Software Developer, AI-Enabled Product Development

About HIHAA Learning HIHAA Learning is an emerging EdTech initiative developing educational applications, interactive digital products, and technology-enabled learning experiences. We are looking for a Software Developer who can take an application idea, understand its purpose, define a realistic Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and turn it into something that can be tested and evaluated with real users. The role is particularly suited to someone who uses AI-enabled development workflows to improve productivity while maintaining a strong understanding of the software being developed. The focus is not on knowing every technology. We are looking for someone who can: Understand a product idea and its intended usersDefine what should and should not be included in the MVPBuild functional prototypes and applicationsUse AI effectively throughout the development workflowTest and evaluate whether the MVP achieves its purposeIdentify problems and opportunities for improvementMake practical decisions about what should be developed next Key Responsibilities MVP Development and Evaluation A major part of the role is understanding what should actually be built before starting development. You will: Translate early product ideas into clearly defined MVPsIdentify the main user problem the application is intended to solveDefine the essential features required for the first usable versionSeparate essential functionality from features that can be developed laterBuild prototypes and functional MVPs for testingEvaluate whether the main user workflow works as intendedGather and interpret feedback from early usersIdentify what should be improved, simplified, removed, or developed furtherHelp determine whether an MVP provides enough value to justify further developmentThe objective is not simply to produce more features. It is to build the smallest useful version of the product, test it, learn from it, and improve it. AI-Enabled Development Workflow AI-assisted development will be an important part of the workflow. You will: Use AI coding assistants and development agents to accelerate implementationUse AI for code scaffolding, debugging, testing, documentation, refactoring, and code reviewEvaluate AI-generated solutions before integrating them into the applicationUnderstand the code being generated rather than accepting it automaticallyIdentify incorrect, inefficient, insecure, or unnecessarily complex AI-generated solutionsUse AI to explore unfamiliar technologies while maintaining responsibility for technical decisionsDocument important development decisions where appropriateExperience with tools such as GitHub Copilot, Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, or similar AI-enabled development environments would be valuable. We are not looking for someone who simply generates applications using AI. We are looking for someone who can use AI as part of a professional software development workflow. Application Development You will contribute to developing web, mobile, or interactive applications from prototype to functional product. Depending on the project, this may include: Developing user interfacesImplementing application logicBuilding or integrating backend servicesWorking with APIsManaging application databasesImplementing authentication and user accountsIntegrating external servicesDeploying applications to appropriate platformsMaintaining clear and manageable project structuresYou should be comfortable working across enough of the application stack to independently develop or make a significant contribution to an early-stage product. Product Thinking We are looking for someone who thinks about the application from the user's perspective, not only from a technical perspective. You should be comfortable asking: Who is this application for?What problem are we trying to solve?What is the simplest useful version of this product?What must work before we test it with users?Does this feature contribute to the core purpose of the application?What does the feedback tell us?What should we change before adding more features?Is further development justified by what we have learned?Experience with early-stage products, prototypes, startup projects, personal applications, or independently developed software would be valuable. Software Security Security should be considered throughout the development process. You should have a practical understanding of: Secure authentication and authorisationInput validationAPI securitySecrets and credential managementDependency managementUser data protectionCommon application vulnerabilitiesSecure handling of AI-generated codeYou do not need to be a cybersecurity specialist. However, you should understand that AI-generated code must be reviewed, tested, and evaluated for security and reliability. Testing and Quality You should be comfortable testing and critically evaluating what you build. This includes: Testing the complete user workflowDebugging application problemsChecking important edge casesReviewing application logsValidating AI-generated codeIdentifying usability problemsIdentifying performance or reliability issuesTesting across relevant devices and environmentsConfirming that the MVP actually achieves its intended purposeFor an MVP, the priority is making sure the core user journey works reliably before expanding the application. Core Skills We are looking for practical experience in: Software development: Ability to design and implement functional applications rather than only isolated pieces of code.Web and/or mobile development: Experience with modern application development frameworks and workflows.AI-assisted development: Ability to use AI coding tools effectively while understanding and validating their output.MVP development: Ability to reduce an idea to its essential functionality, build it, test it, and evaluate the result.Git and GitHub: Experience with repositories, branches, commits, pull requests, issue tracking, and maintaining understandable project history.APIs and databases: Experience integrating external services and managing application data.Software security fundamentals: Understanding of secure coding, authentication, access control, API security, dependency security, and data protection.Testing and debugging: Ability to systematically investigate problems and verify that application features work correctly.Technical communication: Ability to explain what was built, why an approach was selected, what limitations remain, and what should happen next.We are more interested in demonstrated capability and practical projects than a specific number of years of experience. Bonus Skills The following are useful but not required: 3D modelling: Experience with Blender, SketchUp, 3ds Max, or similar tools.2D and 3D graphics: Experience creating or integrating visual assets into applications.Interactive development: Experience with Godot, Unity, Unreal Engine, or similar technologies.UI/UX: Experience designing intuitive interfaces, particularly for educational applications.Animation: Experience incorporating animation or interactive visual content into applications.AI/ML integration: Practical experience integrating AI APIs, existing models, speech technologies, computer vision, or other intelligent features.Cloud technologies: Experience with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Firebase, Supabase, or similar services.These are additional strengths. We are not expecting one person to be an expert in all of these areas. What We Value We are looking for someone who can work with an idea and progressively turn it into a usable product. We value: Practical problem solvingUnderstanding the purpose of an MVPKnowing when an MVP has enough functionality for testingAbility to work independentlyEffective use of AI development toolsAbility to critically evaluate AI-generated solutionsSecure and responsible developmentClear technical communicationWillingness to test assumptions rather than continuously adding featuresCuriosity and willingness to learn new technologiesAbility to receive feedback and improve a product based on evidenceYou do not need to know everything. You should be comfortable learning new technologies and using AI to accelerate that process without becoming dependent on solutions you do not understand. What to Include With Your Application We would like to see evidence of things you have actually built. You may include: GitHub profile or repositoriesWeb applicationsMobile applicationsMVPs or prototypesPersonal software projectsStartup projectsCybersecurity projectsInteractive applicationsOther relevant technical workFor one or two projects, we would particularly like to understand: What problem were you trying to solve?What was the MVP?What did you personally build?What technologies did you use?How did you use AI during development?How did you test the application?What did you learn from the result?What would you improve in the next version?One well-understood project is more valuable than a long list of technologies. Opportunity Details Location: Melbourne, Australia / RemoteWorkplace: Flexible / RemoteEngagement: Initial opportunity / project-based / potential future collaborationExperience level: Flexible, with practical capability valued more than years of experienceHIHAA Learning is currently developing and validating early products. This opportunity is suited to someone who enjoys moving through the complete product cycle: Idea → MVP → Build → Test → Evaluate → Improve