Senior Engineer - Hawthorn East
We’ve been proudly serving Australian communities since 1914 and have grown to become a top 30-listed company on the ASX with a portfolio of iconic homegrown brands. At the heart of our continued success is over 115,000 team members working across the country, all contributing to bringing our customers smiles. You’ll not only get to see your work make a difference, you’ll be part of a team working together to help Australians eat and live better every day.
About the team
As the way Australians shop continues to evolve, our Data and AI Team keep Coles at the forefront of modern retail. We combine data, artificial intelligence, and applied engineering to reimagine how our stores, supply chain, and digital channels operate — creating smarter, more connected, and seamless experiences for our customers and team members.
Operating as a centralised development and enablement function within Coles Technology, the team unites product, engineering, and platform capabilities to deliver the intelligence layer of the enterprise. We serve every part of Coles — from computer vision applications that enhance in-store experiences and reduce loss, to forecasting, optimisation, and decision-support solutions that drive efficiency, accuracy, and agility across our supply chain, retail operations, and corporate functions.
The scale and impact of this work are significant. Coles serves millions of customers each week across more than a thousand stores nationwide, and our AI and data capabilities provide the intelligence that underpins how we plan, move, sell, and serve. By combining deep data capability with applied AI and modern engineering, we’re enabling Coles to become a truly AI-enabled enterprise, transforming how we operate and how Australia shops every day.
About the role
This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of engineering, product, and AI innovation. As a Senior Engineer, you’ll help scope, validate, and prototype new AI-enabled solutions — shaping concepts and turning them into tangible outcomes.
You’ll work across frontend, backend, data, and AI integrations, while providing practical technical guidance on emerging technologies such as generative AI and agentic solutions.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Leading early-stage technical discovery and scoping for new AI-enabled concepts
- Designing and building prototypes, MVPs, and proof-of-concepts
- Providing hands-on expertise in generative AI, including feasibility and implementation approaches
- Collaborating with product, design, and engineering stakeholders to validate and evolve concepts
- Helping shape roadmap direction by identifying technical, integration, and data requirements
- Contributing to modern engineering practices, including AI-assisted and agentic development approaches
- Building and enhancing datasets, integrations, and telemetry to support insights and decision-making
About you and your skills
You’re a strong generalist engineer who enjoys working in fast-paced, evolving environments and building solutions from the ground up. You’re comfortable navigating ambiguity and bringing ideas to life through practical, hands-on engineering.
You bring:
- Strong experience as a senior software engineer across both backend and frontend development
- Proven ability to build prototypes, MVPs, or early-stage products
- Practical experience working with generative AI, across both off-the-shelf and in-house solutions
- Experience with APIs, integrations, and enterprise data platforms (e.g. Snowflake, Databricks)
- Strong communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Nice to have:
- Experience in startup, innovation, or incubation environments
- Familiarity with agentic AI patterns and AI-assisted development workflows
- Experience with React, TypeScript/JavaScript, and Python
- Exposure to analytics, telemetry, and dashboarding tools (e.g. Power BI)
What’s in it for you?
- Flexible working options: We know that work is only one part of your life, so we actively encourage a positive work-life balance and provide hybrid working options to help you achieve it.
- Office perks: Take advantage of our gym facility and fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, fooderie hub where you can sample new products before they hit the shelves, school holiday program and so much more when you come in.
- Discounts: Eligible team members receive 5% discount all year round on your Supermarket and Liquor online and in-store purchases. We also offer additional periods of double discount (10%) at various times throughout the year. As well as hotdeals exclusive to team members that translate into additional savings.
- Reward through recognition: Give and receive recognition, linked to our Coles values, through our digital recognition platform ‘mythanks’. You can accumulate points to redeem in the online shop for exciting gifts and electronic gift cards from an extensive range of retailers.
- Opportunities for learning and development: No matter where you start within our diverse business, you’ll have experiences, exposure, and education to satisfy you. Discover and explore a variety of career development programs and job-specific training.
- Paid parental leave: We understand how important your life outside work is and offer permanent team members paid parental leave to support you in balancing work and family.
- Investment in your future: Our annual team member share plan offer allows eligible team members to make regular pre-tax salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.
About the recruitment process
We’re continuing to build a gender equitable team, and a culture that is just as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as the communities we serve. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe and respectful for our team. We encourage applications from people of all ages, cultures (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.
We’re happy to adjust our recruitment process to support candidates with disability. For further information and additional contact details visit the ‘Our Recruitment Process’ section of our careers site or email inclusionrecruitment@coles.com.au
Job ID: 183105
Employment Type: Full time