Senior AI Architect

Application closing date: Friday, 20 November 2026 • 11:59pm, Canberra time

Estimated start date: Monday, 11 January 2027

Location of work: ACT

Working arrangements: Full-time onsite for the first 6 weeks. A hybrid WFH arrangement, usually a minimum of 2 days per week onsite, will be considered from the location of their capital city.

Length of contract: 12 months

Contract extensions: Up to a maximum of 24 months

Security clearance: Must have an active Baseline clearance

Rates: $140 - $160 per hour (inc. super)

Services Australia is at the frontline of government service delivery, supporting millions of Australians, and is front and centre of a vision to be a world leader in government service delivery. It’s using cutting-edge technology to build world class platforms and capabilities to help Australians get on with their lives.

The Senior Artificial Intelligence (AI) Architect provides enterprise level architecture leadership for the agency’s adoption of AI. The role shapes AI architecture strategy and delivers secure, scalable and responsible architecture solutions aligned with business priorities and enterprise architecture.

The role translates requirements and operational needs into practical AI capabilities, establishes reusable patterns and governance, and guides integration across data, technology and business processes. It supports improved service delivery, workforce productivity and decision-making while reducing implementation risk and enabling safe, sustainable AI adoption at scale.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain the agency’s AI architecture strategy, target architecture, principles, standards, reference architectures, reusable patterns and roadmaps.
• Translate business, policy, service delivery and ICT requirements into secure, scalable, resilient and supportable end-to-end AI architectures, supported by clear options, decision records and implementation guidance.
• Assess AI opportunities, platforms, models and tools against strategic alignment, business and public value, feasibility, data readiness, interoperability, cost, risk, performance, supportability and vendor dependency.
• Define and assure architecture patterns, guardrails and controls across the AI lifecycle for generative AI, large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, machine learning, intelligent automation and emerging AI technologies.
• Provide architecture assurance and clear advice on options, trade-offs and risks to senior stakeholders and governance forums, collaborating across business, architecture, data, cyber security, privacy, legal, procurement, delivery and operations.
• Build APS capability through mentoring, workshops, architecture walkthroughs, reusable guidance, templates and structured knowledge transfer.

Knowledge / Qualifications required:

• Strong knowledge across enterprise and solution architecture practices, methods and governance applicable to large, complex organisations.
• Strong knowledge across enterprise and solution architecture practices, methods and governance applicable to large, complex organisations.
• Strong knowledge of AI security, assurance, privacy, governance and regulatory obligations relevant to government and regulated environments.
• Strong knowledge of AI SDLC practices and the architecture, engineering and governance considerations required to transition AI solutions from experimentation through to production
• Understanding of contemporary AI delivery and operations, including machine learning operations, large language model operations, agentic, model monitoring, service management and technology risk management.
• Ability to communicate, negotiate and influence effectively with executives, governance bodies, technical specialists, delivery teams and business stakeholders.
• Ability to work through ambiguity, resolve competing priorities and provide clear, evidence-based architecture recommendations.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications or recognised certifications in architecture, information technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, data science, engineering, cloud or cyber security would be advantageous.

Technical skills required:

• Ability to develop AI strategies, roadmaps, reference, platform and AI security architectures, reusable patterns, options assessments and architecture decision records.
• Ability to define, support and assure responsible AI, privacy, security, data governance, human oversight, auditability and model-risk controls.
• Ability to evaluate AI platforms, models, tools and vendors against business needs, technical feasibility, interoperability, performance, cost, supportability and value for money.
• Ability to define and assure non-functional requirements for AI services, including availability, resilience, capacity, latency, observability, maintainability and disaster recovery.

Essential criteria

1. Demonstrated ability to analyse complex business issues within the cyber security domain; deliver pragmatic, risk-based recommendations; influence stakeholders; collaborate across multidisciplinary teams; and transfer knowledge to APS personnel.
2. Enterprise AI architecture and solution design: Demonstrated experience developing enterprise-scale, end-to-end AI architectures in complex environments, including architecture strategies, roadmaps, platform and reference architectures, patterns and decision records across data, models, applications, integration, cloud, infrastructure, cyber security and operations.
3. AI technology and lifecycle architecture: Demonstrated applied knowledge of generative AI, large language models, machine learning, retrieval-augmented generation, agentic and AI lifecycle management, including evaluation, implementation, testing, monitoring, optimisation and operational support.
4. Secure, responsible and risk-based and resilient AI design: Demonstrated ability to design secure, scalable, resilient, supportable and cost-effective AI solutions aligned with enterprise architecture, cyber security, privacy, responsible AI, performance, availability and operational requirements. Responses should include evidence of evaluating options, risks, trade-offs and controls.
5. Architecture leadership, communication and capability transfer: Demonstrated experience providing clear architecture advice to senior stakeholders and governance forums, influencing decisions, collaborating across multidisciplinary teams and transferring knowledge through documented artefacts, workshops, mentoring, reusable methods and templates.
   

Desirable criteria

1. Experience delivering AI architecture within the Australian Government or another large, complex and highly regulated environment or industry.
2. Experience developing AI strategies, target-state architectures, investment roadmaps and platform or product evaluations that consider feasibility, benefits, cost, risk and public value.
3. Experience progressing AI capabilities beyond proof of concept into secure, monitored and scalable production services.
4. Relevant tertiary qualifications or recognised certifications in architecture, information technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, data science, engineering, cloud or cyber security.

HOW TO APPLY

Please provide an updated CV (a maximum of 3-5 pages) to reflect your suitability to the role based on the job description. You will also need to complete responses to the essential and desirable criteria which is no more than 5000 characters for each response. Your application will be reviewed based on ability to demonstrate, or potential to develop, the capabilities required.