Senior .NET Full Stack Software Engineer Sourcing Strategy

Canberra | Baseline Clearance | Senior / EL1 Equivalent

1. Simple Explanation of the Role

What this person actually does day-to-day A Senior .NET Full Stack Software Engineer is a professional software developer who builds and maintains government digital systems from top to bottom. "Full stack" means they work on both the parts of a system that users see and interact with (the front end — buttons, screens, forms) and the parts that run invisibly in the background to process data and make things work (the back end). ".NET" refers to Microsoft's software development framework, which is the most widely used in Australian Government due to its security, reliability and compatibility with Microsoft's cloud platform, Azure.

Day-to-day, this person will be writing code to build recent features or fix bugs in government applications, connecting systems so they can talk to each other, deploying and managing software in the cloud (Microsoft Azure), writing automated tests to make sure their code works correctly, reviewing the work of other developers on the team, and documenting what they have built so others can understand and maintain it. In a modern government context, they will also be using AI-assisted tools to help them write, test and improve code faster and with fewer errors.

How to recognise a good candidate (in plain English)

A strong candidate will have solid hands-on experience building web applications using Microsoft's .NET framework — ideally the most recent versions (8 or 10). They should be able to point to real systems they have designed, built and deployed, not just maintained. Look for someone who is comfortable working in both the front-end (Angular or React) and back-end (.NET APIs), has built and deployed software using Azure, has worked in an Agile team environment, and ideally has some government or regulated sector experience.

The best candidates will also be able to communicate technical decisions clearly to people who aren't developers, and will have a track record of mentoring junior team members.

2. What to Look for on a Candidate's Profile

Key skills and technologies to spot

- .NET 8 or .NET 10, ASP.NET Web API, C#
- Angular or React (front-end frameworks)
- Microsoft Azure (cloud platform — look for Azure DevOps, Azure Functions, Azure App Services)
- Docker and Kubernetes (tools for packaging and running software in a consistent, scalable way)
- Microservices architecture (building systems as small, independent components rather than one large system)
- DevSecOps (building security into the development process, not just adding it at the end)
- Automated testing and test-driven development
- Agile or Scrum delivery methodology
- AI-assisted development tools (GitHub Copilot, Azure OpenAI, etc.)
- Technical documentation and reusable component design

Job titles to look for

Senior .NET Developer, Senior Full Stack Developer, Senior Software Engineer (.NET), Senior C# Developer, Senior Software Developer, .NET Full Stack Engineer, Senior Backend Developer (.NET), Azure Software Engineer, Senior Application Developer, Cloud Software Engineer.

Signs they have relevant experience

- Lists .NET 8 or recent .NET versions — candidates still working only in older versions (e.g. .NET Framework 4.x) may need upskilling
- Shows both front-end and back-end skills on their profile, not just one or the other
- Mentions Azure DevOps, CI/CD pipelines or cloud deployment — signals they understand modern delivery, not just coding
- Has worked in government, defence, financial services, healthcare or another regulated environment
- Mentions Docker and Kubernetes — signals they build production-grade, cloud-ready software




- Shows progression to senior level with references to mentoring, architecture decisions or tech lead responsibilities
- Lists Baseline clearance or past government employment as a proxy for eligibility

3. Alternative Job Titles

1. Senior .NET Developer
2. Senior Full Stack Developer (.NET)
3. Senior Software Engineer (C# / .NET)
4. Senior C# Developer
5. Senior Application Developer
6. .NET Full Stack Engineer
7. Azure Software Engineer
8. Senior Backend Developer
9. Cloud Application Developer
10. Software Development Lead (.NET)

4. Boolean Search Strings

These can be copied and pasted directly into LinkedIn, SEEK or your CRM.

String 1 — Core .NET and full stack focus

`(".NET" OR "C#" OR "ASP.NET") AND ("Angular" OR "React") AND ("Azure") AND Canberra`

String 2 — Modern .NET and cloud deployment

`(".NET 8" OR ".NET Core" OR "ASP.NET Web API") AND ("Docker" OR "Kubernetes" OR "Azure DevOps") AND Canberra`

String 3 — Government and clearance focus

`(".NET" OR "C#") AND ("full stack" OR "software engineer") AND ("government" OR "baseline clearance" OR "security clearance") AND Canberra`

String 4 — Microservices and DevSecOps focus

`(".NET" OR "C#") AND ("microservices" OR "DevSecOps" OR "DevOps") AND ("Azure") AND Canberra`

String 5 — Broader senior developer search

`("senior developer" OR "senior software engineer" OR "full stack developer") AND (".NET" OR "C#") AND Canberra`

5. Target Companies

Company Why they are relevant Leidos Australia Major government ICT contractor with large software development teams delivering digital systems for Defence and Commonwealth agencies DXC Technology Large government managed services and software delivery provider with significant .NET development capability Accenture Federal Consulting firm with a strong government digital and software engineering practice, including Azure and .NET delivery Datacom Government IT provider with software development teams across Canberra supporting Commonwealth digital transformation programs ThoughtWorks Global software consultancy known for engineering excellence — strong source of full stack and cloud-native developers DVGA / Versent / Cloudreach Cloud specialist consultancies with Azure-focused engineering teams supporting government clients Deloitte / KPMG / PwC Big Four with technology delivery practices that include .NET and Azure developers working on government programs Services Australia / ATO / DTA / DEWR / AEC / PMC / Treasury / DAFF Large Commonwealth agencies with in-house software development teams — good for passive candidates already in government Defence / ASD / NDIA Direct government employers of cleared developers — strong source of candidates already working in secure environments Fujitsu Australia (Oobe) Government IT services provider with software engineering capability supporting multiple agencies Telstra Purple / NTT Enterprise technology service providers with Azure development practices supporting government contracts Certus Solutions / Empired (now Capgemini) Microsoft-focused government technology firms with strong .NET and Azure delivery capability Canberra-based software consultancies (e.g. Redpath, Instilled, WayPath) Smaller boutique firms with senior .NET talent working on government and enterprise contracts

6. Different Ways to Search

By job title





Work through the alternative titles in Section 3 one at a time using LinkedIn's dedicated title filter — not the general keyword search bar. Because ".NET developer" is a common role, adding "Senior" and "Canberra" as filters will significantly narrow your results to the right level and location. Try both full phrases ("Senior .NET Full Stack Developer") and shorter variants ("Senior .NET Developer", "Senior C# Engineer").

By company

Go directly to the LinkedIn pages of Leidos, DXC, Accenture, Datacom and ThoughtWorks and browse their Canberra-based employees. Filter within their employee lists by keywords like ".NET", "C#", "Azure" or "full stack". Many experienced government .NET developers are not actively looking but are open to the right opportunity — direct company searching is one of the most effective approaches in the Canberra market.

By keywords and skills

Search directly for the technology names — ".NET 8", "ASP.NET Web API", "Angular", "React", "Docker", "Kubernetes", "Azure DevOps". These are specific enough that candidates who list them have genuine hands-on experience. Combining two or three of these terms with "Canberra" and "senior" gives you a tightly targeted result set without too much noise.

By government or clearance experience

Search for "Baseline clearance", "AGSVA", "Commonwealth" or "government" in combination with .NET or C# terms. Candidates with existing clearances — even expired ones — are significantly faster to place than those applying for the first time, so clearance status should be one of your first qualifying questions. Past employers like Services Australia, ATO, DTA, Defence or Home Affairs are strong proxies for clearance eligibility even where it is not explicitly stated on the profile.

7. Step-by-Step Sourcing Checklist

Week 1 — Understand the role and set up your searches

- Read through this sourcing strategy in full
- Look up 3–5 LinkedIn profiles with the title "Senior .NET Developer" or "Senior Full Stack Developer" in Canberra to understand what strong profiles look like
- Confirm with your manager whether active Baseline clearance is mandatory or whether eligibility (past government employment, Australian citizen) is acceptable
- Clarify whether front-end experience (Angular or React) is a hard requirement or whether a stronger back-end developer with some front-end exposure would be considered

Week 1–2 — Search LinkedIn and target companies

- Run each of the five Boolean strings and save shortlisted profiles to your CRM
- Visit Leidos, DXC, Accenture, Datacom and ThoughtWorks LinkedIn pages and browse Canberra-based .NET and Azure developers
- Filter employee lists by ".NET", "C#" or "full stack" and add strong profiles to your shortlist

Week 2 — Expand to other channels

- Post the role on SEEK using ".NET", "C#", "Azure", "Angular" and "full stack" as keywords
- Search your internal CRM for past .NET or Azure developer candidates in Canberra
- Ask colleagues for referrals — the Canberra government developer community is relatively tight-knit

Week 2–3 — Outreach and screening

- Send personalised LinkedIn messages referencing specific skills or projects you noticed on their profile
- In your first screening conversation, confirm: current .NET version experience (.NET 8 or 10 preferred), Azure hands-on delivery, full stack capability (both front and back end), clearance status, and interest in government work
- Prioritise candidates who mention both Azure DevOps and Docker or Kubernetes — these signal production-grade cloud experience, not just coding on a laptop

Ongoing

- Record every candidate contacted in your CRM even if not immediately suitable
- Note which Boolean strings, company pages or channels produced the best results and refine your approach for future .NET or Azure developer roles

📌 Senior .Net Full Stack Software Engineer (Developer) (Canberra)
🏢 Resolve Recruit
📍 Canberra