Lead/Staff Software Engineer

The role / impact

You will focus on solving engineering problems at scale, moving beyond feature delivery to influence the architecture and implementation of distributed systems. By refactoring complex, monolithic systems and building high-quality, scalable software, your work ensures our platform remains robust and reliable for millions of global users.

As a Staff level engineer, you will have the autonomy to make major code design decisions and contribute to global engineering standards. You will balance technical excellence with mentorship, acting as a role model and coaching others through complex technical challenges to help them grow.

The team / how they connect

You will join a collaborative environment where engineers, product owners, and designers work together using agile and delivery practices to ship meaningful code. The team prioritises continuous learning and mastery, frequently participating in code reviews and knowledge-sharing sessions to maintain a high bar for technical craft.

The team is currently working on / Initially, you will focus on

• Modernizing systems by refactoring monolithic components into distributed, scalable architectures.
• Enhancing the developer experience through the maturation of CI/CD concepts, tooling, and TDD practices.
• Building and maintaining a diverse tech stack that includes C#, .Net, React, AWS, and Kubernetes.
• Developing and implementing technical solution designs that align with long-term engineering frameworks.

Where and how you can work

This position is open to applicants based in the San Mateo, California State (2-3 days onsite). Because this role requires close cross-functional collaboration with our teams in Australia and New Zealand, working within the Pacific time zone helps align our schedules for essential catch-ups. You will also have the flexibility to balance your remote focus with in-person connection during team alignment days and local hub events. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• Proven experience delivering and operating complex, large-scale systems (distributed/high-availability environments), with strong fundamentals and the ability to ramp quickly across adjacent technologies (we’re tech-stack agnostic).
• You bring a growth mindset and a passion for proactively maintaining and sharing technical knowledge with your peers.
• A background in designing and building high-quality software within a range of languages and tools is essential.
• You possess the ability to lead major code design decisions and contribute to wider technical solutioning.
• Experience with modern engineering practices like automated testing, refactoring, and agile delivery is key to your success.
• You enjoy mentoring other engineers and helping them grow their technical skills through supportive coaching.
• A deep care for technical excellence and a drive to solve large-scale engineering challenges motivates your daily work.

Compensation & Total Rewards

At Xero, we value the impact and skills you bring to the team. We don’t just hire for a role; we invest in people. We believe in a Total Package philosophy - which means your value isn't just a single number on a paycheque. While base salary is a core component, we look at your compensation through a holistic lens that includes equity, performance incentives, and world-class benefits.

The expected base salary range for this role in:

• California: $206,000 - $260,000 USD

Individual pay is determined by various factors, including geography, level of experience, and the specific skills you bring to the role.

In addition to base pay, Xero’s roles are eligible for the following forms of variable compensation:

• Variable Pay: Permanent employees are eligible to participate in our annual bonus and equity (RSU) programs. You may also be eligible for performance-based cash or equity (RSUs) incentives depending on your role level, and company performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match, and 21 days PTO, 10 days of Wellbeing leave, 5 days of Xtra Leave, 1 volunteer day, 12 paid holidays, paid parental leave. Further information included on our Xero Perks page.

Individual pay is determined by various factors, including geography, level of experience, and the specific skills you bring to the role.

Xero uses AI to help screen applications based on job-related qualifications. These tools assist our recruiters but do not make automated hiring decisions. A human recruiter reviews all candidates before any hiring action is taken.