Senior / Lead Software Engineer, TradeNet

About the role

As a Senior or Lead Software Engineer within the TradeNet division, you will play a pivotal role in the evolution of Singapore's national trade infrastructure. This position centers on the ambitious TradeNet Rebuild initiative, which aims to transition a mission-critical platform that processes millions of trade permits annually into a robust, in-house managed ecosystem. You will be instrumental in shaping the future of this high-stakes environment by focusing on architectural longevity, system maintainability, and the seamless integration of complex trade regulations into digital solutions.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the architectural design and implementation of core software components specifically for the TradeNet Rebuild project.
• Oversee the end-to-end software development lifecycle, encompassing initial system design, rigorous testing, deployment, real-time monitoring, and ongoing production support.
• Translate complex trade regulations and government policies into functional, high-performance, and scalable software architectures.
• Advocate for technical strategies and design decisions using objective data, while maintaining a collaborative mindset to incorporate peer feedback.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by optimizing internal tooling, enhancing system performance, and streamlining developer workflows.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers and domain experts, to ensure technical solutions meet national trade requirements.
• Mentor junior engineers and foster a culture of technical excellence, code quality, and architectural integrity.
• Implement robust security practices and observability standards to ensure the platform remains secure and resilient under heavy load.
• Manage the migration of legacy processes into a modern, maintainable, and cloud-native architecture.
• Participate in code reviews and architectural design sessions to ensure consistency across the entire TradeNet platform.

Requirements

• Possession of a degree or diploma in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in software engineering, with a proven track record of working on large-scale, high-traffic, or highly complex distributed systems.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the full software development lifecycle, including deep familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, security best practices, automated testing, and system observability.
• Hands-on, practical expertise in backend development using Kotlin or Java, coupled with strong proficiency in relational database management, specifically PostgreSQL.
• Demonstrated experience in cloud-native deployment strategies, containerization technologies, and orchestration platforms.
• Proficiency in modern frontend development, with a strong ability to build responsive and intuitive user interfaces using ReactJS or similar industry-standard frameworks.
• A strong sense of technical ownership, with the ability to lead projects from the initial conceptualization phase through to successful production deployment.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate the complexities of national-level infrastructure projects.

Nice to have

• Prior experience working within the public sector or on government-grade digital infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with event-driven architectures and microservices design patterns.
• Experience in managing or contributing to open-source projects or large-scale internal platform migrations.
• Strong understanding of trade-related protocols, customs processes, or logistics-based software systems.

Skills & tools

• Backend: Kotlin, Java
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Frontend: ReactJS
• Infrastructure: Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP), Containerization (Docker), Orchestration (Kubernetes)
• DevOps: CI/CD, Observability tools, Security best practices

Practical notes

• GovTech offers a comprehensive total rewards package, which includes competitive salary structures, wellness initiatives, and generous leave benefits.
• We support flexible work arrangements, allowing for a balanced approach to professional responsibilities depending on the specific needs of the TradeNet project.
• The organization is committed to being an equal opportunity employer, actively fostering an inclusive hiring environment that values diversity of thought and background.
• Candidates should be prepared to undergo background vetting processes commensurate with the sensitivity of working on national trade infrastructure.

About the company

GovTech is the lead agency driving Singapore's Smart Nation initiatives and public sector digital transformation. As the Centre of Excellence for Infocomm Technology and Smart Systems (ICT & SS), GovTech develops the Singapore Government's capabilities in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, Application Development, Smart City Technology, Digital Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity.