At Air New Zealand, we’re reimagining the future of travel by embedding AI at the heart of how we serve our customers and empower our people. We are looking for a Senior AI Engineer to contribute to the design and delivery of enterprise-scale AI applications that unlock new possibilities across the business.
In this role, you will build and scale Generative AI solutions that are built on a foundation of enterprise-grade Python. You will collaborate with data scientists, product managers, and software engineers to turn cutting-edge models into robust, production-ready systems that integrate seamlessly with our digital platforms.
This is a hands-on role where you’ll balance coding, architecture, and cutting-edge AI. You’ll help drive the engineering of reliable, secure, and high-performing AI services, while mentoring others and influencing Air New Zealand’s AI strategy. Your work will directly support innovations such as personalised digital experiences, smarter operations, and AI-assisted employee tools that make travel simpler, smarter, and more sustainable.
The Role You’ll Play
As a Senior AI Engineer, you will:
- Design, build, and productionise Generative AI applications with enterprise-grade Python.
- Develop APIs, microservices, and cloud-native pipelines to integrate AI into enterprise systems.
- Implement safeguards, guardrails, monitoring, and governance for responsible AI usage.
- Work closely with software engineers, SREs, and security teams to deliver secure, observable, and resilient platforms.
- Contribute to and influence platform strategy, tooling choices, and roadmap decisions across the organisation.
- Collaborate with business teams to identify opportunities where Generative AI can deliver value.
- Stay ahead of emerging GenAI technologies and bring innovative approaches into practice
What You’ll Bring
You’re a Principal or Senior Engineer with a passion for solving real-world problems using AI and data, combined with deep expertise in Python development at an enterprise scale. You’re equally comfortable designing system architectures, writing clean production code, and guiding others to deliver high-quality solutions with LLMs and generative AI.
- 5+ years' experience developing large-scale, production-grade applications in Python.
- Proven expertise in Generative AI — e.g. large language models (LLMs), transformer architectures, vector databases, embeddings, and/or prompt engineering.
- Experience with observability for AI-powered applications.
- Knowledge of enterprise software design patterns, microservices, and API development.
- Experience with cloud platforms (AWS - preferred, Azure, or GCP) and containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes).
- A collaborative mindset with the ability to bridge AI innovation and enterprise needs.
What You’ll Get in Return
- A chance to work on industry-leading, high-impact platforms that support Air New Zealand’s digital products.
- A respectful, diverse, and inclusive team culture where you’ll be supported and valued.
- A collaborative environment with continuous learning and career development opportunities.
- Competitive salary and unique staff travel benefits to help you explore the world.
- Flexibility and support to bring your authentic self to work — we embrace individuality and creativity.
Sounds exciting? Take flight and apply now!
Additional Information
At Air New Zealand, we are proudly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and believe in creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. Our people are our greatest asset – because while everything else we do in our operation can be replicated by our competitors, it is our people that truly set us apart. We are firm believers in celebrating the differences and diversity of thought our people bring to their roles. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including those with a disability, additional health and mental health needs, and/or are neurodiverse to apply for our roles.
If you have encountered any accessibility barriers and require further information or reasonable accommodations to our recruitment process, please reach out to the recruiter listed on this job advert so they are able to support you to freely participate equitably in our recruitment and selection process.
Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Ko te pae tata whakamaua, kia tina.
"Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality."
