Chief Ai Engineer

This is not a role for someone looking to manage a platform, optimise a process or work within well defined boundaries. It is for someone who is curious, unconventional and intellectually restless.

You are energised by complexity. You see connections where others see silos and are equally comfortable discussing AI, data, technology, risk, economics and business strategy in the same conversation. You are drawn to problems without obvious answers and believe the most meaningful opportunities exist where disciplines collide.

If you want predictable work, established playbooks and clearly defined paths, this probably is not the team for you. If you want to help shape how one of Australia's largest institutions thinks, reasons and makes decisions in the age of AI, we would love to meet you.

What's the role?

As the Chief AI Engineer - Downstream, you will transform emerging AI capabilities into practical business outcomes. You will lead the design and application of advanced AI, agentic systems and intelligent automation to solve complex business challenges that span multiple domains and disciplines.

Operating at the frontier of AI innovation, this role bridges the gap between experimentation and enterprise scale adoption. You will be responsible for discovering new ways for humans and AI to reason, decide and act together, accelerating Westpac's journey towards intelligence driven operations.

You'll join a multidisciplinary team of engineers, AI specialists, ontologists and product leaders focused on solving some of the Bank's most complex Data, AI and Technology challenges.

This role can be based in Sydney or the Gold Coast.

What do I need?

• Strong experience designing and implementing AI, GenAI and agentic capabilities.
• Proven ability to turn emerging AI technologies into practical business outcomes.
• Deep understanding of AI systems, agents, reasoning frameworks and engineering patterns.
• Experience establishing AI guardrails, evaluation frameworks and scalable adoption patterns.
• Ability to identify opportunities where AI can change how an organisation reasons, learns and makes decisions.
• Experience working across regulated environments, with financial services experience a must.
• Strong ability to partner with engineers, ontologists, domain experts and business leaders.
• Comfortable operating where commercial, technical and ethical considerations intersect.

We're obsessed with becoming our customers' banking partner for life and we're looking for people who are passionate about helping us achieve that goal. In return, we're committed to making Westpac the best place to work in the country. Here are just a few of the ways we're already doing that:

• Special offers on banking products and discounts from top brands, including generous employee only mortgage rates!
• Flexible work arrangements to help you achieve a greater work/life balance, and a variety of leave options including Culture, Lifestyle and Wellbeing leave.
• Tailored learning and development opportunities to help your grow your career within the bank.
• Lots of opportunities to 'give back' to the Community by getting involved in our many volunteering initiatives.

Create your future today

We're all about creating a supportive and inclusive community. We welcome everyone - no matter your age, gender, background, or abilities. We also provide additional support to welcome our veterans, Indigenous Australians and neurodiverse community.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, you can find more information and contact details on our FAQs and how to contact us page , under the 'Diversity, sustainability and flexibility' section.