Senior Data Engineer

Company description:

The Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population. For more information about the Department of Education, please visit

Job description:

• Two ongoing, full-time roles
• Located in Eveleigh with flexible working arrangements available
• Salary: Clerk Grade 11/12 with base salary ranging from $149,739 to $173,174 per annum, plus employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading

The NSW Department of Education's Information Technology Directorate (ITD) is transforming. There is an exciting opportunity within Data, Integration and AI Engineering. Join our Engineering and Development team and be part of a team responsible for driving key data engineering initiatives and delivering high-impact solutions across the organization.

The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, highly detail-oriented team-player with a positive drive to implement strategic data solutions that help the business uncover valuable insights.

About the role:

• Design and implement data platforms and frameworks using Synapse Analytics, PySpark, Fabric, and Data Factory
• Optimize performance and cost for Spark/Delta workloads
• Work closely with enterprise architects to design and deliver the organisation's enterprise data platform
• Manage and maintain the data engineering backlog, ensuring timely delivery and prioritization of key tasks
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering a collaborative and high-performance engineering team
• Continuously explore and apply emerging technologies and techniques to improve data engineering practices

For further information please click here to view the role description

About you:

• Be confident managing stakeholders at all levels and have good communication skills
• Strong background in data lakehouses, data platform frameworks, and data mesh architecture
• Expert-level knowledge of PySpark and SQL; hands-on experience with Synapse and Fabric (Spark + Pipelines)
• Experience in data warehousing, data modeling, and end-to-end business intelligence solutions using Power BI, SQL, and DAX
• Experience with Azure DevOps, including branching strategies and pipelines
• Proven track record delivering data solutions for projects with large-scale data volumes
• Experience applying AI/LLMs to data engineering (optional)
• Demonstrated experience in analytics or data warehousing environments
• Demonstrated experience with PySpark, Microsoft SQL databases, and Azure Synapse Analytics/Databricks

Essential requirements of the role:

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline or equivalent industry experience.
• Valid working with children check for paid employment
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of public education.

Benefits:

• 35 hour working week
• Competitive, salary sacrificing, employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading
• Flex Leave entitlements, generous holidays & leave conditions
• Opportunities for advancement and mobility across the Department to support your career growth

How to apply

Attach a resume (maximum 5 pages) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements and capabilities of this role.

Please refer to the Applicant's Guide to Applying to assist you with your application.

If you are an existing Education Support Staff (corporate staff) with the NSW Department of Education, click here for instructions on how to submit your application.

All other applicants please submit your application by clicking 'Apply Now'.

Note: the selection process will include a range of assessment techniques to assist in determining your suitability for the role. Successful candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening for this role which includes a National Criminal History Check.

As a condition of employment, successful candidates who are not currently employed by the department will be required to provide a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) Clearance number. This option would allow the WWCC to naturally expire without further communication needed with the employee. The employer obligations under the WWCC would apply for duration of the WWCC's validity (up to 5 years).

Closing date: 8 October 2025 at 11:59pm.

For role enquiries please contact Ryan Castle at

For recruitment process enquiries, please contact

We welcome applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, refugees and people with disability. If we can make some adjustments to our recruitment/interview process to better enable you to shine, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Team ) or visit NSW Department of Education Diversity and Inclusion.

A recruitment pool may be created through this recruitment process. A recruitment pool is a group of applicants who have been assessed and identified as suitable for this role, and who may be considered for a range of similar roles, including temporary, term or ongoing roles, over the next 18 months.