Lead Software Engineer

McGraw Hill; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

McGraw Hill in Melbourne seeks a Lead Software Engineer - Applied AI to lead AI platform development, architecture, and delivery of AI-enabled tools. You will mentor engineers across teams and partner with product, design, and content to shape technical roadmaps.

Requires 5+ years in software engineering, 2+ years building generative AI apps, and strong cloud experience (AWS/Azure). You will drive CI/CD and governance for scalable AI systems and mentor contractors across countries.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software engineering experience with full-stack development.
• 2+ years building generative AI applications with LangChain or similar.
• Experience leading technical projects or teams and mentoring engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and deployment of AI-powered tools and applications.
• Define the technical vision and architecture for applied AI initiatives.
• Lead a team of contractors across Pakistan, Ethiopia, and India.
• Mentor engineers and foster a culture of technical excellence.
• Evaluate and integrate emerging AI technologies and frameworks.
• Establish best practices for AI solution development.
• Drive CI/CD and cloud infrastructure optimization for secure delivery.
• Implement accessibility standards across AI-powered tools.
• Communicate strategy and progress to leadership.

Skills

Full-stack development

Python backend

Frontend (Angular/React)

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure)

AI/ML leadership

Tools

LangChain

LlamaIndex

AWS

Azure

CI/CD

Job description

BUILD THE FUTURE

At McGraw Hill we create best-in-class, next-generation learning platforms that are used by millions of students and educators worldwide from kindergarten through graduate school. Our goal is to accelerate student success through intuitive and effective learning tools and content that maximize a teacher’s time and a student’s learning experience.

Overview

BUILD THE FUTURE

At McGraw Hill we create best-in-class, next-generation learning platforms that are used by millions of students and educators worldwide from kindergarten through graduate school. Our goal is to accelerate student success through intuitive and effective learning tools and content that maximize a teacher’s time and a student’s learning experience.

If you have the passion and technical expertise to thrive in an innovative and agile environment, we want to learn more about you.

What is this role about?

The Lead Software Engineer - Applied AI leads AI platform and tool development, driving operational excellence and innovation at scale. In this role, you will partner closely with product, content, and engineering teams deliver high impact AI solutions. This position requires a blend of deep technical expertise in software engineering and AI, alongside the leadership skills necessary to influence across functional areas and teams.

What you will be doing:

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of AI-powered tools and applications.
• Define and champion the technical vision and architecture for applied AI initiatives, ensuring solutions are robust, maintainable, and aligned with organizational strategy.
• Lead a team of contractors based across various countries such as Pakistan, Ethiopia, and India.
• Mentor and guide engineers across teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning around AI technologies.
• Evaluate, prototype, and integrate emerging AI technologies and frameworks to keep the organization at the forefront of applied AI innovation.
• Establish best practices for AI solution development.
• Drive CI/CD processes and cloud infrastructure optimization to support the reliable, cost-effective, and secure delivery of AI-enabled applications.
• Implement accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.2 AA across AI-powered tools and experiences.
• Communicate technical strategy, progress, and outcomes to both technical and non-technical audiences, influencing decision-making at the leadership level.

What you need to be considered:

• 5+ years of experience in software engineering, with a strong track record of full-stack development (Backend/API: Python; Frontend: Angular/React; Databases: MySQL/PostgreSQL or NoSQL databases such as DynamoDB).
• 2+ years of hands-on experience building and deploying generative AI applications or AI-enabled products, with deep familiarity with frameworks such as LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical projects or teams, including mentoring engineers, conducting design reviews, and driving architectural decisions.
• Strong working knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS or Azure), including infrastructure design, cost optimization, and security best practices.
• Proven ability to partner cross-functionally with product, design, and business stakeholders to translate ambiguous problems into clear technical roadmaps.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.

Why work for us?

The work you do at McGraw Hill will be work that matters. We are collectively designing content that will build the future of education. Play your part and experience a sense of fulfilment that will inspire you to even greater heights.