We are looking for an experienced Head of Data Science to lead a high performing team and deliver advanced AI solutions that create meaningful impact for our customers, colleagues and business.

• A leading role working at the frontier of applied AI globally, within a growing enterprise AI Centre of Excellence
• Shape the architecture, the evaluation methodology, and the technical culture of NAB’s AI function
• Partner with talented AI engineers, product leaders and domain experts to solve problems across the AI portfolio

Our people are customer obsessed. They prioritise the needs and satisfaction of the customer above all else.  Our mindset fosters innovation and creates strong, lasting customer relationships as we strive to be the most customer centric company in Australia and New Zealand 

In this Head of Data Science role, you will:    

• Architect the agent systems that power NAB’s foundational AI products: defining how agents plan, reason, select and use tools, manage memory, and handle uncertainty.
• Design the prompting strategies, orchestration patterns, and context management approaches that determine agent behaviour and quality.
• Make the technical design decisions that determine whether an agent is safe, accurate, and reliable enough to handle customers’ finances.
• Work across the boundary of AI and engineering: translating architectural intent into implemented systems in partnership with software engineers.

We’re looking for the best and brightest to deliver the best for our customers. You’ll need:    

• In depth understanding of foundation models, prompt and context engineering, tool use patterns, retrieval-augmented generation, and agent orchestration frameworks. Direct experience preferred.
• Experience designing AI systems for production deployment, not only research or prototyping: you have built systems that serve real users and have dealt with the complexity that entails.
• Extensive hands-on experience in machine learning, with demonstrable depth in at least one of: agentic AI systems, LLM-based product development, optimisation, or reinforcement learning.
• Strong foundations in statistics, probability, and experimental design: the ability to reason rigorously about uncertainty, measurement, and evidence.
• A bachelor’s or post graduate degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics or other analytical fields of study.

A diverse and inclusive workplace works better for everyone   

We know that our people make us who we are. That's why we have built a culture of equity and respect – where everyone feels valued and appreciated for being their authentic selves. In partnership with our multiple Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) we continue to foster an inclusive environment, where all NAB colleagues’ unique backgrounds and identities are understood, respected and celebrated.   

Build your career with NAB   

At NAB, we encourage our colleagues to invest in their skills, experiences and careers. To put your best application forward, we recommend firstly reviewing the job advertisement and the Role Purpose Statement (also known as the position description – this is linked to the job advert). This will give you a clear idea of what the role entails. If the opportunity excites you and aligns with your career aspirations, you should seek your People Leader’s endorsement and apply.   

Note: all NAB colleagues are encouraged to have a minimum of 18 months tenure in their current role.  

Feel free to reach out to the Talent Acquisition Team with questions but please note, to ensure we run a fair and equitable process for all colleagues, we’ll often guide you to apply through the process outlined above.  

Join NAB 

If you think this role is the right fit for you, we would love to hear from you. Please note candidate screening and interviews may be conducted prior to the closing date of the job advert. Unsolicited CVs from agencies will not be accepted.   

Looking for career advice?  
  
We’re excited about your interest in this opportunity! For personalised career advice and to discuss your growth within NAB, please speak with your People Leader. They know your journey best and can offer the most relevant support and guidance. Additionally, please visit CareerU or Careers at NAB for useful tips and tools. Our Talent Acquisition Consultants are dedicated to the hiring process and will not have the full picture of your career path.    

We wish you the best of luck with your application! Application updates will be shared with you from PageUp (our recruitment system). We recommend you filter our current opportunities to your preferred location before applying.  If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process or the role, please let the Talent Acquisition Consultant know.

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