Software Engineer – Defence (C#)

Swordfish; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9-day fortnight

SAFe training

Relocation support

Job summary

Swordfish in Mawson Lakes, Adelaide, is seeking a mid-level Software Engineer with C# experience to develop advanced software for Australian Defence. You will join an Agile team contributing to design, implementation, testing, and delivery of reliable software.

The role offers exposure to microservices, distributed systems, and SAFe, with formal training provided. On-site work and relocation support are available for suitable candidates.

Qualifications

• Approximately three or more years of professional software engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing software using C#.
• Experience with object-oriented design and software engineering principles.
• Experience using Git for source control and collaborative development.
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, testing and integration.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, integrate and maintain software components using C#.
• Contribute to modern software architectures, including microservices and distributed systems.
• Work collaboratively with software engineers, systems engineers and other technical specialists to understand and implement requirements.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, code reviews, testing and integration.
• Develop automated tests and contribute to software quality, reliability and maintainability.
• Investigate and resolve technical issues through analysis, debugging and collaborative problem solving.

Skills

C#

Object-oriented design

Git

Analytical problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering or Computer Science

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD pipelines

Linux Bash

Job description

Job Category: Software & Computer Systems Engineering

Develop modern C# software for advanced Defence systems supporting Australia's warfighters.

Work with modern technologies including microservices, containerisation and distributed systems.

Gain hands‑on experience with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), with formal training provided.

Enjoy a 9-day fortnight with every second Friday off, or a standard working fortnight if preferred.

We are seeking a talented Software Engineer with C# experience to join our team developing advanced software capabilities for Australian Defence.

This is an opportunity to work on complex, real‑world engineering challenges within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team, contributing to an operational Defence capability being delivered to the warfighter.

About us

At Swordfish, we specialise in delivering transformative innovation to our Defence clients through integrated teams that combine engineering disciplines with deep Defence domain knowledge, specialist skills in applied sciences, mathematics and digital technologies.

We are passionate about applying quality engineering and embracing emerging technologies to bring innovative solutions to Defence.

Over the past 25 years, Swordfish has established a reputation for outstanding innovative R&D and is a preferred and trusted industry partner to Defence clients. We are proudly Australian owned and operated and are committed to safeguarding our sovereignty, citizens and national interests by helping to provide Australian Defence with a capability edge.

At Swordfish, we value our people and maintaining a culture that provides a positive and impactful work experience for each person.

Job Description

What we are looking for

We are seeking a mid-level Software Engineer with approximately three or more years of professional software development experience and demonstrated capability in C#.

The successful candidate will join an established Agile engineering team developing modern software systems for Defence. You will contribute to software design, implementation, integration and testing, working alongside experienced engineers to deliver reliable, high‑quality software.

The role offers exposure to modern software architectures, including microservices and distributed systems, and an opportunity to gain practical experience working within the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).

You do not need previous Defence industry experience or SAFe knowledge. We are looking for capable software engineers who enjoy technical challenges, value quality engineering practices and are enthusiastic about applying their skills to meaningful Defence outcomes.

We are particularly interested in people who:

Enjoy solving complex technical problems and developing high‑quality software.

Take pride in producing clean, maintainable and well‑tested code.

Collaborate effectively and contribute positively to team outcomes.

Are keen to learn new technologies, engineering practices and application domains.

Want to see their work contribute to operational Defence capabilities.

Enjoy software projects with a strong focus on planning and process.

What you will do

Design, develop, integrate and maintain software components using C#.

Contribute to modern software architectures, including microservices and distributed systems.

Work collaboratively with software engineers, systems engineers and other technical specialists to understand and implement requirements.

Participate in the full software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, code reviews, testing and integration.

Develop automated tests and contribute to software quality, reliability and maintainability.

Investigate and resolve technical issues through analysis, debugging and collaborative problem‑solving.

Contribute to technical design discussions and continuous improvement initiatives.

Work within a SAFe Agile team, participating in iteration planning, reviews, demonstrations and Program Increment (PI) Planning.

Build your technical knowledge through hands‑on experience, formal training and collaboration with experienced colleagues.

Desired Skills and Experience

Essential Skills and Experience

Approximately three or more years of professional software engineering experience, with flexibility for candidates demonstrating strong technical capability.

Demonstrated experience developing software using C#.

Experience with object‑oriented design and software engineering principles.

Experience using Git for source control and collaborative development.

Understanding of the software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, testing and integration.

Strong analytical, debugging and technical problem‑solving skills.

Good written and verbal communication skills.

A collaborative approach and commitment to producing high‑quality software.

Desirable Skills and Experience

Experience designing or developing microservice‑based applications.

Experience with containerisation technologies such as Docker.

Knowledge of container orchestration technologies such as Kubernetes.

Experience with distributed messaging technologies such as MQTT, Kafka, or DDS.

Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automated build and deployment processes.

Experience with Linux environments and Bash scripting.

Experience with automated testing and integration testing.

Familiarity with Agile software development practices, including Scrum.

Exposure to the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).

Previous experience developing software for Defence, aerospace or other complex engineering systems.

Previous experience with all these technologies is not expected. We value engineers with strong fundamentals and a willingness to learn and develop new capabilities.

Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Systems Engineering or a related technical discipline.

A current Australian Government NV1 security clearance is mandatory.

Location and Working Arrangements

This is a permanent, full‑time position based on‑site at Mawson Lakes, Adelaide.

Due to the secure nature of the development environment, the successful candidate must be able to work on‑site full‑time.

The preferred working arrangement is a compacted 9‑day fortnight (75‑hour fortnight), with a rostered day off (RDO) every second Friday. A standard 10‑day fortnight is also available for employees who prefer that arrangement.

Meaningful and rewarding work contributing directly to Australia's Defence capability.

A positive and supportive culture with experienced engineering colleagues.

A 9‑day fortnight with every second Friday off.

Formal SAFe training and practical experience working within a large‑scale Agile engineering environment.

Exposure to modern C# development, microservices and distributed technologies.

Support for ongoing professional development and career progression.

Attractive remuneration commensurate with skills and experience.

Relocation support for suitable interstate candidates.

Shape your career with us

We build careers that matter.

We recognise that every career path is unique and place a high priority on understanding and supporting our staff's professional aspirations through individually tailored approaches.

Whether your interests lie in deepening your software engineering expertise, learning modern development technologies or progressing towards technical leadership, Swordfish provides opportunities to develop your capabilities while making a meaningful contribution to Australian Defence.