AustLII Foundation Limited · Sydney > Ultimo, Australia
Help shape the future of free access to law in Australia. A rare opportunity to take on a future-focused, high-impact role enhancing access to justice for millions of users in the AI era.
Join AustLII at a pivotal moment and work with recognised pioneers in computer science and law to shape the future of free legal information.
AustLII ( austlii.edu.au ) is at a pivotal point in its growth. Under the leadership of world-class academics in computer science and law, we are developing the next generation of legal information services, combining trusted legal content, advanced search capabilities and new and emerging AI technologies to further strengthen free access to legal information in Australia.
Required Skills:
- Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology or related discipline, or equivalent combination of education, training and practical experience, together with extensive experience in backend development, software engineering or platform engineering
- Demonstrated ability to design, build, optimise and modernise production-quality backend systems and services, including improving performance, maintainability and reliability in complex or data-intensive software environments
- Advanced proficiency in server-side programming languages, ideally including Python or Perl and C/C++ or Java, with the ability to troubleshoot, refactor and improve complex software systems while maintaining reliability and continuity of service
- Demonstrated experience working with SQL and relational databases such as PostgreSQL, together with practical experience in search, indexing or information retrieval technologies such as OpenSearch, Elasticsearch, Vespa, Solr or similar platforms
- Proven ability to develop and support secure APIs, data flows, retrieval systems and integration layers that enable reliable exchange of information across applications, search indexes, internal tools and user-facing services
- Strong understanding of secure software development practices, automated testing, code review, documentation, CI/CD practices, Linux-based environments and containerised deployment approaches, with a commitment to clean, maintainable and well-documented code
- Practical experience or strong conceptual understanding of AI-enabled services, semantic retrieval, vector search, embeddings, reranking technologies, LLM APIs, retrieval-augmented generation or related technologies, and the ability to assess how these capabilities can be appropriately integrated into backend systems
- Demonstrated capacity to investigate and resolve complex technical issues, and make practical technical decisions that support system performance, scalability, security and reliability
- Ability to clarify and analyse functional requirements, translate them into effective technical solutions, and deliver backend and digital services that meet organisational, user and operational needs
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical teams, explain complex technical concepts clearly, contribute constructively to code reviews and documentation, and support a collaborative engineering culture
Nice to Have Skills:
- Knowledge of Australian law and the legal system or previous experience working with legal information or legal knowledge systems
- Previous experience working in an agile software engineering environment
- Experience working within small to medium-sized organisations, research institutions, digital information services or mission-driven organisations
- Familiarity with cloud, on-premise or hybrid technology environments
- A genuine interest in AustLII’s mission to expand free access to legal information or digital public infrastructure or technologies that support access to information
Work Authorization:
Must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Interview Process:
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an initial interview, between 45-60 minutes, held in person, with a mix of technical and behavioural questions. We aim to keep candidates informed in a timely manner and will advise outcomes as soon as possible.
If you progress after interview, we will undertake reference checks and you will need to complete other relevant pre-employment background checks and clearances, including qualification verification.
For an initial discussion, contact Leah Angrisano, Organisational Design and Development Manager, AustLII, at [email protected] using the subject line: Backend & Systems Developer / Engineer - x2 enquiry via EthicalJobs or via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/leah-angrisano-8bb67825 .
Supporting Materials:
Attachment icon Backend & Systems Developer-Engineer - Position Description - AustLII Foundation.pdf