"Senior Manager, AI Development"

Job no: 582253

Work type: Full-time

Location: Flexible, Geelong - City, Melbourne - Burwood

Categories: Management, Information Technology

Based at either our Melbourne Burwood or Geelong Waterfront Campus, hybrid work available 

Fulltime and continuing

HEW 10 - salary package circa $172,875 including Superannuation

Are you ready to lead the next wave of AI-enabled transformation in higher education?

Deakin is seeking a Senior Manager, AI Development to provide visible, strategic leadership across our AI engineering capability — designing and delivering secure, scalable and production-ready AI solutions that create real impact for students, staff and researchers.

This is a rare opportunity to shape enterprise-wide AI platforms and intelligent automation at scale.

Why work with us?

At Deakin University, you’ll find more than a job - you’ll find a community and a way of working that supports you to do your best work. Across our campuses in Geelong, Melbourne and regional Victoria, we offer an environment designed to help you thrive, with on-site childcare, gyms, medical centres, cafés, accessible public transport and convenient parking.

We support flexible and hybrid working, generous leave provisions - including extended parental leave and the option to purchase additional leave - and a wide range of staff benefits and discounts. Combined with our strong focus on health, wellbeing and professional development, Deakin offers a supportive, inclusive culture where leaders are trusted, people are valued and careers can grow.

About the role

Deakin isn't just adopting AI – we're building it. With Deakin GEM now live and our AI Factory, a multi disciplinary squad, accelerating capability across the institution, ambitious work is underway across multiple streams.

As Senior Manager, AI Development you will lead the squad, a team of engineers and specialists responsible for end-to-end AI-driven applications — from intuitive front-end experiences to robust back-end systems integrating Machine Learning (ML), Generative AI and modern cloud architectures. This role blends deep technical expertise with strategic leadership — influencing stakeholders, shaping policy and embedding sustainable AI capability across the University.

Using your strong technical experience, and exceptional leadership capability, your focus will be rapidly growing a sustainable AI engineering practice and team capability.

The capability uplift, squad effectiveness and delivery outcomes of the team will be key measures of success.

You will:

Deliver high-value AI and digital solutions aligned to strategic priorities

Ensure AI platforms operate within strong ethical, governance and security guardrails

Drive the evolution of Intelligent Automation and AI-enabled orchestration

Establish AI engineering standards and lifecycle practices enabling consistent team delivery

Oversee the transition from prototype to enterprise-scale AI solutions

Coach and mentor engineers to build internal AI engineering capability

About you

You are an experienced technology leader with a track record of delivering production-grade AI or automation platforms in complex environments.

You’ll bring:

Expertise in cloud platforms and modern engineering practices

Strong experience integrating and deploying ML and GenAI models

Proficiency in Python, FastAPI and scalable API design (REST, GraphQL, WebSockets)

Experience with React (Vite, Material UI) and modern front-end delivery

Advanced PostgreSQL capability including performance optimisation

Demonstrated experience embedding governance, lifecycle management and security into AI platforms

Experience developing engineers and improving team engineering practices

Experience establishing standards, playbooks or delivery patterns

The ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear strategic direction

Comfort enabling others to be the deepest technical experts

For a copy of the position description, please see below:

PD - Senior Manager, AI Development.pdf

To apply

Please submit your updated resume and a short cover letter outlining your skills and experience.

For a confidential discussion regarding this role, please contact Michael Heley – Associate Director, Enterprise Platforms via michael.heley@deakin.edu.au

Applications close 11.55pm on Sunday, 15 March 2026

Are You Ready?

Deakin is a Victorian university with a global impact. We are an agile, dynamic, and innovative university committed to making a positive impact through our excellence in education, research and innovation and the contributions we make to the wider community.

We understand that our reputation has been built on the dedication and expertise of our staff and we offer a dynamic and diverse working environment with opportunities to grow and develop careers. We believe that a progressive, thriving culture will ensure that people choose to come, and stay at Deakin and contribute to our ongoing success.

We value diversity and aim to build an inclusive environment that champions, embraces and respects differences. We support and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all abilities, cultures, sexual orientation, and genders. 

Pre-employment safety and suitability checks: In accordance with the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence, appointment to this role is subject to successful completion of relevant pre-employment checks, including Working With Children Checks and candidate gender-based violence declarations. 

Candidates may be asked to declare whether they have been investigated for an allegation of Gender‑based Violence, or determined to have engaged in conduct that constitutes Gender‑based Violence during the course of their previous employment, or otherwise in a legal process. A declaration is not required from individuals who have experienced gender‑based violence. A ‘Yes’ response does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment, and any information provided will be treated confidentially and considered only for relevance to the role and the University’s safety obligations.

Advertised: 27 Feb 2026 AUS Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close: 15 Mar 2026 AUS Eastern Daylight Time