Software Engineer (AI First Delivery)

Vista Group; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4.5 day week

Hybrid work (1–2 days in office)

Medical insurance

Life insurance

Volunteer day

Parental leave

Mentoring & career development

Team events

Job summary

Vista Group is seeking an intermediate Software Engineer focused on AI-first delivery in Auckland, NZ. You’ll join the data engineering team to design and implement data pipelines, services, and platform capabilities that connect data across Vista’s systems to enable AI-enabled workflows.

You’ll spend about 20% on analysis and design and 80% on implementation, building secure, observable, and scalable production systems for Vista’s AI capabilities and operational decision-making.

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and experience delivering production systems.
• Experience with Python, TypeScript, APIs, data pipelines, or distributed services.
• Experience using AI tools to design, generate, test, review, and operate software.
• Clear written and verbal communication, with precise problem description.
• Experience with relational databases, data modelling, metadata, and cloud platforms.
• Understanding of observability, monitoring, automated testing, CI/CD, and DevOps.
• Sound judgment around security, privacy, governance, and access control.
• Ability to work independently in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
• Ability to manage several tasks/workstreams in parallel.
• Practical engineering approach with focus on delivery and reusable patterns.
• Experience with AI orchestration, agents, event-driven systems, or large-scale data processing is valuable.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate reliable data ingestion pipelines across APIs, events, databases, files, and third-party platforms.
• Build services, integrations, and reusable tooling using Python, TypeScript, and established patterns.
• Use AI-first engineering practices to design, develop, test, document, and operate production systems.
• Create secure and observable interfaces for copilots, agents, automation, and decision-support workflows.
• Help build unified views of Vista’s customer and business operations.
• Implement monitoring, logging, alerting, auditability, failure handling, and data quality controls.
• Apply security, privacy, access control, and responsible AI practices throughout the lifecycle.
• Manage multiple workstreams in parallel with self-direction and accountability.
• Contribute to improving Vista’s data engineering architecture and platform patterns.

Skills

Software engineering fundamentals

Python

TypeScript

APIs

Data pipelines

AI tools usage

Clear communication

Relational databases

Data modelling

Cloud platforms

Observability

CI/CD

DevOps

Security & privacy

Independent work

Multi-tasking

AI orchestration

Education

Job description

Description

As an intermediate level Software Engineer, focusing on AI first delivery, you’ll help build the technical foundations for the next phase of Vista’s AI programme. Working as part of the data engineering team, you’ll design and implement the pipelines, services, integrations, and platform capabilities needed to connect data across Vista’s systems and support practical AI-enabled workflows. You’ll use AI-first engineering practices to build secure, scalable, and reusable production systems, with a strong focus on clear problem definition, effective AI orchestration, and reliable delivery. This role is expected to be approximately 20% analysis and design, and 80% implementation. Help us build the secure and scalable data platform that will support Vista’s AI capabilities, improve operational decision-making, and create better outcomes for our customers and teams.

What You’ll Do

• Design, build, and operate reliable data ingestion pipelines across APIs, events, databases, files, and third-party platforms
• Build services, integrations, and reusable tooling using Python, TypeScript, and the patterns established by Vista’s data engineering team
• Use AI-first engineering practices to orchestrate the design, development, testing, documentation, and operation of production systems
• Create secure and observable interfaces that allow copilots, agents, automation, and decision-support workflows to consume trusted data
• Help build unified views of Vista’s customer and business operations
• Implement monitoring, logging, alerting, auditability, failure handling, and data quality controls across services and pipelines
• Apply strong security, privacy, access control, data ownership, and responsible AI practices throughout the solution lifecycle
• Manage multiple workstreams in parallel while remaining self-directed and accountable for delivery
• Help improve Vista’s data engineering architecture, development practices, and reusable platform patterns

Requirements

What you’ll bring with you

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and experience delivering production systems
• Experience with Python, TypeScript, APIs, integrations, data pipelines, or distributed services
• Strong experience using AI tools to design, generate, test, review, and operate software
• Clear written and verbal communication, with the ability to describe technical problems precisely
• Experience with relational databases, data modelling, metadata, and cloud platforms
• Understanding of observability, monitoring, automated testing, CI/CD, and DevOps practices
• Sound judgment around security, privacy, governance, and access control
• Confidence working independently in ambiguous and fast-moving environments
• Ability to manage several tasks or workstreams in parallel without significant management overhead
• A practical approach to engineering, with a bias toward delivery, reuse, and measurable outcomes
• Experience with AI orchestration, agents, event-driven systems, analytics platforms, infrastructure automation, or large-scale data processing would be valuable

For this particular role, we are currently only considering applicants with the right to live and work in New Zealand without the need for employer sponsorship.

About Vista

Vista is a world-leading company that makes software for the cinema industry. Started in Auckland, New Zealand, over 25 years ago, we now serve cinemas, film distributors, and moviegoers worldwide. Our HQ is in the City Works Depot in Auckland. We have offices and subsidiary companies in Sydney, Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Shanghai, Mexico City, and Kuala Lumpur. We use the latest technologies and offer a fun, agile and collaborative environment. We continue to innovate and build our reputation as one of the best Kiwi tech companies to work for.

Shared Standards

Our Shared Standards act as a compass for how we work together and reflect the behaviours we value at Vista Group. The way in which each member of our crew embodies these Shared Standards is an indicator for performance and success, as it aligns with our vision and strategy.

One Crew

• We’re a diverse team, in different places and functions, and we’re at our best when we connect, help and collaborate

Shine a Light

• We communicate openly, we explain the why, and we ask when we don’t understand. We don’t leave people in the dark

Make it Happen

• We make good things happen as people and as teams through our focus on delivery

Chase Great

• We challenge ourselves and each other to keep improving

Benefits

You will be supported to continually learn and improve your tech skills, share knowledge and ideas in the team, and be part of a dynamic and open culture. We have a range of benefits that include:

• Excellent work/life balance including a 4 ½ day working week
• Hybrid working (home and office-based split, requiring 1-2 days attendance per week in the Auckland office)
• Medical and Life insurance (after qualifying period)
• Volunteer day, enhanced paid parental leave and wellness benefits
• Strong mentoring & career development focus
• Fun team events including the Vista Innovation Cup

If you enjoy a challenge and working in a dynamic and collaborative team, you’ll love working at Vista.

We value inclusivity celebrate diversity and are committed to offering equal opportunity to our staff and candidates — regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religious, ethical beliefs or political opinion. This commitment is reflected in all our employment policies and procedures.