwork and foster team cohesion
- Demonstrate values of respect, honesty, integrity, inclusion, accountability and stewardship
- Stay calm under pressure and act professionally in challenging situations
- Have strong observational and written report writing skills
Your ability to deliver excellent customer service and work as part of a team is most important and we understand that these skills can be gained in a variety of ways. Current PSS Officers come from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Uni students, trades, retail, law enforcement, defence and hospitality.
We strongly encourage female applicants to consider this role. The Parliament Security Service has a diverse and growing cohort of female security officers and we strongly value the insights and experiences that a diverse workforce brings to our security team. If you're looking for a new career where you can make a real difference we’d love to hear from you.
Job Requirements
Across all roles, we provide you with in house training and develop your individual skills to help you build a successful career.
As a PSS Officer, your responsibilities will include:
- Providing excellent customer service to visitors and building occupants
- Performing front-line and operational security functions such as:
- Conducting mobile patrols throughout the building
- Operating X-ray screening equipment at building entry points
- Responding promptly to security incidents
- Administering immediate first aid during medical emergencies
- Supporting emergency procedures during lockdowns or evacuations
- Performing static patrols and managing access to restricted areas
- Escorting individuals and groups as required
- Communicating effectively to defuse and de-escalate tense situations
- Applying the necessary level of force when required, with full training provided to ensure safety and compliance
- Collaborating closely with other departments within the building to support overall operations, including Australian Federal Police
- Accurately recording and reporting all security-related incidents
Employees of DPS are required to be able, and to be seen to be able, to provide professional advice and services to all Senators and Members without favour or prejudice.
How to apply
Please upload a one-page pitch (750 words maximum) describing how your skills and experience would contribute to the role and work of the department.
Your pitch is your chance to show us why you're interested in the role, why you want to work in our office and what you can bring to the team. Use the role description to guide your response and structure it using the STAR method to clearly demonstrate your suitability. We recommend reviewing the relevant Integrated Leadership System (ILS) profile and including specific examples and achievements that highlight your ability to perform in the role.
Assessment Centre:
If you are shortlisted, you will be required to attend and complete a face-to-face Assessment Centre. This will include a fitness test, work-based assessments and a panel interview.
Fitness Test Requirements
To pass the assessment, candidates must:
- Complete a timed cardiovascular walking test
- Perform 10 push-ups and 20 sit-ups
- Drag a 50kg dummy for 20 metres
- Demonstrate hand grip strength in both hands
Onboarding and commencement
If you are found suitable after the Assessment Centre and offered a position, you must undergo a pre-employment medical assessment and be declared physically and/or medically fit to perform the inherent requirements of this role.
Important: If you experience colour blindness, please contact us prior to applying. The ability to distinguish between shades of colour is essential for operating certain security screening equipment.
Details of the PSS Officer physical duties are outlined in the PSS Officer Physical Duties Guide.
Upon commencement, you must obtain the PSS Officer qualification by successfully completing a (paid) full time 8-week in-house Initial Security Training (IST) Program, prior to undertaking any official PSS duties.
Please note: If you commence the in-house training program and fail to meet IST attendance requirements and performance standards or your behaviour does not align with DPS values, this may impact your ability to continue in the role.
Once the PSS Officer qualification has been obtained, you can commence your official duties and must:
- Successfully complete a 6-month probation period
- Obtain and maintain a First Aid Certificate – in-house training (IST) and accreditation is provided
- Complete all mandatory annual refresher training Modules
- Meet annual competency-based assessment and compliance requirements
- Maintain appearance - PSS officers are issued with official uniforms and appropriate personal protective equipment and are expected to maintain a well-groomed, professional appearance.
About DPS
DPS is proud to be the custodian of Australian Parliament House as the preeminent symbol of Australian democracy and as a significant visitor destination. It is a place where more than 3,500 people work on sitting days.
DPS provides services and products to support the functioning of the Parliament and the work of parliamentarians. We proudly provide innovative, unified and client-focused services, delivered by a values driven workforce.
Our people are employed in a broad and unique range of professional, customer service and trade-based roles, all joined by a shared purpose - to make an enduring contribution to Australia’s parliamentary democracy.
At DPS, we acknowledge the value diversity brings. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that ensures all our people can contribute to our shared purpose.
We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, mature age people, people from diverse backgrounds, people with disability and our Veteran community.
Our Purpose and Values
We proudly provide innovative, unified, and client-focused services to the Australian Parliament and parliamentarians. We are a values driven department, placing our values at the heart of everything we do; from our service offerings and decision-making to our interactions with stakeholders and each other.
Our people are employed in a broad and unique range of professional, customer service and trade-based roles, all joined by a shared purpose: to make an enduring contribution to Australia’s parliamentary democracy. We have an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. While we come from all walks of life, we share a commitment to care for and protect our iconic workplace.
Every year, almost one million people visit Australian Parliament House to experience the parliamentary process, the building’s architecture, nationally significant art collections, events, tours, and food and dining experiences – all made possible by our people, who are active participants in an environment where no two days are the same.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that ensures all our people can contribute to our shared purpose. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, people with caring responsibilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people who identify as neurodivergent, and mature aged people.
Conditions on employment
DPS employees are subject to a range of conditions prescribed in the Parliamentary Service Act 1999. For this role, you must:
- Be an Australian citizen
- Pass a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check
- Obtain (or be able to obtain) and maintain a Negative Vetting 1 security clearance