Principal Software Engineer (EL2) | Federal Government | Contract

Melbourne, Canberra or Brisbane | Hybrid | 12-month contract with extensions up to 24 months

• Senior federal contract with a competitive day rate

• Lead engineering on large, complex national platforms

• Hybrid after 6 weeks onsite, with extensions up to 24 months

About the organisation

Our client is a large Australian Government agency delivering digital platforms and services used across the country. It is investing in modern technology and engineering capability to build secure, reliable systems at scale.

About the role

As Principal Software Engineer (EL2), you will lead large, complex software development projects. You will set engineering standards, approve solutions and lead a team of software engineers, working with senior executives, partner agencies and service providers.

What you will be doing

• Lead technical design and development of large, complex software projects

• Review and approve solutions, and assess technical impact

• Set standards for code quality, methods and tools

• Oversee release, go-live and production support

• Lead, coach and develop a team of software engineers

Skills and experience

• Senior engineering leadership at SFIA Level 6 or equivalent

• Software and systems design, integration and build at enterprise scale

• A track record leading engineering teams on large, complex programs

• Experience in government or a similar large-scale organisation

• SAP CRM / S/4HANA or PEGA highly regarded; process improvement a plus

Eligibility

• Australian citizenship, as you must be able to obtain a Baseline security clearance

• Willing to work onsite for the first 6 weeks, then hybrid

• Based within reasonable travel of the Melbourne, Canberra or Brisbane office, and able to attend onsite when needed

• Willing to work in that location for the duration of the contract

Contract details

• Start: Tuesday 1 December 2026

• Term: initial contract up to 12 months, with extensions up to a maximum of 24 months

• Hours: full time

• Location: Melbourne, Canberra or Brisbane

Why take it

• Technical authority over engineering on platforms used across Australia

• A senior leadership role shaping standards, design and delivery

• A long-term contract with extension options and hybrid work

How to apply

Click APPLY with your updated resume.

Applications close Monday 19 October 2026 at 5pm AEDT. The Exceed Global team is reviewing applications as they arrive, so we encourage you to apply early.

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