SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Xero is seeking a Senior or Staff Applied Scientist to join their AI Products team in Melbourne. This role focuses on translating complex business problems into elegant, data-driven products and services through rigorous scientific thinking, algorithms, and analytical data processing.
You will lead applied research programs that underpin new product features, working with messy, complex data to drive the application of scientific methods. Your responsibilities include breaking down large business problems into manageable applied research tasks, writing testable and maintainable code in Python or Scala to build robust data pipelines, and developing machine learning applications across domains such as NLP, computer vision, and Large Language Models.
The role emphasizes taking research from theory to real-world deployment at scale. You will collaborate closely with engineers, designers, and product owners in a cross-functional team dedicated to delivering intelligent services for small businesses. A key aspect of this position is lifting scientific competency across Xero by championing high coding standards, mentoring colleagues, and cultivating an environment of intellectual rigor and healthy skepticism.
You will map customer needs to appropriate machine learning frameworks, ensuring the team uses simple methods where they work and complex ones where needed. The position requires expert-level hands-on skills in applied science with a proven track record of deployment, strong foundations in probability, linear algebra, calculus, and software engineering, and exceptional communication abilities to share complex findings with both technical and executive stakeholders.
Xero offers a flexible hybrid working model with modern office spaces in Melbourne and expectations around collaborative office days. The team operates within a broader global science community, balancing business objectives with research demands to solve tangible real-world customer problems.
