Intelligence & Automation Engineer

About Southern Cross Health Insurance

Southern Cross Health Insurance is committed to fostering a healthier New Zealand by enabling members to live healthier, longer lives. As a member-focused, New Zealand-owned organization, it aims to deliver exceptional value and create a workplace where employees thrive, providing peace of mind through timely quality care and leading positive change in the health system.

Role Overview

We serve nearly one million members across New Zealand, which presents sizeable responsibilities and opportunities to improve national health outcomes. Our evolving Data & AI division is building from scratch to explore practical implementations of AI and automation for our business. This role is integral to quickly transforming early concepts into functional prototypes to validate feasibility before further investments.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and refine AI-powered prototypes, scripts, and automation workflows rapidly.
• Experiment with generative AI applications, including Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT, alongside other agent frameworks and orchestration tools.
• Integrate APIs, SaaS platforms, and data sources to assess real-world workflow viability.
• Translate ambiguous business ideas into manageable, testable technical experiments.
• Collaborate closely with analysts, engineers, and business stakeholders to rapidly validate concepts.
• Document outcomes to clarify what is feasible, what fails, and which ideas merit further pursuit.
• Present functional prototypes to stakeholders to facilitate evidence-based decision making.

Candidate Profile

• Proven hands-on expertise with generative AI and contemporary large language model systems.
• Experience designing integrations via APIs, webhooks, and automation platforms.
• Solid understanding of composing automated workflows end-to-end.
• Technical foundation in AI, machine learning, software development, or analytics engineering with practical insight into feasibility.
• Strong judgment for selecting worthwhile experiments and identifying unfeasible efforts.
• Excellent communication skills to articulate technical concepts and limitations clearly to varied audiences.
• A curious yet pragmatic approach toward AI possibilities and delivering viable solutions.
• Comfortable operating without complete briefs and rapidly delivering functional solutions.

Why Work With Us

We invest continuously in talent and technology amid market caution, strengthening our core foundations and expanding capabilities. Our growing teams enjoy a supportive culture focused on wellbeing and professional growth. Notably, in 2026, Southern Cross ranked 8th on the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index and 5th in New Zealand for trust.

Culture and Benefits

We nurture an inclusive, caring culture that values authenticity and openness. Our employee wellbeing initiatives include exceptional work/life balance priorities and multiple supportive benefits:

• Five annual days of wellbeing leave
• Health coverage for employees and immediate family
• Life insurance plus discounts on pet and travel insurance
• Enhanced parental leave and financial wellness support
• Active workplace wellbeing programs
• Flexible leave purchasing options for study, volunteering, or family support
• Annual volunteer day with your team

The position is located in Auckland and requires onsite presence. While candidates from other locations are appreciated, remote work is not available at this time.

Diversity and Inclusion

We proudly support inclusion through our Pride Pledge and host active employee networks including Rainbow, Māori, Pasifika, Neurodiversity, and Whānau support groups. We welcome applicants who share our dedication to diversity and belonging.