Software Engineer

Wellington City Council; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

Flexible working options

Health and wellbeing support

Staff discounts

Learning and development programmes

Job summary

Wellington City Council is seeking a Software Engineer in the Enterprise Applications team to design, develop, test and maintain council applications and digital services for staff and the public.

You will own components, translate requirements into practical software, and contribute across the SDLC with a focus on quality, maintainability and continuous improvement. Collaboration with stakeholders and mentoring junior engineers are key aspects.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional software development experience.
• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent.
• Strong knowledge of CI/CD, GitHub and developer tooling.
• Experience using AI in the software development lifecycle, including AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot.
• Strong understanding of databases (SQL and NoSQL), APIs and system integration.
• Experience in Agile software development environments and delivering production software.
• Strong focus on clean, maintainable, well-tested code.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test and maintain applications used by staff and the public.
• Take ownership of components, ensuring reliability and maintainability.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate requirements into software solutions.
• Contribute across the software development lifecycle, including planning, coding, testing, code reviews and release.
• Improve development practices and tooling across Digital and Technology.
• Use AI-assisted development and modern tooling to boost quality and delivery.
• Troubleshoot and optimise existing applications and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Work with APIs, databases, integrations and cloud services to deliver connected solutions.
• Communicate progress, risks and dependencies clearly with project teams and business owners.
• Provide guidance to Junior Software Engineers through mentoring and coaching.

Skills

CI/CD

GitHub

AI-assisted development

APIs

Databases

Agile

Cloud platforms

Code quality

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

GitHub Copilot

Pulumi

Terraform

Job description

Wellington City Council is here to create a city where people want to live, work and play. Our Customer and Community Group brings together the services that help make Wellington a well-connected, engaged and thriving city.

Our Digital and Technology team helps bring this to life through smart technology, digital innovation and connected information systems. From the platforms our people rely on every day to the digital services our communities use, our technology supports the delivery of essential services across Wellington.

We’re looking for a Software Engineer to join our Enterprise Applications team and help develop, enhance and maintain the applications and digital services that support our people, our organisation and our city.

This is a hands‑on software development role where you’ll work across the development lifecycle, from understanding requirements and designing solutions through to testing, deployment and ongoing improvement. You’ll work closely with other engineers, technical leads, testers, business analysts, project teams and business owners to build practical, reliable and well‑tested solutions.

You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to how we develop software, including the use of AI‑assisted development practices, modern tooling and continuous improvement across our development workflows.

Ko waitātou| The role

• Design, develop, test and maintain applications and digital services used by Council staff and the public.
• Take ownership of components of solutions and ensure they are reliable, maintainable and fit for purpose.
• Work with technical and business stakeholders to understand requirements and turn them into practical software solutions.
• Contribute across the software development lifecycle, including planning, estimation, coding, testing, code reviews and release.
• Help improve development practices, tools and ways of working across Digital and Technology.
• Use AI‑assisted development practices and modern tooling to improve code quality, testing and delivery.
• Troubleshoot, debug and optimise existing applications and contribute to their continuous improvement.
• Work with APIs, databases, integrations and cloud services to deliver connected solutions.
• Communicate progress, risks, dependencies and technical considerations clearly with project teams and business owners.
• Provide guidance and support to Junior Software Engineers through coaching, peer learning and mentoring.
• Make pragmatic technical decisions, balancing user needs, quality and delivery without unnecessarily over‑complicating solutions.

Ko waikoe| About you

You’ll bring strong professional software development experience and a practical approach to building and improving technology that people rely on.

You’ll have:

• A degree in Computer Science or a related discipline, or equivalent education and practical experience.
• At least 7 years’ professional experience as a software developer.
• Strong knowledge of modern software development practices, including CI/CD, GitHub and developer tooling.
• Experience using AI within the software development lifecycle, including AI‑assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot.
• Strong understanding of databases (SQL and NO SQL), APIs and system integration.
• Experience taking technical work from initial requirements through to software being delivered to users.
• Experience working within an Agile software development environment.
• A strong focus on clean, maintainable, efficient and well‑tested code.
• Experience troubleshooting and improving existing systems and applications.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms and services, with exposure to infrastructure‑as‑code tools such as Pulumi, or Terraform, being useful.
• The ability to explain technical concepts clearly to people with different levels of technical understanding.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build effective relationships with developers, technical leads, testers, business analysts and business stakeholders.
• A commitment to continuous learning and keeping your technical skills current.

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

Working for the Council offers you a range of benefits including 5 weeks annual leave, flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, Council staff discounts and a range of learning and development programmes and opportunities.

Applications close Sunday 4 October 2026.

All applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand and be prepared to undergo a Ministry of Justice pre‑employment check.

Diversity: We want your application to enable you to portray the real you. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the advert through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter. We welcome applications from all walks of life and like our workforce to reflect the diverse communities we serve.

Accessibility Support: We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have, are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone. Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support, we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing: [e-mail]

Location(s): Wellington CBD, Wellington suburbs, All of Wellington