Lead Microservices & AI Technical Architect

🚀 Lead Microservices & AI Technical Architect – Federal Government📍 Canberra, ACT / Interstate candidates considered🏠 Hybrid / flexible / remote arrangements available☁️ Primary cloud environment: Microsoft Azure🔐 Must be able to obtain Baseline security clearance📅 12 months + 2 x 12-month extension options⏱️ Up to 40 hours per week💰 Competitive benchmark around $160/hour incl. super; exceptional candidates considered up to $180/hour incl. super
Azooa is preparing a response for RFQ LH-07526 – Lead Microservices and AI Technical Architect with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) and is seeking highly experienced technical architects for this senior Federal Government opportunity.This is an EL2-equivalent Lead position supporting a significant business application transformation program.DISR is establishing its first enterprise Microservices and Event-Driven Architecture foundations and embedding AI-enabled engineering practices throughout the software delivery lifecycle.The successful architect will provide technical leadership, influence system builds and engineering decisions, establish modern architecture and engineering practices, guide enterprise AI adoption and ensure capability transfer occurs throughout delivery.
🎯 The OpportunityThis is not a traditional architecture role focused solely on producing designs and governance documentation.DISR is looking for a hands-on senior technical authority who can operate across architecture, engineering, cloud platforms, AI delivery and enterprise transformation.You will help shape how modern business applications are designed, built, integrated, deployed and operated across the department.
The role will work across:Microservices + Event-Driven Architecture + Azure + Enterprise AI + Platform Engineering + DevSecOps + CI/CD + Observability + Containerisation + Software Engineering + Enterprise Transformation
DISR has confirmed that its primary cloud environment is Microsoft Azure.
🏗️ What You’ll Be LeadingYou will provide technical leadership and architectural authority across cloud-native, microservices-based and AI-enabled enterprise platforms.Key responsibilities include:• Designing and governing secure, scalable and resilient cloud-native architectures• Establishing enterprise microservices architecture foundations• Establishing event-driven architecture patterns and standards• Defining reusable technical and engineering patterns• Influencing system builds and major engineering decisions• Providing architecture governance and technical assurance• Leading application and platform modernisation• Driving containerisation and cloud-native adoption• Improving enterprise systems integration• Establishing modern platform-engineering practices• Leading DevSecOps and CI/CD maturity• Improving automated testing and engineering quality• Establishing enterprise observability practices• Supporting Site Reliability Engineering principles• Improving platform security, scalability, resilience and maintainability• Guiding adoption of AI throughout the software delivery lifecycle• Leading multidisciplinary technical teams and delivery partners• Working with senior executives, architects, engineers and business stakeholders• Building internal engineering capability through coaching and knowledge transfer• Promoting engineering excellence and continuous improvement.
🤖 Enterprise AI EngineeringAI is a core element of this role.DISR is seeking someone with demonstrated expertise in AI engineering and AI-enabled solution delivery, rather than someone whose experience is limited to AI strategy or advisory work.Relevant experience may include:Enterprise AI architectureAI application engineeringEnterprise AI capability developmentAI deployment and operationalisationSemantic searchMachine learning solutionsResponsible AIAI-enabled software developmentAI integration into enterprise applicationsAI platform engineeringGovernance and operational controls for AI solutions
The successful architect will help determine how AI capabilities can be securely and sustainably incorporated into DISR’s application and engineering ecosystem.This includes influencing how AI is developed, integrated, tested, deployed, governed and operated in enterprise environments.
☁️ Microservices & Event-Driven ArchitectureA major objective of the program is establishing DISR’s first enterprise foundations for Microservices and Event-Driven Architecture.We are therefore particularly interested in architects with deep experience across:• Microservices design and governance• Event-driven architecture• Distributed enterprise systems• Cloud-native application architecture• API-led integration• Enterprise integration patterns• Asynchronous messaging and event processing• Scalable business-critical platforms• Resilience and fault-tolerant design• Security by design• Reusable architecture patterns• Legacy/application modernisationYou should be comfortable moving beyond conceptual architecture and influencing the practical engineering decisions required to establish these capabilities at enterprise scale.
☁️ Azure & Platform EngineeringDISR has confirmed that it primarily uses Microsoft Azure, so strong Azure architecture experience will be highly relevant.
We are interested in experience across areas such as:Microsoft AzureAzure-native application architectureAzure Kubernetes Service – AKSContainerisationKubernetes / OpenShiftCloud platform modernisationPlatform engineeringInfrastructure and platform automationDevSecOpsCI/CDAutomated testingObservabilitySite Reliability Engineering – SRESecurity by designOperational excellence
Experience with Kubernetes, OpenShift, AKS, EKS or GKE is specifically identified as desirable in the RFQ.
🛠️ Software & Engineering LeadershipThe successful architect must also demonstrate strong software and platform engineering capability.This includes establishing engineering practices that enable teams to consistently deliver secure, scalable and maintainable services.Relevant capability includes:• Modern application-development frameworks• Software engineering standards• DevSecOps• CI/CD pipelines• Automated testing• Observability• Platform engineering• Security by design• Engineering governance• Operational resilience• Enterprise-scale automation• Engineering maturity uplift
This role needs someone who can work effectively with engineers and delivery teams — not simply hand architecture down to development teams.
✅ Essential CriteriaCandidates will need strong evidence against all five RFQ essential criteria.1. Cloud Native, Microservices & Event-Driven ArchitectureExtensive experience designing, implementing and governing cloud-native, microservices and event-driven architectures within complex enterprise environments, delivering scalable, resilient and secure business-critical platforms.2. AI EngineeringDemonstrated expertise in AI engineering and AI-enabled solution delivery, including development, deployment and operationalisation of enterprise AI capabilities, semantic search, machine learning solutions and responsible AI practices.3. Software & Platform EngineeringStrong software-engineering and platform-engineering capability, including modern development frameworks, DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing, observability, security by design and operational excellence.4. Enterprise Technology ModernisationProven ability to lead enterprise technology modernisation and transformation initiatives, provide technical direction, influence architecture decisions and deliver measurable improvements in reliability, security, scalability and engineering maturity.5. Leadership & Stakeholder EngagementExceptional stakeholder engagement, communication and leadership capability with demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams, delivery partners and senior executives while translating complex business requirements into practical technical outcomes.⭐ Highly Desirable ExperienceAdditional experience that will strengthen your application includes:• Kubernetes• OpenShift• AKS / EKS / GKE• Container-platform engineering• Platform automation and governance• Workload management• Azure/cloud-platform modernisation• Site Reliability Engineering• Enterprise observability• Enterprise-scale automation• Agile delivery• Coaching geographically distributed teams• Engineering capability uplift• Technical mentoring• Continuous-improvement leadership.
👥 Leadership & Capability TransferThis position is also about leaving DISR with stronger internal engineering capability.The successful candidate will be expected to provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams, establish governance and engineering practices, mentor technical personnel and enable knowledge transfer throughout delivery.We therefore want someone who can combine deep technical credibility with strong leadership and stakeholder influence.Experience working with senior executives and successfully translating complex technology issues into practical business outcomes will be important.
📋 Engagement DetailsRFQ: LH-07526Department: Department of Industry, Science and ResourcesRole: Lead Microservices and AI Technical ArchitectExperience level: Lead – EL2 equivalentEstimated start: 1 October 2026Initial contract: 12 monthsExtension options: 2 x 12 monthsPotential total duration: Up to 36 monthsMaximum hours: 40 hours per weekPrimary location: Canberra, ACTWork arrangement: Hybrid / flexible / remote candidates consideredPrimary cloud environment: Microsoft AzureClearance: Must be able to obtain Baseline.