Senior Java Developer / Software Engineer (Developer)
Summary
12-month contract (extendable to 24) in Canberra for a recruitment-placed role in a Federal Government environment: developing Java application components and APIs, PostgreSQL data aggregation, and Grafana/observability tooling for enterprise capacity management and automation. Requires SFIA Level 5 skills and a Negative Vetting Level 1 clearance.
Salary: $110 – $140 per hour
At Harrison McMillan, our mission is simple: to change lives, one placement at a time. As a trusted recruitment partner to government and industry, we connect exceptional people with opportunities where they can make a genuine impact.
Harrison McMillan is seeking an experienced Senior Java Developer / Software Engineer to develop and enhance enterprise capacity management and automation solutions.
This is a long-term 12-month contract with extension options up to 24 months and is based in Canberra, ACT. Hybrid working arrangements are available, with work from home considered.
Due to the nature of this role, a Negative Vetting Level 1 security clearance, or the ability to obtain one, is required.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop, enhance and maintain Java application components, APIs, interfaces and processing logic.
Implement and support capacity and observability data collection solutions.
Design and support PostgreSQL data aggregation, transformation and storage patterns.
Contribute to Grafana dashboards, reporting and forecasting capabilities.
Investigate defects, perform root cause analysis and support production releases.
Develop technical documentation, implementation notes and knowledge transfer material.
Support automation, capacity reporting and operational self-service initiatives.
Essential Criteria:
SFIA Level 5 capability in programming/software development.
SFIA Level 5 capability in systems integration and build.
SFIA Level 5 capability in systems design.
SFIA Level 5 capability in release and deployment.
SFIA Level 5 capability in software configuration.
Experience with Java development in complex enterprise environments.
Experience integrating monitoring and observability platforms such as Grafana, Elastic, Prometheus, Dynatrace or similar.
Experience with automation, data collection and operational tooling.
Strong stakeholder engagement and technical documentation skills.
SFIA Level 4 capability in software design, testing and specialist advice.
Desirable Criteria:
Experience with PostgreSQL database development and optimisation.
Experience supporting Linux-based environments.
Experience delivering capacity management, monitoring or automation solutions.
Experience working within Federal Government environments.
RFQ Closing Date: Tuesday, 17 November 2026
Apply now or contact the Harrison McMillan team for a confidential discussion.