Now's your chance to be a spy - NZ SIS is hiring

20:18, Apr 27 2018
Pictured: You?
ADAM BERRY/GETTY IMAGES
Pictured: You?

Do you fancy yourself as the Kiwi answer to 007?

Now New Zealanders with dreams of being the next Bond have a chance to prove their spy prowess, with the NZ SIS opening its doors at the launch of a recruitment drive on Friday.

For now, the focus is on Auckland, with the NZSIS wanting to recruit more māori, asian and pacific staff, to better reflect the community.

Security Intelligence Service (SIS) Director of Security Rebecca Kitteridge says surveillance officers have to observe what's going on with people suspected of being security threats.
ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
Security Intelligence Service (SIS) Director of Security Rebecca Kitteridge says surveillance officers have to observe what's going on with people suspected of being security threats.

Currently, more than two thirds of NZ SIS staff are pakeha, TVNZ reported.

READ MORE: Spies prise open their secret vaults to reveal foreign intelligence threats

"There's no Aston Martins and not too many martinis ... but there's some cool stuff," one Kiwi surveillance officer told TVNZ.

What does the job entail?

You won't have a licence to kill, but as a surveillance officer you will be given the go-ahead to keep an eye on people who pose a threat to the country's security.

"It's their job to observe what's going on," SIS Director Rebecca Kitteridge told TVNZ.

Spies need to be able to keep alert during long periods of inactivity, and must be as comfortable disappearing into a crowd as they are solving problems under intense pressure.

You also need to be able to sit in a car for a really, really long time.

Those accepted as spies go on to take a 14-week surveillance officer course, with the next intake due in January/February 2019.

So, what's the criteria for becoming a spy?

The NZ intelligence community's Beyond Ordinary campaign spells out what's expected of hopeful spies.

Candidates need to have been an NZ citizen for at least a decade. 

Those with permanent residence or an NZ residency class visa - who have been a citizen of the UK, US, Canada or Australia for at least a decade - are eligible too.

Spies also need to be able to get top secret special security clearance.

Getting that clearance can take up to six months, and involves an interview and background enquiries.

Lastly, you need to be able to keep your job application a secret.

"If you are the sort of person who notices things others don't, has street smarts, wants to make a real difference and do something meaningful then apply today," the job listing tells hopeful spies.