Infrastructure Engineer

📍 Job Overview

• Job Title: Infrastructure Engineer
• Company: Xero
• Location: Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
• Job Type: Permanent
• Category: DevOps Engineer, System Administrator, Web Infrastructure
• Date Posted: 2025-07-10
• Experience Level: Mid-Senior level (2-5 years)
• Remote Status: On-site (Wellington, NZ)

🚀 Role Summary

• 📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on enabling organizational scale and agility through robust and automated infrastructure and tooling processes. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps, with a passion for mentoring junior team members.

• As an Infrastructure Engineer at Xero, you will be responsible for ensuring our infrastructure and tooling are an enabler of organizational scale and agility. This includes designing and implementing cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS, developing strong development processes that support engineering productivity and customer satisfaction, and optimizing observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

• 📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a broad range of technical skills and experience, with a focus on infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps.

• Collaborate and support internal teams with the design and implementation of cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS that enable organizational scale, agility, and reliability.

• Develop and implement strong development processes that support engineering productivity and customer satisfaction by leveraging automation processes in testing, deployment, and rollback procedures.

• Develop Infrastructure as Code templates and providers to automate the provisioning and configuration of cloud resources, ensuring consistency and repeatability across environments.

• Analyze and optimize observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications via New Relic, Cloudwatch, Sumologic, etc.

• Coach and mentor engineers within the team on programming best practices with a focus on engineering excellence.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A relevant Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Experience:

• Proven experience (2-5 years) in a DevOps, Release Engineering, Development, or similar role.

Required Skills:

• Experience with relevant technologies used throughout the SDLC, such as source control systems (in particular Git), build tools (such as Github Actions), deployment tools (such as Terraform, Docker, AWS deployment tooling, etc.), and monitoring tools (such as New Relic, Cloudwatch, Sumologic, etc.).
• Experience across a broad range of technology domains, including networking, O/S (especially Linux), Docker and AWS ECS, EventStore and/or Postgres. It will also require knowledge of PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
• Experience in a range of languages (.Net, Python) and proficiency with CI/CD concepts and tooling.
• Experience with improving release processes and deployment pipelines using approaches like blue/green deployments, canary releases, testing in production, and feature flagging.
• Experience and a passion for mentoring junior team members.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
• Experience with developing and implementing strong development processes that support engineering productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Experience with analyzing and optimizing observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

• 📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated, demonstrating relevant infrastructure projects, cloud-based solutions, and mentoring experiences in your portfolio will be beneficial for this role.

• Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrate your experience with infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps through relevant projects.
  • Showcase your ability to design and implement cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
  • Highlight your experience with developing and implementing strong development processes that support engineering productivity and customer satisfaction.
  • Display your expertise in analyzing and optimizing observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications.

• Technical Documentation:

  • Provide clear and concise documentation of your infrastructure projects, including code quality, version control, deployment processes, and server configuration.
  • Include testing methodologies, performance metrics, and optimization techniques used in your projects.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: The average salary for an Infrastructure Engineer in Wellington, New Zealand, is approximately NZD 90,000 - 120,000 per year (based on Glassdoor and Payscale data). However, the salary for this role may vary depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications.

• Benefits:

  • Generous Paid Leave
  • Paid Leave for Wellbeing
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Free Medical Insurance
  • Wellbeing and Sports Programmes
  • Employee Resource Groups
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Employee Share Plan
  • Flexible Working
  • Career Development

• Working Hours: Full-time position with standard working hours, typically 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Flexible working arrangements may be available.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

• Industry: Xero is a cloud-based accounting software company, with a strong focus on technology and innovation. This role will be part of the Engineering team, working closely with other engineering teams, Principal Engineers, and Product Managers.

• Company Size: Xero has over 3,000 employees worldwide, providing a large and diverse team to work with and learn from.

• Founded: Xero was founded in 2006, with a mission to make life better for small businesses. The company has since grown to become a global leader in cloud-based accounting software.

• Team Structure:

  • The Infrastructure team consists of experienced engineers who collaborate with other engineering teams, Principal Engineers, and Product Managers to ensure the infrastructure and tooling enable organizational scale and agility.
  • The team follows Agile methodologies, with regular sprint planning, code reviews, and testing practices.

• Development Methodology:

  • Xero follows Agile/Scrum methodologies, with regular sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint retrospectives.
  • The company emphasizes code review, testing, and quality assurance practices to ensure the delivery of high-quality products.
  • Deployment strategies include CI/CD pipelines, automated deployment, and blue/green deployments to ensure minimal downtime and quick recovery.

• Company Website: Xero

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

• Web Technology Career Level: This role is at the mid-senior level, with a focus on enabling organizational scale and agility through robust and automated infrastructure and tooling processes. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps, with a passion for mentoring junior team members.

• Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Engineering Manager within the Infrastructure team. The team works closely with other engineering teams, Principal Engineers, and Product Managers to ensure the infrastructure and tooling enable organizational scale and agility.

• Technical Impact: As an Infrastructure Engineer at Xero, you will have a significant impact on the company's ability to scale and maintain its cloud-based infrastructure and tooling. Your work will directly contribute to the reliability, performance, and cost-effectiveness of Xero's products, ensuring that they meet the needs of both Xero customers and partners.

• Growth Opportunities:

  • Technical Growth: This role offers the opportunity to gain experience with cutting-edge infrastructure and tooling technologies, as well as mentoring junior team members and contributing to the development of best practices within the team.
  • Leadership Growth: As an experienced Infrastructure Engineer, you may have the opportunity to take on a leadership role within the team, mentoring junior engineers and contributing to the strategic direction of the infrastructure and tooling.
  • Career Progression: With experience and demonstrated success in this role, you may have the opportunity to progress to a more senior role within the Infrastructure team or explore other opportunities within Xero's Engineering organization.

🌐 Work Environment

• Office Type: Xero's Wellington office is a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster innovation and creativity. The office features open-plan workspaces, meeting rooms, and breakout areas, as well as on-site amenities such as a café and wellness facilities.

• Office Location(s): Xero's Wellington office is located in the heart of the city, with easy access to public transportation and nearby amenities.

• Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Workspace: The office features open-plan workspaces, encouraging collaboration and communication among team members.
  • Development Tools: Xero provides its engineers with access to the latest development tools and technologies, including IDEs, version control systems, and cloud-based infrastructure and tooling.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: The Infrastructure team works closely with other engineering teams, Principal Engineers, and Product Managers to ensure the infrastructure and tooling enable organizational scale and agility.

• Work Schedule: Full-time position with standard working hours, typically 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Flexible working arrangements may be available.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

• Interview Process:

  • Technical Phone Screen: A brief phone call to discuss your experience and qualifications for the role.
  • Technical Deep Dive: A more in-depth technical conversation focused on your experience with infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps. Be prepared to discuss your experience with relevant technologies, such as source control systems, build tools, deployment tools, and monitoring tools.
  • Behavioral Interview: A conversation focused on your problem-solving skills, communication, and teamwork abilities. Be prepared to discuss your experience with mentoring junior team members and contributing to the development of best practices within the team.
  • Final Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager to discuss your fit for the role and the team, as well as any remaining questions you may have.

• Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Demonstrate your experience with infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps through relevant projects in your portfolio.
  • Highlight your ability to design and implement cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
  • Showcase your experience with developing and implementing strong development processes that support engineering productivity and customer satisfaction.
  • Display your expertise in analyzing and optimizing observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications.

• Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Brush up on your knowledge of relevant technologies, such as source control systems, build tools, deployment tools, and monitoring tools.
  • Prepare for questions about your experience with mentoring junior team members and contributing to the development of best practices within the team.
  • Research Xero's products and services to ensure you have a solid understanding of the company and its mission.

• ATS Keywords: Infrastructure Engineering, Cloud Computing, DevOps, AWS, Linux, Docker, Monitoring Tools, CI/CD, PaaS, IaaS, Networking, Release Engineering, Mentoring, Programming, Observability, Agile, Scrum, Code Review, Testing, Quality Assurance, Deployment, Blue/Green Deployments, Canary Releases, Feature Flagging, Engineering Excellence, Organizational Scale, Agility, Reliability, Performance, Cost-Effectiveness.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

• Cloud Platform: AWS (Amazon Web Services)
• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, AWS CloudFormation
• Containerization: Docker, AWS ECS
• Version Control: Git, GitHub
• Build Tools: GitHub Actions, Jenkins
• Monitoring Tools: New Relic, Cloudwatch, Sumologic
• Programming Languages: .Net, Python
• Databases: EventStore, Postgres
• Networking: Linux, AWS networking services

👥 Team Culture & Values

• Web Development Values:

  • Customer Focus: Xero prioritizes the needs of its customers, ensuring that its products and services meet their needs and exceed their expectations.
  • Innovation: Xero encourages its employees to think creatively and take risks in order to drive innovation and improve its products and services.
  • Collaboration: Xero fosters a culture of collaboration and teamwork, with a focus on open communication and knowledge sharing.
  • Integrity: Xero values honesty, transparency, and ethical behavior in all of its interactions with customers, partners, and employees.

• Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Integration: The Infrastructure team works closely with other engineering teams, Principal Engineers, and Product Managers to ensure the infrastructure and tooling enable organizational scale and agility.
  • Code Review Culture: Xero places a strong emphasis on code review, with a focus on ensuring the quality and maintainability of its codebase.
  • Peer Programming: Xero encourages peer programming and knowledge sharing among its engineers to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

• Technical Challenges:

  • Scalability: As Xero continues to grow, you will be challenged to ensure that its infrastructure and tooling can scale to meet the demands of its customers and partners.
  • Reliability: You will be responsible for ensuring that Xero's products and services are available, secure, and reliable, with minimal downtime and quick recovery.
  • Performance: You will be challenged to optimize the performance of Xero's products and services, ensuring that they meet the needs of its customers and partners.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: You will be responsible for ensuring that Xero's infrastructure and tooling are cost-effective, with a focus on maximizing efficiency and minimizing waste.

• Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Technical Skill Development: This role offers the opportunity to gain experience with cutting-edge infrastructure and tooling technologies, as well as mentoring junior team members and contributing to the development of best practices within the team.
  • Conference Attendance: Xero encourages its employees to attend industry conferences and events to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps.
  • Certification: Xero supports its employees in obtaining relevant certifications to enhance their skills and knowledge in their respective fields.
  • Technical Mentorship: As an experienced Infrastructure Engineer, you may have the opportunity to mentor junior engineers and contribute to the development of best practices within the team.

💡 Interview Preparation

• Technical Questions:

  • Cloud Computing: Be prepared to discuss your experience with cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
  • Infrastructure as Code: Be prepared to discuss your experience with developing and implementing Infrastructure as Code templates and providers to automate the provisioning and configuration of cloud resources.
  • Monitoring and Observability: Be prepared to discuss your experience with analyzing and optimizing observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications.
  • Mentoring: Be prepared to discuss your experience with mentoring junior team members and contributing to the development of best practices within the team.

• Company & Culture Questions:

  • Xero's Mission: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of Xero's mission and how this role contributes to its achievement.
  • Xero's Products and Services: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of Xero's products and services and how this role supports their development and maintenance.
  • Xero's Culture: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of Xero's culture and how you would contribute to it as a member of the Infrastructure team.

• Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Demonstrate your experience with infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps through relevant projects in your portfolio.
  • Highlight your ability to design and implement cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
  • Showcase your experience with developing and implementing strong development processes that support engineering productivity and customer satisfaction.
  • Display your expertise in analyzing and optimizing observability and monitoring practices of infrastructure and applications.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Infrastructure Engineer position at Xero:

1. Submit your application through the application link provided in the job listing.
2. Customize your portfolio to highlight your experience with infrastructure engineering, cloud computing, and DevOps, as well as your ability to design and implement cloud-based infrastructure and tooling through PaaS and IaaS services offered by AWS.
3. Optimize your resume for web development and server administration roles, with a focus on relevant project highlights and technical skills.
4. Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of relevant technologies, such as source control systems, build tools, deployment tools, and monitoring tools. Research Xero's products and services to ensure you have a solid understanding of the company and its mission.
5. Research Xero's culture and values to ensure you are a good fit for the team and the company. Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, communication, and teamwork abilities.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.