Lead/Principle Software Engineer

Overview

In this role you will design, develop, and operate secure, backend platforms and services for mission-critical defence and government programmes. You will work in agile, cloud-native environments to deliver scalable, resilient software that meets stringent security standards. You’ll collaborate with architects, engineers, and product stakeholders to drive production-ready solutions from design to deployment and support. This position offers impact through shaping secure cloud-native platforms used in critical national outcomes, with a strong emphasis on ownership and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, deploy, and enhance backend platforms, applications, and services for mission-critical programmes
• Deliver secure, scalable, and maintainable software meeting functional and non-functional requirements
• Participate in Agile ceremonies and implement modern delivery practices
• Release software incrementally with continuous improvement
• Collaborate with engineers, architects, and product stakeholders across cross-functional teams
• Own the services and applications your team delivers, ensuring reliability, performance, and supportability
• Build and optimise CI/CD pipelines
• Contribute to engineering standards, best practices, and QA processes
• Support knowledge sharing and foster a collaborative culture
• Troubleshoot, perform root-cause analysis, and resolve production issues when needed

Key requirements

• 5+ years’ commercial software engineering experience delivering production-grade solutions
• Strong Java development experience
• Experience with Kotlin and/or Scala on JVM
• Experience with Kafka or similar messaging/event-streaming technologies
• Experience integrating with PostgreSQL, Redis, and S3/Object Storage
• Deep understanding of microservices, distributed systems, and modern design patterns
• Experience with Big Data and data-intensive applications
• Experience operating in Agile DevSecOps environments
• Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture principles
• Strong CI/CD experience, automated deployments, and modern delivery practices
• Proficient in source control and collaboration tools (GitHub, GitLab, Atlassian)
• Strong problem-solving skills for scalable solutions

• Collaborative mindset across multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent communication skills
• Proactive ownership of services from design to production
• Java
• Kotlin and/or Scala
• Kafka

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