Data Engineer and Senior Scientific Analyst - Technical Specialist

Job Details

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - Ongoing Full time

LOCATION - Various

AFP BAND & SALARY - Technical Specialist - Band 1 ($127,565.00 - $145,389.00)

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 14984

This advertisement is to create a merit list for future ongoing or non-ongoing vacancies arising over the next 12 months.

Did you know?

The mission of the Australian Federal Police is to provide dynamic and effective law enforcement to the people of Australia. It provides policing throughout Australia in relation to the prevention and detection of crimes against the Commonwealth, its laws and integrity, and community police services to the Community of the ACT.

Working for the AFP provides you with a diverse and rewarding career. Whether you immerse yourself in a position on the frontline, or provide critical operational or professional support, the work you do makes a big impact on the people of Australia. 

We recognise your contribution to our workforce and offer generous remuneration and conditions including:

• Six weeks (30 days) of paid annual leave per year + additional paid Christmas stand down 
• 4 extra days of mandatory rest leave per year 
• 18 days of paid personal leave per year
• Generous superannuation of 15.4%
• 18 weeks paid Parental Leave for Primary Caregiver (and 11 weeks for Secondary Caregiver) + additional unpaid leave entitlements for up until 24 months from the child’s date of birth or placement
• Generous salaries and incremental salary progression governed by the AFP Enterprise Agreement 
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangement that provides work/life balance
• Health & wellbeing services – with a focus on early intervention, education and prevention
• Access to ongoing training and professional development opportunities 

What is the role?

AFP’s Chief Data Officer Branch plays a critical role in designing, building and delivering enterprise capabilities to enable the AFP to achieve maximum policing impact against serious and hybrid crime. We have the broad responsibility to develop and adapt innovative technical solutions to support policing investigations, to provide direct technological support for active operations, to deliver services across a globally based organisation, and to administer and maintain complex and secure systems and databases.

You will be part of a team of highly skilled technology and policing experts from across a number of specialities, working together in collaboration with AFP areas to problem solve and deliver solutions to meet a diverse range of complex policing and business needs. Working within the AFP is a unique, diverse, challenging and highly rewarding experience for all aspiring AFP technologists. 

As a Technical Specialist in the AFP you will ensure the achievement of outcomes are in accordance with the regulatory framework, the AFP Code of Conduct and the AFP Governance Instruments. Technical Specialists provide expert consultancy within their area of specialism. They develop and promote technical solutions which support the business requirements of the AFP, within their area of expertise.

A Technical Specialist role does not hold any leadership or financial delegations.

What will you do?

Applications are sought from suitably qualified applicants wishing to be considered for the role of Data Engineer or Senior Scientific Analyst. 

You will have the broad responsibility to:

• Develop and adapt innovative technical solutions to support policing investigations;
• Provide direct technological support for active operations;
• Deliver services across a globally based organisation;
• Administer and maintain complex and secure systems and databases;
• Provide professional leadership in the delivery of enterprise solutions; and
• Develop and promote technical solutions which support the business requirements of the AFP, within their area of expertise.

Essential Requirements

Candidates applying for the Data Engineer role:

• You must be an Australian Citizen.
• A Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance or the ability to obtain one
• +5 Years relevant industry experience in mathematics, statistics, computer science, software engineering, information technology, data engineering or similar.
• +5 Years demonstrated government or commercial experience with modern data analytics and data engineering platforms.
• Demonstrated evidence documenting, communicating and leading the delivery of enterprise capabilities.

Candidates applying for the Senior Scientific Analyst role:

• You must be an Australian Citizen.
• A Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance or the ability to obtain one
• +5 Years relevant industry experience in mathematics, statistics, computer science, software engineering, information technology, data engineering or similar.
• +5 Years demonstrated government or commercial experience with modern data analytics and data engineering platforms.
• Demonstrated evidence documenting, communicating and leading the delivery of enterprise capabilities. 

Desirable Requirements

Candidates applying for the Data Engineer role:

• Demonstrated experience (5+ years) in developing with and deploying either batch ETL/ELT or streaming data pipelines.
• Demonstrated proficiency using the following technologies:
  • Python
  • Neo4j
  • Kafka
  • NiFi
  • Elasticsearch
  • PostgreSQL 
• Experience in designing relational (including normalised forms) and/or NoSQL data models. 
• Experience with modern DevSecOps tools and methodologies. 
• Demonstrated understanding of the law enforcement or national security domains.

Candidates applying for the Senior Scientific Analyst role:

• Experience in deploying and supporting data science models and capabilities to a production environment.
• Experience in developing with Python.
• Strong analytical skills related to working with structured and unstructured datasets.
• Very strong evidence of stakeholder engagement resulting in the delivery of fully automated and sustainable capabilities.
• Translate business requirements into actionable and scalable capabilities.
• Conduct interviews and workshops with stakeholders to identify and map business requirements.
• Ability to convert complex operational requirements into measurable and codifiable metrics.
• Experience with modern DevSecOps tools and methodologies.
• Demonstrated understanding of the law enforcement or national security domains. 

Additional Information

• When applying you will be asked to nominate which position you wish to be considered for. Note, you will only be assessed against the role you select (one preference only).
• This role is located in ACT, however remote working options may be negotiated.
• This position has been advertised in multiple locations, however interstate travel to Canberra may be required up to 4 times a year.

Selection Criteria

• Knowledge and Experience
• Judgement and Risk
• Independence and Decision Making
• Relationships
• Professional Leadership
• Research and Innovation
• Project Management
• Additional stakeholder emphasis

Application

Please submit the following documents via our Jobs portal prior to the closing date and time:

• Resume/CV - This will form the basis for determining your suitability against the position requirements and give the panel a clear outline of your current knowledge and qualifications along with previous experiences. Please include your work history, responsibilities and achievements.
• Applicant pitch (maximum two pages). Ensure your pitch tells us why you are the best fit for the role, with examples that demonstrate your capabilities addressing the selection criteria, role requirements and work level standards for the role. 

Only complete applications will be considered. Please review and ensure the uploaded documents are correct for this application after submitting your application.

Please note: No feedback will be provided to applicants that are unsuccessful at application stage.

Employment Suitability

Should you successfully progress from the application stage all applicants must:

• Complete an Employment Suitability Questionnaire (ESQ) and provide a traffic history check and proof of Australian citizenship. This aids in the assessment of your character and your ability to comply with the AFP's professional standards both in an official and private capacity. Please review our AFP Character Standards to ensure that you meet our requirements before you submit your application. Applicants will not receive feedback if they are unsuccessful at this gateway.
• Have your fingerprints taken if an offer of employment is made.
• Undertake mandatory drug testing for illicit drugs. This sample could include; urine, saliva or hair.
• Satisfactorily undertake a security clearance to the level specified for the position.

Recruitment Process

Applicants who have demonstrated their suitability for employment through their resume and application, may be asked to complete additional assessments or activities to determine suitability for the role. This may also include a formal interview. Using the relevant AFP work level standards as a guide, you may be asked a range of questions to demonstrate your skills and abilities. These could include behavioural based scenario questions. Read our guides for applicants to find out how to prepare for your interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

At the AFP we value the different perspectives, approaches and lived experiences of our people, and recognise that our collective intelligence and diversity is what makes us stronger. As such, we encourage applications from people from all walks of life, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations people, women, the LGBTQIA+ community and people with disability.

Contacts and Closing Information

Contact Officer:  Justin Wilkie,

Contact Officer Phone:  0447 567 902, ​

Contact Officer Email:  justin.wilkie@afp.gov.au

Applications Close: 11:59pm (AEST) 10/08/2025

To view our other employment opportunities, please visit our career site.

www.afp.gov.au