Graduate engineers

Graduate engineers work with front-end and back-end teams, enhancing functionality, features, architecture, and more.

An abstract image in shades of blue featuring overlapping shapes.

The role

As a graduate engineer, you’ll have the opportunity to rotate through different specialisations in both product and platform teams.

In our product teams, we innovate new features, fix bugs, and enhance functionality. Our teams are made up of front-end and back-end specialists, and we work on desktop and mobile applications and do full-stack development.

In our platform teams, we build things that last a long time and that everyone relies on. Rotations include platform development, site and data reliability, development, architecture, integration, and platform-as-a-service engineers.

With a choice of rotations throughout the grad year, you’re empowered to drive your own learning and explore different teams and ways of working. This will help you decide what is most important to you at this stage of your career and what you’d like to focus on.

Two graduate engineers get to know each other at the start of the grad program.

What we’d like to see from you

Ideally you’ll:

  • be able to take a logical approach to work and cope well with change
  • be a great communicator who likes working in agile teams
  • like working with servers or data, and if you like to script or write code, then that’s a great combo
  • love problem-solving, thinking on your feet, helping other people and taking the initiative
  • enjoy investigating why things work, not just how they work
  • enjoy building solutions for other Xero staff, removing pain points and making their lives easier

As a graduate engineer, you’ll get:

  • four rotations across the technology teams in your grad year
  • access to learning programs to build on your professional and technical skills
  • support from your mentors, managers and the grad team
  • networking opportunities across our global teams

If this sounds like you, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

How to apply

Due to the number of applications we receive, we ask that you only apply for one role in one location. Please take some time to research each opportunity available before submitting your application.

If you’re invited to a grad day, it will include technical and soft skills interviews, as well as group and individual challenges.

Applications open on 28 February 2022 and close on 29 April 2022.

Graduate engineer: Canberra

Graduate engineer: Melbourne

The application process

You’ll progress through the application process in these stages.

Step 1: Submit CV and meet eligibility criteria

The first thing you need to do is meet the eligibility criteria.

Our eligibility criteria for the graduate program are:

  • Full-time working rights
  • Fewer than 12 months professional working experience in relevant industries
  • Availability to start full-time in February 2023

Our eligibility criteria for internships are:

  • Availability for full-time work from November 2022 through to February 2023
  • Be in your penultimate year of study in your chosen field

When you apply, your CV will only be used to verify your eligibility and won’t be used for screening purposes.

Step 2: Complete a values assessment

Once you’ve met the eligibility criteria, you’ll be invited to complete a values assessment. Find out more about Xero’s values.

Step 3: Complete behavioural and skills assessments

Then you’ll be asked to complete a behavioural assessment, which you can practice here, and a technical skills assessment (30–90 minutes).

You’ll also need to complete a HackerRank test, which you can practice here. While it’s not all about the test results, this is a language-agnostic testing platform that helps us understand what level and range of skills you currently have.

Step 4: Record a short video interview for our team

Next, you’ll be invited to pre-record a video interview for our team.

If your video interview is successful, you’ll be invited to attend a grad day.

We’ll review all applications before making a decision so you can expect to hear from us in June 2022.

Step 5: Attend the virtual grad day

The grad day is a half-day virtual event where you’ll be assessed across three different activities: an interview, a technical assessment, and a group activity. You’ll also have an opportunity to learn more about Xero and the grad program, and meet some previous grads.