Lead Microservices and AI Technical Architect

Lead Microservices & AI Technical Architect – Federal Government

12-month contract + 2 x 12-month extension options | Hybrid working | Canberra ACT

An opportunity is available for an experienced Lead Microservices & AI Technical Architect to join a major business application transformation program within a large Australian Government department.

This is a senior technical leadership role operating at approximately EL2 / Lead Architect level, suited to someone with deep experience across cloud-native architecture, microservices, event-driven platforms, AI engineering and modern software delivery practices.

You will help establish enterprise microservices and event-driven architecture foundations while shaping the adoption of AI-enabled engineering practices across the software delivery lifecycle.

The opportunity

Working within the department’s CIO Division, you will provide technical leadership and architectural authority across the design, governance and evolution of modern enterprise platforms.

The program is establishing the department’s first enterprise Microservices and Event-Driven Architecture foundations and embedding AI-enabled engineering practices across the software delivery lifecycle.

You will influence system builds and engineering decisions, establish reusable architectural and engineering patterns, guide the adoption of AI across delivery, and ensure knowledge and capability are transferred into internal teams.

Key responsibilities

You will:

• Provide technical leadership and architectural authority for cloud-native, microservices-based and AI-enabled platforms.

• Define and govern architecture aligned to enterprise technology, cyber security and business transformation objectives.

• Lead the adoption of modern engineering practices including AI-enabled SDLC, DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing and observability.

• Establish platform engineering standards supporting secure, scalable and reliable service delivery.

• Drive technology modernisation across microservices, containerisation and enterprise system integration.

• Develop reusable architecture and engineering patterns that improve scalability, maintainability and operational resilience.

• Guide the implementation and operationalisation of enterprise AI capabilities.

• Influence engineering, architecture and technology decisions across multidisciplinary delivery teams.

• Build organisational capability through technical leadership, mentoring and knowledge transfer.

• Promote engineering excellence, continuous improvement and strong technical governance.

What we're looking for

You will be an experienced technical architect or engineering leader with demonstrated experience delivering complex enterprise platforms and transformation programs.

You will bring:

• Extensive experience designing, implementing and governing cloud-native, microservices and event-driven architectures within complex enterprise environments.

• Demonstrated experience delivering scalable, resilient and secure business-critical platforms.

• Strong expertise in AI engineering and AI-enabled solution delivery, including development, deployment and operationalisation of enterprise AI capabilities.

• Experience with technologies and approaches such as semantic search, machine learning and responsible AI.

• Strong software and platform engineering capability across modern development frameworks, DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing and observability.

• Demonstrated understanding of security-by-design and operational excellence.

• Proven experience leading enterprise technology modernisation and transformation initiatives.

• The ability to provide technical direction and influence significant architecture and engineering decisions.

• Demonstrated success improving platform reliability, scalability, security and engineering maturity.

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

• Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams, delivery partners and senior stakeholder groups.

• The ability to translate complex business requirements into practical technology outcomes.

Highly regarded

Experience in any of the following will be particularly well regarded:

• Kubernetes

• OpenShift

• Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

• Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)

• Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)

• Container platform architecture and automation

• Site Reliability Engineering (SRE)

• Platform engineering

• Enterprise observability tooling

• Cloud platform modernisation

• Enterprise-scale automation

• Agile delivery environments

• Coaching and leading geographically dispersed engineering teams

• Australian Government technology environments

Contract details

• Level: Lead / EL2 equivalent

• Contract: 12 months

• Extensions: Up to 2 x 12-month extensions

• Expected commencement: 1 October 2026

• Hours: Up to 40 hours per week

• Location: Canberra, ACT

• Working arrangements: Hybrid

• Security: Must be able to obtain an Australian Government Baseline security clearance

The department supports flexible and remote working arrangements where operational requirements permit. The successful candidate will work with stakeholders located across Australia and may occasionally be required to travel to Canberra or other departmental locations.

Applying

Applications close 12pm Sunday, 13 September 2026.

Applicants will be required to provide a one-page response of up to 5,000 characters addressing the essential criteria and demonstrating relevant experience through practical examples of work delivered.

Please apply through SEEK and address your application to Maria.