Lead Software Developer

WELCOME TO SITA

At SITA, we keep airports moving, airlines flying smoothly, and borders open. Our technology and communication innovations power the success of the global air travel industry.

You'll find us in 95% of international airports, working closely with over 2,500 transportation and government clients. Each partnership brings unique challenges, and we thrive on delivering fresh solutions and cutting-edge tech to keep operations running like clockwork. We don't just move the world forward-we're proud to be recognized as a Great Place to Work® by 79% of our employees and certified in most of our growing locations. Here, we feel empowered, supported, and inspired to grow.

Are you ready to love your job?

The adventure begins right here, with you, at SITA.

Role Summary

The Senior Technical Lead provides overall technical leadership and design authority across the project, operating within a security-cleared, government-compliant environment. The role is responsible for overseeing all technical work, ensuring solution integrity from design through to production, troubleshooting complex production issues, and acting as the central technical point of contact for internal stakeholders including operations, infrastructure, development, and testing teams. The role translates business and project requirements into robust technical designs and supports delivery teams by detailing the work required to implement them.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Design Authority

• Own the end-to-end technical design and architecture across the project.
• Oversee and govern all technical work to ensure alignment with the agreed solution and architectural standards.
• Make and document key technical decisions, trade-offs, and design rationale.
• Ensure designs are scalable, secure, maintainable, and fit for purpose.
• Lead complex Java development and architecture decisions for backend systems, integration layers, and microservices.

Production Support & Troubleshooting

• Act as senior technical escalation point for production issues.
• Lead root cause analysis and drive resolution of complex incidents across integration, identity, messaging, and data platforms.
• Identify and recommend permanent fixes and preventative improvements.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with internal stakeholders including operations, infrastructure, security, and business teams.
• Coordinate across teams to ensure technical dependencies and interfaces are well understood and managed.
• Communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Development & Testing Support

• Support the development and testing teams by detailing the technical work required to deliver each design.
• Provide hands-on guidance, clarify requirements, and unblock technical challenges.
• Review designs, deployment approaches, and test strategies to ensure quality and consistency.
• Ensure work is broken down clearly so delivery teams can estimate and execute effectively.
• Mentor development teams on Java best practices, design patterns, and architectural principles.

Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain technical documentation, design artefacts, and architectural standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, performance, and delivery processes.
• Contribute to technical risk management and mitigation planning, ensuring adherence to government security policies and data handling requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be an Australian Citizen (mandatory — no exceptions, as this role requires Australian Government security clearance).
• Must hold, or be eligible to obtain and maintain, a current Australian Government Security Clearance (Baseline as specified by the engagement).
• Willingness to undergo and pass background, character, and security vetting through the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA).

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Technical/Solution Architect or senior technical lead on complex, integration-heavy projects.
• Expert-level Java programming capability, including design and implementation of complex backend systems, APIs, and integration middleware.
• Strong end-to-end solution design and architecture capability.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve production issues across distributed systems.
• Identity & Access Management: ForgeRock (or equivalent IAM platforms).
• Data platforms: MongoDB, Elasticsearch.
• Messaging & streaming: Apache Kafka, MQ.
• Containerisation & orchestration: Kubernetes / K3s, Docker.
• Data integration & pipelines: Apache NiFi.
• Storage: MinIO, Longhorn.
• CI/CD & DevOps tooling: Jenkins, SonarQube, Harbor, Nexus.
• Strong understanding of on-premise infrastructure, networking, and operations.
• Solid grasp of security, compliance, and DevSecOps practices.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to detail and decompose technical work for delivery teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of technical experience, with several in an architecture or technical lead role.
• TOGAF® or equivalent architecture certification.
• Relevant technical certifications (Kubernetes, MongoDB, ForgeRock, Java/Spring, etc.).
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum delivery environments.
• Prior experience within Australian Government, Defence, or other security-cleared environments.
• Familiarity with the ASD Essential Eight, ISM, and PSPF (Protective Security Policy Framework).

Success Metrics

• Solution and design integrity across the project.
• Timely resolution of production/technical escalations.
• Quality and clarity of technical designs and work breakdown.
• Effective collaboration across operations, infrastructure, and delivery teams.
• Reduction in recurring production issues.

WHAT WE OFFER

We're all about diversity. We operate in 200 countries and speak 60 different languages and cultures. We're really proud of our inclusive environment. Our offices are comfortable and fun places to work, and we make sure you get to work from home too. Find out what it's like to join our team and take a step closer to your best life ever.

🏡 Flex Week: Work from home up to 2 days/week (depending on your team's needs)

⏰ Flex Day: Make your workday suit your life and plans.

🌎 Flex-Location: Take up to 30 days a year to work from any location in the world.

🌿 Employee Wellbeing: We have got you covered with our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), for you and your dependents 24/7, 365 days/year. We also offer Champion Health - a personalized platform that supports a range of wellbeing needs.

🚀 Professional Development: At SITA, we believe growth fuels innovation. Our learning ecosystem offers access to world-class platforms and programs designed to help you thrive. From LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft's Enterprise Skills Initiative, and Airport Council International -available to all employees-to specialized solutions like Pluralsight for technology upskilling, Harvard Business Publishing for people leadership, Stanford for strategic development and many others, we align learning opportunities with your Development Plan and our business priorities. Your development journey is supported every step of the way.

🙌 Competitive Benefits: Competitive benefits that make sense with both your local market and employment status.

SITA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workforce. In support of our Employment Equity Program, we encourage women, aboriginal people, members of visible minorities, and/or persons with disabilities to apply and self-identify in the application process.