Principal Engineer (API Platform)

As Principal Engineer for Platform API, you will define and drive the long-term technical vision for how Xero exposes its accounting capabilities to external partners and internal product teams. This role sits at the intersection of platform engineering and AI, designing APIs that serve as the trusted foundation for AI- and agent-driven automation across Xero's accounting workflows. You will shape how millions of small businesses and advisors experience Xero through its ecosystem of applications

Deep background in backend or platform engineering at scale, ideally in multi-tenant SaaS or distributed systems, with strong proficiency in C#, Go, or Java. Proven experience designing and evolving external-facing APIs and SDKs, including versioning, deprecation, and backward compatibility. Familiarity with event-driven architecture (webhooks, message queues, pub/sub) and designing for failure. Track record of leading complex cross-team technical initiatives. Exposure to LLM/ML-powered products