Principal Engineer - GenAI

Join us and experience Bunnings from the other side of the counter!

What’s in it for you when you’re part of our team:

• Team discount at Bunnings and other Wesfarmers brands including Kmart, Target and Officeworks to name a few

• Free standard OnePass membership

• Access to over 100+ exclusive team member benefits across health, shopping, travel and stay, wealth, work and leave

• 12 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender

• Fun stuff like annual festive gifts, discounted food and drinks at our Bunnings Cafe, and travelling store team member opportunities

• We’re genuinely invested in your career and no matter where you start with us, that pathway is yours to build

About the role

Ready to set the technical agenda for GenAI and Automation engineering at scale? At Bunnings, we’re embedding advanced AI, automation, and platform thinking at the heart of our business and we are seeking a principal-level leader to shape the next era.

You’ll operate as both architect and hands-on technical leader, guiding our most significant digital and GenAI initiatives from inception to impact.

What's involved:

• Set and own the technical strategy for GenAI and Automation platforms, balancing speed, quality, and maintainability.
• Lead end-to-end design and delivery of business-critical AI-powered solutions, from conceptual architecture to production deployment and continuous improvement.
• Partner with product, engineering, and business leaders to shape our technology roadmap and major delivery programs.
• Provide deep technical leadership and mentorship to engineers and architects, uplifting capability across GenAI, automation, and modern engineering practice.
• Drive and codify best practice across architecture, secure software development, testing, and DevOps, including cloud-native design (Azure/AWS) and CI/CD automation.
• Act as a thought leader for emerging tech such as LLMs, orchestration, Power Platform, data platforms, and platform reliability.
• Lead technical governance, architectural reviews, and proactive management of technical debt.
• Champion a culture of experimentation, knowledge sharing, and pragmatic engineering.
• Influence recruitment, onboarding, and the professional development of the technical community.

Who we're looking for:

You will be a technical strategist and hands-on leader with the confidence to drive large-scale transformation. You thrive in ambiguity and enjoy solving deep technical challenges that unlock business value. You communicate with impact, whether you’re engaging an engineering squad, a senior executive, or a cross-functional working group.

You demonstrate:

• Depth in GenAI and Automation engineering, with the ability to shape system architecture, platform strategy, and delivery at scale.
• Demonstrated experience across core programming languages (Python, C#, Java) and frameworks, with proven experience in GenAI (LLMs, transformers, AI agents) and automation (RPA, Power Platform).
• Strong skills in architecting cloud-native, distributed systems and microservices (preferably Azure, with AWS/GCP as a plus).
• A strong grasp of SDLC, Agile, and DevOps, and the ability to elevate engineering discipline in others.
• The ability to mentor, coach, and develop senior engineers and architects, creating a high-performance, high-trust culture.
• A passion for learning, and an obsession with delivering secure, scalable, and maintainable solutions.

You’ll need:

• Demonstrated experience in software engineering (ideally 10 plus years) with a significant track record of technical leadership in complex digital and/or AI-driven environments.
• Demonstrated experience architecting and delivering high-value solutions leveraging GenAI and automation platforms.
• Deep hands-on experience with modern cloud environments, microservices, and CI/CD automation.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and business outcomes at scale.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

You’ll be part of a workplace where you’ll feel like you belong.

Bunnings strives to ensure everyone is treated fairly and our team are committed to supporting you at any stage of your recruitment journey. Be sure to let us know if you require an adjustment and we can provide the most appropriate support for you. If you have the experience, skills and a passion to grow but don't necessarily nail every single point in the job description, please still apply. Contact us at jobs@bunnings.com.au and a member of the team will be in touch. 

About Us

Bunnings is the leading retailer of home improvement and lifestyle products in Australia and New Zealand. We’re a major supplier to project builders, commercial tradespeople and the housing industry operating from a network of stores, trade centres, frame and truss sites and online.

By joining our passionate and diverse team, you’ll have the opportunity to grow, develop, have fun and make a positive difference – to our customers and the communities where we live and work. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and build something great together, apply today.

Please note if you are offered a role with us, background checks may be required. This can include police, employment and qualification checks. If a police check search returns a criminal record, Bunnings will assess whether the record impacts your ability to perform the key requirements of the role.