Network Engineer

Azooa is seeking an experienced Senior Network & Systems Integration Engineer for a long-term Department of Defence contracting opportunity in Canberra, ACT.

This is a senior, hands-on engineering role for someone who combines strong network engineering capability with broader systems integration experience across complex, secure ICT environments.

The formal Defence requirement is aligned to Specialist Engineering – Communications Network Engineering, Level 3 – Advanced Practitioner, with a practical focus on LAN/WAN engineering, systems integration, interoperability, configuration management, technical assurance, Test & Evaluation and senior technical support.

About the opportunity

This role is broader than a traditional Network Engineer position.

The successful contractor will work across interconnected ICT environments where networks, enterprise systems, applications, infrastructure and supporting services must operate reliably together.

You’ll be expected to understand not only how individual technologies function, but how interfaces, dependencies, configuration changes and technical decisions can affect the wider environment.

This is primarily a hands-on technical engineering role, suited to someone who can operate independently, resolve complex issues and provide confident technical advice to stakeholders.

What you’ll be doing

• Engineer and integrate complex ICT environments
• Support LAN and WAN engineering activities
• Analyse system interfaces and technical dependencies
• Assess the impact of network, application and infrastructure changes
• Support enterprise application and infrastructure integration
• Undertake integration testing, verification and validation
• Support Test & Evaluation and technical risk-reduction activities
• Troubleshoot complex network and systems-integration issues
• Identify interoperability risks and recommend technical remediation
• Maintain approved system configurations and technical baselines
• Conduct configuration management across hardware and software
• Maintain system design and architecture documentation
• Support technical integration testing before releases or configuration changes
• Provide senior / Level 3 technical support
• Support secure operating environments
• Produce engineering reports, assessments and technical recommendations
• Work with engineering, project, security and capability stakeholders
• Provide authoritative technical advice to senior stakeholders
• Support technical knowledge transfer and mentoring where required.

Network engineering focus

A strong network-engineering background is central to this opportunity.

Relevant capability includes LAN/WAN engineering, IP addressing, routing, DNS, DHCP, network segmentation, interoperability, network performance, secure connectivity and network security.

The successful engineer should understand how these areas interact with broader systems and how changes can affect performance, interoperability and security.

Systems integration focus

We are particularly interested in engineers who have experience operating beyond the network layer.

Relevant experience may include requirements analysis, interface management, configuration control, enterprise application integration, information-system integration, infrastructure integration, system dependencies, systems engineering, technical architecture, verification and validation, engineering assurance and system-of-systems integration.

The strongest candidates will be comfortable looking at the whole integrated environment, not just an individual network or platform.

Test & Evaluation

The role has a strong technical integration and assurance component.

Relevant experience may include integration testing, verification, validation, acceptance testing, Test & Evaluation, risk-reduction activities, technical trials, test procedures, evaluation artefacts, defect identification, technical remediation and engineering reporting.

Experience within structured Defence, Government or similarly regulated T&E environments would be particularly valuable.

Configuration management

Configuration control is an important part of the role.

Candidates with experience managing hardware/software baselines, version control, change-impact assessment, configuration documentation, release management, pre-release testing and technical documentation control will be well aligned.

The ideal engineer will understand how a change to one component can create second-order effects across a broader integrated system.

Security & technical assurance

This role operates within a secure Defence ICT environment.

Relevant experience includes ISM, Essential Eight, security-control implementation or assessment, secure systems integration, technical assurance, configuration governance and change governance.

This is not primarily a cyber security role, but candidates should understand how security requirements influence network design, architecture, interoperability, systems integration and sustainment.

Senior technical practitioner

This position is aligned to Level 3 – Advanced Practitioner.

You should be comfortable operating under broad direction, resolving complex technical problems, assessing system-level risks and dependencies, providing authoritative engineering advice, making technically informed recommendations, engaging confidently with senior stakeholders and supporting technical decision-making.

Experience we’re looking for

Strong candidates will ideally demonstrate experience across several of these areas:

• Network Engineering: LAN/WAN, routing, DNS, DHCP, segmentation, secure connectivity and interoperability.
• Systems Integration: requirements, interfaces, dependencies, configuration control, integration testing and verification/validation.
• Secure ICT: ISM, Essential Eight and secure Government or Defence environments.
• Technical Assurance: Test & Evaluation, technical trials, engineering assessments and remediation.
• Configuration Management: hardware/software baselines, change assessment, version control and release management.
• Defence / Government: Defence ICT, Federal Government secure environments, deployable networks, mission-critical systems or complex integrated environments.

You do not need to have experience in every area.

What matters most is a strong combination of senior network engineering capability and complex systems-integration experience.

Who this role could suit

We would encourage applications from experienced:

• Senior Network Engineers
• Senior Systems Engineers
• Senior Infrastructure Engineers
• Network & Systems Engineers
• Systems Integration Engineers
• Communications Network Engineers
• ICT Systems Engineers
• Technical Integration Engineers
• Defence Network Engineers

If your background combines network engineering with broader systems integration, this could be a particularly strong fit.

Location & working arrangement

Canberra, ACT

This is primarily an onsite Defence engagement.

Candidates should be able to work in person at the nominated Canberra facility. Interstate candidates should be prepared to relocate or otherwise meet the required onsite delivery model.

Some domestic travel may be required, with limited international travel also possible depending on program requirements.

Security clearance

Minimum NV2 AGSVA security clearance required at commencement

The clearance must be maintained for the duration of the engagement.

Candidates already holding an active NV2 or higher clearance will be particularly well positioned.

Engagement details

• Client: Department of Defence
• Location: Canberra, ACT
• Clearance: NV2 minimum
• Commencement: October 2026
• Initial term: Approximately 12 months
• Extensions: Potential for up to 2 x 12-month extensions
• Hours: Up to 40 hours per week
• Travel: Some travel may be required.

Rate guidance

Azooa’s recommended maximum candidate rates are:

• PAYG: Up to $156.90/hour including super
• Pty Ltd / ABN: Up to $158.90/hour + GST

Azooa recommends bidding at or below these levels where possible to support a strong value-for-money position.

Candidates able to bid below the recommended maximum may strengthen the competitiveness of their submission where technical capability and experience are otherwise comparable.

Higher rates may still be considered where specialist capability, current NV2 clearance, strong Defence experience, complex network-engineering expertise or significant systems-integration experience provides compelling value.

What we want to see in your CV

Your CV should go beyond a list of technologies.

We want to understand what you actually engineered, integrated, tested, configured, resolved or improved.

Strong examples could include the networks you supported, complex integration issues you resolved, interfaces and dependencies you managed, Test & Evaluation activities you contributed to, configuration baselines you maintained, technical risks you identified, security controls you implemented or assessed, and engineering recommendations you provided.

Where possible, show the scale, complexity and outcome of your work.

Interested?

If you are an experienced Senior Network Engineer or Systems Integration Engineer with NV2 and this opportunity sounds like a strong fit, we would like to hear from you.

Please send your latest CV, current AGSVA clearance level, availability, expected hourly rate and confirmation that you can work onsite in Canberra.

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