Digital Graduate - Software Engineering

Air New Zealand; Auckland; On-site; NZD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted travel for you and your whĀ

Mentorship programme

Job summary

Air New Zealand invites graduates to join the Elevate Digital Graduate Programme in Auckland. You’ll work in a cross-functional software engineering squad, mentored and rotating across Java microservices, front-end, mobile, and test automation.

You will start as a permanent full-time employee with intake in November 2026 or February 2027, collaborating on meaningful digital products used by millions and growing with experienced digital professionals.

Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification in CS, SWE, IT, IS or another STEM field with a software engineering foundation.
• Final year of study or graduated within the last 18 months; less than 2 years of professional experience.
• Demonstrated passion for technology through projects, open source, AI explorations, apps/webs, or cybersecurity challenges.

Responsibilities

• Work on graduate projects in digital product teams and learn across disciplines.
• Collaborate with mentors and teammates to deliver value in a fast-paced, agile environment.

Skills

Collaboration

Curiosity for tech

Adaptability

Clear communication

Education

Bachelors in CS/SWE/IT/STEM

Tools

Java

Front-end development

Mobile development

Test automation

Job description

Kia ora! ELEVATE your career with Air New Zealand

At Air New Zealand, our Digital team is transforming the way people experience travel through innovative technology and customer-focused solutions.

As a graduate, you'll be part of a team shaping the future of travel and work on digital products and platforms that support millions of travellers every year. From day one, you'll collaborate with experienced professionals, turn your academic knowledge into practical solutions, and build the skills and confidence to make a meaningful impact.

Our Team - Software Engineering

As a graduate in our Software Engineering team, you'll work day-to-day in a cross-functional squad, supported by a mentor who will help you grow your technical skills and navigate life at Air New Zealand. Throughout the programme, you'll have opportunities to broaden your experience across different engineering disciplines, including Java microservices, front-end web and mobile development, and test automation.

A little more about you

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Information Systems or another relevant STEM discipline with a strong foundation in software engineering.
• You are in your final year of study and will complete your qualification by the end of 2026, or you graduated within the last 18 months.
• You have less than 2 years of professional experience in this area.
• Passion and curiosity for technology beyond your studies. Whether you've built personal projects, contributed to open source, explored AI tools, created an app or website, tackled cyber security challenges, or used data to solve real-world problems, we'd love to hear about what you've been working on.
• Thrive in a collaborative and fast-paced environment and enjoy working on ambiguous and fuzzy problems.
• Have the legal right to work in New Zealand in a permanent, full-time role.

Why join the Air New Zealand ELEVATE Digital Graduate Programme?

• Join New Zealand's most attractive employer and build your career with an iconic global brand
• You’ll join us as a permanent, full-time employee, with the opportunity to start in either November 2026 or February 2027. That's right, we have two graduate intake dates!
• Work on meaningful digital products that are used by millions of travellers around the world
• Opportunities to work across different teams and technologies to broaden your experience and discover where you thrive
• Accelerate your development through monthly ELEVATE days, mentorship, and hands-on experience with experienced digital professionals
• Be part of a collaborative, agile team where your ideas are valued and you'll make an impact from day one
• Enjoy great benefits, including discounted travel for you and your whānau.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 23 August 2026.

Please note, this role is based in Auckland. If you’re outside Auckland, you’ll need to travel for the Graduate Day in late September and relocate by the official start date.

Additional Information

At Air New Zealand, we are proudly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and believe in creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive. Our people are our greatest asset – because while everything else we do in our operation can be replicated by our competitors, it is our people that truly set us apart. We are firm believers in celebrating the differences and diversity of thought our people bring to their roles. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds, including those with a disability, additional health and mental health needs, and/or are neurodiverse to apply for our roles.

If you have encountered any accessibility barriers and require further information or reasonable accommodations to our recruitment process, please reach out to the recruiter listed on this job advert so they are able to support you to freely participate equitably in our recruitment and selection process.

Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Ko te pae tata whakamaua, kia tina.

Seek to bring distant horizons closer. Once near, seize them and make them your reality.