Principal Software Engineer - React Native

Role overview

Xero is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead React Native development for the Xero Accounting App, a flagship mobile platform used by small business owners globally. In this role, you will define engineering standards, guide architectural strategy across mobile teams, and serve as a technical leader responsible for shaping how the organisation builds mobile experiences at scale.

Key responsibilities

Establish architectural standards, reference patterns, and best practices for React Native development, optimising for performance, bundle size, native module integration, and TypeScript-first approaches.
Drive architectural strategy across all mobile squads and work closely with product and design teams to shape the mobile technical roadmap aligned with strategic goals.
Lead complex and ambiguous technical initiatives, breaking down silos and fostering cross-functional collaboration between mobile and backend engineering teams.
Champion strict TypeScript practices across the React Native codebase, mentoring engineers on patterns that prevent errors at compile time and establishing organisation-wide type safety standards.
Define frameworks for mobile-specific service level objectives, quality standards, crash analytics, and reliability metrics to ensure systemic operational excellence and prevent issues strategically.
Coach lead and senior engineers in React Native architecture, recruit top mobile talent, and engage with the broader React Native community to elevate capability across the organisation.
Define and execute a vision for AI-assisted development in mobile engineering, identifying opportunities to transform how React Native code is written, tested, and optimised.

Requirements

Extensive experience building and leading mobile applications in high-growth, large-scale environments with deep expertise in React Native, TypeScript, and cloud-native backend APIs.
Proven ability to scale React Native codebases, build pipelines, and release automation in complex organisational contexts.
Strong understanding of API design from a mobile consumption perspective, with practical experience collaborating across feature boundaries with backend services and BFF/API layers.
Demonstrated capability in technical leadership, including coaching engineers, driving architectural decisions, and translating business direction into technical strategy.
Ability to thrive in ambiguity, use delivery and production metrics to identify systemic improvements, and act as a stabilising force during shifting priorities.
Natural inclination toward strategic prevention of issues rather than reactive problem-solving, with a focus on linking technical architecture to product strategy and customer experience.

What makes this role worth considering

React Native powers approximately 70% of the Xero Accounting App, making this a high-impact leadership position where your technical decisions will influence hiring, engineering culture, and the mobile roadmap for years to come. The role offers hybrid flexibility across Melbourne or Sydney offices, allowing you to balance focused work with high-bandwidth team collaboration in a supportive environment that values skills, passion, and diverse perspectives.