Software Developers & Data Engineers (Technical Specialist - Bands 1-3)

Job Details

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - Ongoing Full time

LOCATION - ACT; VIC

AFP BAND & SALARY - Technical Specialist - Band 1 ($127,565.00 - $145,389.00) | Technical Specialist - Band 2 ($147,369.00 - $164,728.00) | Technical Specialist - Band 3 ($172,999.00 - $191,044.00)

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 14976

This advertisement is to fill current vacancies and 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?

Applications are sought from suitably qualified applicants wishing to be considered for the role of Software Developer or Data Engineer.

Digital Surveillance Collection (DSC) develops and operates a wide range of lawful covert surveillance capabilities in support of the AFP’s operational requirements, including telecommunications interception, surveillance devices, collection under computer access warrant, and collection from open sources. 

Our engineering teams manage the collection, ingestion and AI/ML enrichment of structured and unstructured data from diverse sources into analytics platforms, dashboards, reporting tools and operation systems ensuring end-users have access to timely, accurate and actionable insights in support of AFP investigations and intelligence analysis.

You will also be required to contribute to the achievement of outcomes in accordance with the regulatory framework, the AFP Code of Conduct and the AFP Governance Instruments. It is expected that the successful applicant will deliver on the core responsibilities and meet any requirements of the position as outlined below.

For more information about working in Digital Surveillance Collection please visit https://dscjobs.afp.gov.au.

What will you do?

As a Software Developer or Data Engineer, your responsibilities will include:

Technical Specialist Level 1:

• Developing and maintaining applications, data pipelines and ETL processes that enable lawful covert surveillance capabilities and operational data processing for AFP operations.
• Collaborating with agile teams to deliver high quality, secure and reliable solutions that meet operation needs while ensuring compliance with applicable legal, regulatory and policy requirements.
• Performing research and development of new platforms, processes and technologies to improve operational efficiency and data delivery.
• Maintaining up to date technical knowledge and promoting continuous improvement through the application of emerging technologies and engineering best practices.

Technical Specialist Level 2:

• Duties as listed under Technical Specialist Level 1, in addition to:
• Translating customer requirements into technical solutions, based on a strong understanding of the end-user’s operating context.
• Developing team members and fulfilling a guiding, mentoring and advisory role.
• Leading the delivery of day-to-day work, for example, by acting a Scrum Master when required.

Technical Specialist Level 3:

• Duties as listed under Technical Specialist Levels 1 and 2, in addition to:
• Providing technical leadership for complex bodies of work, including responsibility for delivery in accordance with customer requirements and agreed quality standards.
• Proactively driving continuous improvements to technical strategy and architecture, in collaboration with management and peers across the whole of AFP.

Essential Requirements

• Technical Specialist Level 1:

• You must be an Australian Citizen at the time of application.
• Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance, or the ability to obtain one.
• Tertiary qualification or demonstrated experience in related field, such as information technology, data analysis, computer science, software engineering or similar.
• Python development skills with hands-on experience in building either data pipelines, front end or backend systems
• Demonstrated experience with SQL or NoSQL Databases (e.g. PostgreSQL, Cassandra, Neo4J).
• Experience working in a Linux-based development environment.
• Experience using collaboration tools that include git, issue tracking and wikis (e.g. GitLab, GitHub, BitBucket, Azure DevOps).

Technical Specialist Level 2:

• You must be an Australian Citizen at the time of application.
• Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance, or the ability to obtain one.
• Skills and experience as listed under Technical Specialist Level 1, in addition to:
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership within a small team and deliver outcomes that meet customer requirements.

Technical Specialist Level 3:

• You must be an Australian Citizen at the time of application.
• Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance, or the ability to obtain one.
• Skills and experience as listed under Technical Specialist Levels 1 and 2, in addition to:
• Experience designing architectures and systems with complex integration requirements.
• Demonstrated ability in providing strategic technical leadership

Desirable Requirements

While not essential, your application will stand out if you have experience in:

• Python web frameworks (e.g. Django, FastAPI, Flask)
• Containerisation technologies (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes)
• Message queues/event streaming (e.g. Kafka, Apache Pulsar, RabbitMQ/AMQP)
• Front-end development (e.g. JavaScript - React, Vue, Alpine, HTML5 and CSS3)
• Knowledge and use of CI/CD pipelines
• Working with Agile methodologies (e.g. Kanban, Scrum)

No candidate would be expected to have experience in all of these areas, but experience in any of these areas will be highly regarded.

Additional Information

• Applicants will be required to undergo a technical assessment.
• The selection panel will determine which pay grade each successful candidate will be placed into.

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. If you wish to be considered for multiple band levels your pitch should address the work level standards of the highest band level.

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

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:  Mark,

Contact Officer Phone:  02 5126 7152, ​

Contact Officer Email:  technical.recruitment@afp.gov.au

Applications Close: 11:59pm (AEST) 25/08/2025

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

www.afp.gov.au