The Role

At Black Dog Institute we are shaping the future of Mental Health. We turn cutting-edge research into digital products which change lives. Now we are building a new product team, and we are looking for a Tech Lead to shape this future.

The purpose of the Technical Lead role is to drive the technical direction and execution of new and existing digital products and services from concept to launch. This includes shaping product architecture, rapidly prototyping MVPs, and integrating emerging AI development tools to accelerate delivery.

Working closely with product managers, designers and 3rd party developers, this role ensures that what we build is not only functional—but scalable, secure, and future-ready. As the primary technical voice in a small, fast-moving team, the Technical Lead balances hands-on development with strategic decision-making, and plays a critical role in bringing innovative, digital products to life.

The Technical Lead will also play a pivotal part in driving the adoption of cutting edge AI tooling to expedite delivery, automate work practices and bring about substantial change in how we deliver future product solutions.

Duties & Responsibilities

Technology Strategy & Leadership

• Define and drive a forward-thinking technology strategy aligned with product objectives and the broader organisational mission.

• Champion AI-assisted development and automation as a core capability across the product team, continually evolving our tooling and workflows.

• Ensure architectural decisions support scalability, maintainability, and speed-to-market, especially for rapid MVP development.

• Collaborate with product, design, and research to translate ideas into sound, scalable technical solutions.

End-to-End Technical Delivery

• Lead the full technical lifecycle of product development—from early prototyping to robust production deployment.

• Build MVPs and POCs using AI coding platforms (e.g., Windsurf, Cursor, Replit) and full-stack frameworks.

• Establish engineering practices that balance experimentation with reliability, including clear versioning, testing, and code management.

• Set technical delivery standards that reduce risk, accelerate timelines, and enable sustainable product growth. AI-Native Development & Tooling

• Stay at the forefront of AI-native development practices, identifying emerging tools that streamline or enhance product delivery.

• Train and support cross-functional teams in using AI tooling for automation and more efficient work practices.

• Explore ways AI can be embedded into both internal processes and the end-user product experience.

• Act as the technical centre of excellence for AI use across the digital product function.

Technical Collaboration & Vendor Management

• Work closely with the BDI internal IT team to ensure systems architecture aligns with organisation strategy

• Work closely with external vendors to deliver quality technical outcomes on time and within scope.

• Evaluate third-party platforms, APIs, and development partners to ensure technical fit, data compliance, and scalability.

• Provide clear technical documentation, decision rationale, and support handover for long-term sustainability.

Security, Quality & Deployment Standards

• Implement and maintain best-practice security, performance, and reliability standards in all builds.

• Guide infrastructure choices (e.g., cloud services, DevOps workflows, CI/CD) based on product needs and constraints.

• Ensure all technical solutions meet organisational policies for data privacy, accessibility, and ethical AI use.

Skills & Experience Required 

• Tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Engineering, Software Development, or a related field—or equivalent practical experience.

• Minimum 3yrs experience in technical roles across digital product development, with demonstrated ability to take ideas from concept to code.

• A builder's mindset, with previous experience taking products from idea to launch.

• Full-Stack confidence and a love for experimentation.

• Experience with AI-Driven development, and eagerness to make this part of your workflow.

• Ability to zoom out strategically and dive in tactically.

• Strong understanding of modern solution architecture principles, paired with hands-on experience building full-stack web or mobile applications.

• Familiarity with AI coding platforms (e.g., Windsurf, Cursor, Replit) and a strong interest in emerging AI-assisted development practices.

• Ability to work closely with product managers, designers, and external vendors to co-create and deliver high-quality digital products.

• Experience in prototyping and MVP builds using a mix of AI tools, traditional frameworks, and low-code platforms.

• Strong communication skills and an ability to explain technical trade-offs to non-technical audiences.

• Comfortable working in lean, fast-moving environments with a pragmatic, get-it-done attitude.

• Exposure to agile workflows, version control (e.g. Git), and modern CI/CD practices.

• Passion for learning, experimentation, and pushing the boundaries of how software can be built.

EEO Statement
Black Dog Institute is committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects our wider community. We ensure equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, appearance, carer status, cultural and/or racial background, disability, gender identity, lived experience, religion or sexual orientation. 
 

How to Apply 
To become a part of the Black Dog Institute team, follow the link to ELMO to apply and submit your most up to date resume. If you are shortlisted for the role, we will call you and let you know you are successful. Please do not respond to any suspicious emails requesting you to upload your ID or personal details. We are a 2022 Circle Back Initiative Employer and commit to respond to every applicant.