Full Stack Developer (Independent Contractor)

Who The Client Is: Our client is an Australian advisory, delivery, and technology business specializing in proprietary software products, client-facing technology solutions, and internal platforms that enhance business operations. They are currently investing heavily in product development and are seeking their first dedicated engineering hire to collaborate closely with leadership in building and scaling their SaaS platform, client-facing solutions, and internal technology tools.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Full Stack Developer who can take ownership of building, improving, and maintaining software products across the entire development lifecycle. You will work directly with the Head of Product to prototype, design, build, and ship features across the company’s SaaS platform, client solutions, and internal business systems.

This role is ideal for a developer who enjoys working in a fast-moving environment, thrives with autonomy, and is comfortable taking responsibility for the quality, performance, and reliability of what they deliver.

Key Responsibilities

Full Stack Development

• Design, build, and maintain scalable web applications across frontend and backend systems.
• Develop new product features from concept through deployment.
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Product to prototype and validate new ideas.
• Build solutions across customer-facing platforms, internal business tools, and client projects.
• Deliver clean, maintainable, and well-structured code.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to engineering best practices.
• Ensure applications are reliable, performant, and secure.

Frontend Development

• Build responsive and intuitive user interfaces using React and modern frontend technologies.
• Develop reusable components and scalable frontend architecture.
• Implement features that provide excellent user experience and usability.
• Work closely with product stakeholders to translate requirements into functional interfaces.
• Troubleshoot and resolve frontend issues and performance bottlenecks.

Backend Development

• Build and maintain backend services using Node.js and TypeScript.
• Design APIs and business logic to support application functionality.
• Develop secure and scalable integrations between systems.
• Optimize database interactions and application performance.
• Implement testing, monitoring, and debugging processes to maintain application reliability.

Product and Platform Development

• Contribute to the ongoing development of the company’s SaaS platform.
• Assist with technical design and architecture decisions.
• Support rapid experimentation and feature prototyping.
• Help establish development standards, workflows, and engineering processes.
• Participate in technical discussions regarding scalability, security, and maintainability.

AI-Assisted Engineering

• Use AI development tools to improve development speed and efficiency.
• Critically review, validate, and improve AI-generated code.
• Maintain accountability for code quality regardless of how code is produced.
• Apply sound engineering judgment when using AI-assisted development workflows.
• Continuously evaluate emerging AI technologies and development practices.

Troubleshooting and Continuous Improvement

• Investigate and resolve bugs, technical issues, and system failures.
• Identify root causes and implement long-term solutions.
• Improve application performance, reliability, and maintainability.
• Contribute ideas that improve development workflows and product quality.
• Document technical decisions and implementation details where required.

Requirements

Skills and Experience

Essential

• 3–5+ years of experience as a Full Stack Developer, Software Engineer, or similar role.
• Strong commercial experience with React.
• Strong commercial experience with Node.js and TypeScript.
• Solid understanding of software engineering principles, architecture, and development best practices.
• Experience designing, building, and maintaining production-grade web applications.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with APIs and backend services.
• Experience using Git and modern software development workflows.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills.
• Comfortable working in an environment with evolving requirements and ambiguity.
• Experience working collaboratively with product stakeholders and non-technical team members.

Highly Desirable

• Experience with Next.js.
• Experience with PostgreSQL.
• Experience with Supabase, including Row Level Security (RLS).
• Experience deploying applications using Vercel.
• Experience with Python.
• Experience working on SaaS products.
• Experience as an early engineering hire or within startup environments.
• Experience using AI-powered development tools and workflows.
• Exposure to system architecture and platform design discussions.

What We Are Looking For

• Highly autonomous and comfortable owning outcomes.
• A strong problem solver who enjoys tackling complex technical challenges.
• Comfortable working in an environment with changing priorities and evolving requirements.
• Curious and proactive when learning new technologies and tools.
• Accountable for the quality of their work and technical decisions.
• Able to balance speed, quality, and maintainability.
• Detail-oriented and committed to delivering high-quality solutions.
• Comfortable explaining technical concepts and reasoning clearly.
• Collaborative while also capable of working independently.
• Excited about helping build and shape a growing technology platform.

How Success Will Be Measured

• Delivery of high-quality product features and enhancements.
• Reliability, scalability, and maintainability of systems delivered.
• Ability to independently solve technical challenges.
• Effective collaboration with product and business stakeholders.
• Quality of technical design and implementation decisions.
• Speed and effectiveness of feature development.
• Ability to leverage AI tools responsibly while maintaining engineering quality.
• Contribution to improving engineering processes and technical standards.
• Positive impact on product development velocity and business outcomes.