The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is looking to recruit over 80 casual staff to work in the Mail Operations Team at our Census Data Capture Centre warehouse located in Dandenong South. Contracts are available from 27 July to 25 October 2026.

About the Data Capture Centre

The Census Data Capture Centre (DCC) oversees the processing of all Census paper form returns to ensure accurate data collection. There is a strong focus on privacy, staff safety, and data security.

Key functions of the DCC include:

• timely registration of paper forms received from Australia Post and other logistics providers to inform field operations and prepare forms for electronic capture
• scanning paper forms and validating data that cannot be automatically recognised once scanned, and preparing data for downstream processing and coding
• secure destruction of all Census paper materials.

During the 2026 Census the DCC is expected to receive and process up to 2.1 million paper forms.

About the role

The Mail Operations Team manages the flow of Census paper materials arriving from logistics providers, preparing them within tight timeframes for electronic data capture. Processing volumes will be significant and will rely on a mix of manual handling and automated systems.

As part of the Mail Operations Team you will help maintain the steady movement of paper materials through a series of mechanical and materials handling processes to support efficient data capture operations.

The role at times may be repetitive in nature and will require the flexibility to work across multiple tasks including:

• Materials Handling: sorting mail, including looking for anomalous and suspicious mail in preparation for registration and managing return to sender information.
• Moving Materials: smaller volumes of materials will be moved throughout the warehouse using manual aides including trolleys and pallet jacks. Forklifts will be used to move large materials from when they arrive at the DCC to warehousing. (Note these are specialist roles that will be advertised separately.)
• Registration: loading cassettes for robotic registration of daily mail received, including using inventory control systems.
• Letter Opening: operating commercial envelope openers and/or manual opening of some envelopes.
• Form Preparation: removing mail from envelopes, streaming and sorting mail into set prioritised areas ready for guillotining. Scrutinise and prepare materials so they are ready for guillotining and scanning, including reviewing the quality of the form, removing materials that prevents data to be scanned accurately (e.g. correspondence, post it notes) and identify any damage or issues that will inhibit successful scanning.
• Correspondence and non-ABS Mail: sorting correspondence for review and or managing non-ABS materials.
• Secure Destruction: preparing Census materials for secure destruction (includes forms, envelopes, and other materials) under supervision.
• Warehousing and Storage: storage of materials within the warehouse and managing the flow of materials between various logistical processes including retrieval of forms if forms fail scanning. Operation of a wide range of machinery and equipment in order to perform tasks which may include, but not limited to, the use of trolleys, pallet jacks, plastic wrapping, mail cages.

About you you - what we are looking for

Although previous experience in a fast-paced environment is desirable, to be suitable for these roles you should be able to:

• learn new processes quickly to safely operate commercial or specialised machinery
• work in a fast paced environment with large volumes of work and tight deadlines
• contribute to a diverse team environment, working collaboratively to achieve shared outcomes
• communicate clearly and manage conflict appropriately
• apply instructions logically and exercise sound judgement
• show resilience, flexibility, motivation and a strong work ethic
• maintain a high attention to detail and accuracy
• be safety focused and committed to safe work practices
• understand Work Health and Safety issues, and comply with Work Health and Safety standards, including manual handling processes
• understand and comply with ABS policy and guidelines plus APS Values and the APS Code of Conduct.

In addition, you will need to:

• stand/walk/move materials for the duration of the shift
• undertake materials handling including using trolley jacks, trolleys and specialised machinery and equipment
• be able to carry out basic equipment maintenance tasks with instruction and training provided
• have capacity to repetitively manually handle materials up to 10 kilograms (including twisting, lifting and bending).

A forklift licence would be an advantage.

Other information

• Work may be rostered on a shift work basis between the hours of 7.00 am to 7.00 pm Monday-Friday. A standard shift is 7 hours 25 minutes (excluding lunch).
• Shift preferences will be considered as part of rostering.
• Overtime may be available outside of standard operating hours, including weekends during peak periods.
• Public transport options in the area are limited.

How to apply

You must currently be an Australian citizen to be eligible to apply.

You will need to upload your current resume, include referee details, and submit a statement (maximum 200 words) responding to the following:

Tell us why you’re interested in working as a Team Member in the Census Mail Operations Team and how your skills, experience and personal attributes make you a strong fit for this role.

Applications close at 11:30 pm (AEST) on Sunday 19 April 2026.