Xero is seeking a Machine Learning Engineer to join the AI Products group onsite in Sydney. You will design and build the infrastructure powering AI features for millions of users, taking models from research to production while collaborating with Applied Scientists across a global team. The role emphasizes Python and system design for scalable data and AI, SQL with distributed engines such as Spark or Dask, and ML tooling (MLFlow, TensorFlow, PyTorch) with orchestration (Airflow, Prefect). Strong communication and a willingness to explore LLM applications are key. Apply even if not a perfect match, highlight concrete examples, production experience, and collaborative mindset.
The role & impact
At Xero, ML Engineers are the builders behind the intelligence. As an ML Engineer within the AI Products group, you will design and develop the infrastructure and services that power AI products reaching millions of customers every day. Working closely with Applied Scientists, you will help take models from research environments into reliable, scalable production systems — bridging the gap between experimentation and real-world impact.
This is a role where the work you do genuinely matters. The systems you build sit at the heart of Xero's AI capabilities, helping small businesses save time, make better decisions, and focus on what they do best.
The team & how they connect
The AI Products group sits within Xero's Data & Science function and brings together ML Engineers and Applied Scientists focused on turning data into products that genuinely improve the day-to-day lives of small business owners. The team is globally distributed and works closely across disciplines — engineering, science, product, and analysis — so that AI capabilities move from research into the hands of customers effectively and responsibly. Collaboration and knowledge sharing are core to how this team operates.
The team is currently working on
A Python-based ML infrastructure built to support both research flexibility and production reliability, including tooling across MLFlow, TensorFlow, and PyTorch
Data orchestration pipelines using Airflow and Prefect, with distributed processing workloads running on AWS EMR
Scalable AI services that serve real-time product experiences for millions of Xero users
The next generation of LLM-powered features, exploring how large language models can reduce toil and surface better insights for small businesses
Where and how you can work
Here are some of the things we are looking for
Strong coding skills in Python and a solid grasp of system design principles for data and AI applications at scale
SQL proficiency and familiarity with distributed processing frameworks such as Spark or Dask
Hands-on experience with ML tooling — frameworks like MLFlow, TensorFlow, or PyTorch, and orchestration tools such as Airflow or Prefect
The ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
An interest in how LLM technologies can be applied to real product challenges, and a willingness to learn and experiment in this space
Comfort working collaboratively across engineering and science disciplines, contributing to shared standards and practices
Apply even if your experience isn't a perfect match! At Xero, we hire based on your skills, passion, and the unique perspective you can bring to enhance our culture and team.