Location: Sydney - Melbourne - Canberra - Brisbane
We are seeking an experienced Senior Data Engineer with strong expertise in API development and data integration to support a federal government agency within its Operational Analytics function.
Working as part of a small, highly skilled team, this role will focus on enabling secure and scalable data exchange across internal platforms and external systems. The successful candidate will operate at SFIA Level 5–6, equivalent to an APS EL1 technical specialist, and will contribute to the design and delivery of robust data engineering solutions aligned with organisational and regulatory requirements.
Key Responsibilities
* Design, develop, and maintain secure and scalable RESTful APIs
* Integrate third-party and external APIs to ingest data into enterprise systems
* Manage API gateways, authentication mechanisms, and access controls
* Ensure API implementations meet best-practice standards for security, performance, and scalability
* Collaborate closely with software engineering teams to embed APIs into applications and workflows
* Lead technical design discussions and recommend scalable data architecture solutions
* Establish and enforce data engineering best practices, including coding standards, testing, and CI/CD pipelines
* Work with architects, product managers, and stakeholders to align data solutions with business and operational objectives
* Contribute to a culture of quality, security, and continuous improvement
Essential Skills & Experience
* 5+ years’ experience in data engineering or a closely related discipline
* Strong experience designing, building, and managing REST APIs, including:
* Authentication and authorisation (OAuth2, JWT)
* API gateway management
* Hands‑on experience with big data frameworks such as PySpark, Spark, or Hadoop
* Strong proficiency in Python and SQL for data processing and transformation
* Experience implementing CI/CD practices for data pipelines
* Familiarity with streaming data processing (e.g. Spark Streaming)
* Working knowledge of containerisation and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
* Exposure to data security and compliance frameworks
* Proven ability to lead technical work and contribute within multi-disciplinary teams
* Strong communication skills with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders
* Security clearance preferred: Baseline, NV1, or NV2. AU citizenship and eligibility to apply are mandatory.
Desirable Experience
* Experience working with the Palantir Foundry platform
* Experience in regulated or government environments
* Certifications in Power BI, Cognos, or Data Analytics
* Background in designing enterprise-scale data integration solutions
Qualifications
* Tertiary qualifications in Computer Science, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or equivalent practical experience
Why Apply?
* High-impact role supporting national data and analytics initiatives
* Work in a collaborative, specialist technical team
* Clear scope for leadership and architectural influence
* Flexible location options across major Australian cities
#J-18808-Ljbffr