Data Engineer

Application closing date: Friday, 26 June 2026 • 11:59 pm, Canberra time

Estimated start date: Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Location of work: ACT

Working arrangements: Hybrid working arrangements (i.e., a combination of on-site attendance at an AEC office and remote work) will be considered at the discretion of the Hiring Manager, with a typical split of 3 days in the office and 2 days working from home.

Length of contract: Until 30 June 2027

Security clearance: Must have a Baseline clearance

Rates: $100 - $120 per hour (inc. super)

Enterprise Strategy and Transformation Division (ESTD). The ESTD is one of two divisions within the Australian Electoral Commission's (AEC) Enterprise Transformation Group (ETG), established to drive the AEC’s transformation agenda and deliver the Election Systems Modernisation Program (Indigo Program) on behalf of the agency.

Indigo Program (Tranche 2) The Indigo Program is a large-scale transformation program to modernise business capabilities and replace core election ICT systems with a citizen-centric, agile technology platform. The Program will transform the AEC’s delivery of electoral services and ensure the ongoing integrity of the electoral system. Tranche 2 comprises a variety of work packages focused on business process re-engineering, data management, legislative compliance, and the replacement of aging systems.

The AEC is seeking a Lead Data Engineer on the Enterprise Integration Team to design, develop, and maintain data integration solutions connecting the AEC’s on-premises and cloud-based enterprise applications, leveraging Microsoft Azure tools and technologies.

This role involves creating efficient data pipelines, ensuring data quality, optimising performance, and adhering to security and compliance standards. The Data Engineer collaborates with cross-functional teams, troubleshoots integration issues, and continuously seeks opportunities for improvement while staying current with emerging data engineering trends and best practices, contributing to the agency’s data-driven success.

Key duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Collaborate with team members and stakeholders to design data integration solutions that meet business requirements, utilising Microsoft Azure tools such as Azure Data Factory and SQL.
• Develop, implement, and maintain ETL pipelines to ensure efficient, secure data transfer across systems, adhering to best practices in data processing and transformation.
• Design and maintain data models to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and availability, while considering scalability and performance optimisations.
• Implement data validation and quality checks to identify and rectify data anomalies, errors, and inconsistencies within integrated systems.
• Continuously monitor and optimise data integration processes to enhance performance, reduce latency, and minimise resource consumption.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for data integration solutions, including technical specifications, data flow diagrams, and operational procedures.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including developers and system analysts, to understand data requirements and ensure integrations align with business objectives.
• Troubleshoot and resolve data integration issues, working collaboratively with the team to implement effective solutions and prevent recurrence.
• Stay up to date on emerging technologies and industry trends in data engineering and integration, applying this knowledge to improve integration processes and tools.
• Perform additional duties or assume responsibility of functions as directed from time to time

Essential Criteria

1. Proven experience in data engineering, including data integration, ETL processes, and data modelling.
2. Strong SQL skills and experience with data warehousing concepts.
3. Knowledge of data governance, security, and compliance best practices.
4. Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.
5. Effective communication skills for collaborating with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
6. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships.
7. Ability to work independently and be a self-motivated individual.

Desirable Criteria

1. Proficiency in Microsoft Azure tools and services, such as Azure Data Factory and Azure SQL Database.
2. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
3. Relevant certifications (e.g., Microsoft Azure Data Engineer, AWS Certified Data Analytics) are advantageous.

HOW TO APPLY

Please provide an updated CV (a maximum of 3 pages) to reflect your suitability to the role based on the job description. You will also need to complete a response to the Essential and Desirable criteria above in a summary no more than 5000 characters in total.