Freed from the shackles of the notorious hiring freeze, some of the government's biggest departments are looking to boost the ranks of their top brass, offering hefty salaries and even loftier job titles.

The Australian Border Force is looking for "Assistant Commissioner" of "Strategic Border Command" who gets to be in charge of the controversial outfit's "Regional Commanders" around Australia and on a salary of between $212,000 and $269,000.

The department, which says it is going to have to shed more than 600 rank-and-file jobs to fund its below inflation wage offer, is also looking for an Assistant Commissioner of Detention and Field Compliance

The successful applicant for the SES Band 2 job will be responsible for Immigration's network detention centres and the job ad stresses that experience in a "politically sensitive" organisation is desirable.

Another Immigration gig that is not recommended for the faint-hearted is the "challenging" opportunity to become Assistant Secretary for Strategic Issues Management.

The successful applicant for the SES Band 1 job will be responsible "for managing issues of high importance to the Secretary and the ABF Commissioner and all media related activity across the Department."

Across the APS, there are two jobs going at the coveted SES Band 3 level which carries a total salary package of up to $394,000, five at band 2 level and eight further down the food chain at Band 1 level.

At the Tax Office, they are even creating new SES positions, currently hiring a new Chief Operating Officer in the coveted Band 3 level to lead the ATO's corporate services.

The office, which made 2364 employees redundant in 2014-2015 has also hired another Senior Executive, appointing Brandon Brown who started on Monday as Chief Internal Auditor.

Mr Brown comes to the ATO from accounting giant KPMG, where Commissioner of Taxation Chris Jordan also used to work.

At the Defence Department, which has shed nearly 20 per cent of its workforce in less than four years and where another 1200 public servants will have to fight for their jobs in a restructure, there are executive jobs to be had on land and sea.

The department is looking to hire chiefs for both its land and maritime divisions of the Science and Technology Groups and the jobs can be either Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide based.

An ATO spokesperson told Fairfax of the importance of hiring the right person for the crucial auditor's job.

"This is a critical role that provides independent advice and assurance on the operations of the ATO and in order to maintain the independence of this position, this role is filled on a non-ongoing basis," the spokesperson said.

"We have just completed recruitment for this role on a three year fixed term basis."

The new Chief Operating Officer will work to ensure the Tax Office keeps pace with a changing public service, according to the ATO spokesperson, who also said there might even be more top jobs coming up at the agency.

"The Chief Operating Officer will ensure we are well positioned for Australian Public Service-wide reforms of corporate and shared services, and that our planning, governance and risk management is strategic and sensible," the spokesperson said.

"There are currently a small number of SES vacancies across our business areas where acting arrangements are in place."