On-Demand Data & AI Engineering Capability
Senior technology talent. Smarter economics.
Zome Tech Labs gives growing businesses access to technically vetted Data, AI and Software professionals — from individual specialists to dedicated engineering squads.
High-End Capability. Smarter Economics.
Specialised in Data, AI and Software — not a general staffing marketplace
Zome focuses on three engineering disciplines, so every professional we present has been evaluated against a technical bar, not just a keyword match.
Data Engineering
- Senior Data Engineers
- Analytics Engineers
- Data Platform Engineers
- Cloud Data Engineers
- BI Analysts
- Data Analysts
AI Engineering
- AI Engineers
- Generative AI Engineers
- Machine Learning Engineers
- AI Application Engineers
- RAG Engineers
- AI Agent Engineers
Software Engineering
- Senior Software Engineers
- Backend / Full-stack Engineers
- Python Engineers
- Java Engineers
- TypeScript / JavaScript Engineers
- Cloud Engineers
We don't just find people. We build technology capability.
Traditional recruitment often stops when a candidate is hired. Zome stays with the entire capability journey — understanding technical roles and evaluating candidates from an engineering perspective before they ever reach a client.
We don't just read CVs. We test technical capability.
Every candidate is assessed against the technical requirements of the role before being presented to the client.
Technical Depth
- Data engineering
- Software engineering
- Cloud & architecture
- AI & SQL / Python
- Problem solving
Communication
- Technical English
- Architecture discussions
- Problem explanation
- Written communication
- Team collaboration
Practical Fit
- Experience & seniority
- Technology stack
- Industry exposure
- Remote collaboration
Zome is built by technologists, not traditional recruiters.
Our Vetting Process
Resume Review
Screened for genuine hands-on experience against the stack and seniority you actually need — not keyword matching.
English Screening
A live structured conversation assessing real-time technical communication, not memorised answers.
Technical Interview
Role-specific questioning covering architecture, tooling, trade-offs and problem-solving.
Hands-on Assessment
A practical exercise relevant to the actual work — reviewed by someone who has done the job.
Client Interview
You meet the shortlisted candidate directly before any engagement begins.
Effective professional English for real engineering collaboration
Technical ability is only part of the equation. Zome screens for practical English communication and the ability to work within international technology teams.
Candidates are assessed on their ability to:
Choose the capability you need
Add a Specialist
Plug an experienced Data, AI or Software professional directly into your existing technology team.
Build a Squad
Deploy a dedicated, pre-vetted engineering team to deliver a defined Data, AI or Software initiative.
Convert a Role
Not sure where to start? We review your current roles and team structure and identify which ones can be delivered by a vetted Zome specialist at a lower cost — without changing scope or quality.
Example engagements
Illustrative — representative of the kind of squads and specialists Zome assembles, not a specific past client.
Data Platform Modernisation
1 Data Architect · 2 Data Engineers
Azure · Snowflake · Python
Migrating legacy batch pipelines to a governed cloud data platform.
AI Knowledge Assistant
1 AI Engineer · 1 Backend Engineer
OpenAI · RAG · Vector Database
Internal assistant for searching and answering questions over company documentation.
Flexible engagement structures
We structure engagements around your requirements, location and preferred working model — you don't need to navigate the legal complexity behind the scenes.
Independent Contractor
For suitable engagements, a technology professional provides services under an independent contractor arrangement.
Employment-Based Engagement
Where an employment relationship is required, Zome coordinates employment through an appropriate regional employment / EOR partner.
How it works
Tell Us What You Need
Role, technology stack, seniority, project requirements, expected duration and working model.
We Source & Vet
Zome identifies suitable professionals and assesses technical capability, English communication and role fit.
You Meet the Candidates
You interview shortlisted candidates and decide who fits your team.
Start Building
The professional or squad works directly with your existing team, systems and workflows.
Your team. Your tools. Your way of working.
Zome professionals work directly within your existing engineering environment — joining stand-ups, sprint planning, code reviews, architecture discussions and incident calls. The goal isn't a separate offshore team operating in isolation; it's additional engineering capability integrated into your team.
Your systems. Your security. Your control.
Zome is designed around direct, client-controlled access. Zome does not need to sit between your engineers and your systems.
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Multi-factor authentication
- VPN access
- Cloudflare Zero Trust
- Role-based access control
- Least-privilege permissions
You control identity, permissions, repositories, cloud environments, system access and security policies. Candidates must comply with your applicable security requirements. Zome does not intentionally store, copy or intercept client production data as part of normal service delivery. Designed to operate consistent with applicable privacy requirements in both New Zealand (the Privacy Act 2020) and Australia (the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles).
Every new engagement begins with a 30-day satisfaction period. If the candidate isn't the right technical or performance fit, notify Zome during the guarantee period and we will:
Exact legal and commercial terms are governed by the MSA / SOW.
High-End Capability. Smarter Economics.
Senior technology talent is expensive to hire locally. Zome gives businesses another way to access experienced engineering capability without building every role through traditional local recruitment.
Traditional Hiring
- Recruit
- Interview
- Salary
- Benefits
- Employment overhead
- Long hiring cycles
- Local talent constraints
Zome
- Source
- Technical vetting
- English screening
- Client interview
- Flexible engagement
- Integrated remote capability
Not sure which roles to convert? Send us your current team structure and we'll show you where a Zome specialist could deliver the same output for less — free, no obligation.
Get a Free Cost ReviewBuilt for technology-led businesses
Already understands technology
Has an existing technology team
Can manage remote professionals
Values seniority and technical quality
Wants more engineering capacity
Wants to improve cost efficiency
Where Zome fits
Fill a Skill Gap
Add one experienced specialist without expanding local headcount immediately.
Expand an Existing Team
Add engineering capacity while keeping technical leadership in-house.
Launch a Data Initiative
Build a new data pipeline, warehouse or analytics capability.
Build an AI Initiative
Add AI engineering capability for RAG, agents or ML projects.
Build a Dedicated Squad
Assemble a small engineering team around a defined project.
Extend Engineering Capacity
Increase development capacity without building a complete local team.
Global talent. Local standards.
China has one of the world's largest pools of experienced software, data and AI engineers — many have built and operated systems at significant scale, inside highly competitive technology environments. Zome focuses on identifying the professionals within that market who can also operate effectively within international engineering teams. Long-term, we're expanding into additional global technology talent markets.
Meet the people behind the capability
Illustrative profiles — example only, not real candidates.
Senior Data Engineer
AI Engineer
Senior Software Engineer
Built by technologists. Designed for modern businesses.
New Zealand-based
Founded by a technology leader with 15+ years of enterprise experience across data engineering, financial markets and AI initiatives — including senior data engineering roles inside major New Zealand banks
Understands engineering hiring and technical delivery
Understands NZ and Australian business expectations
Focuses on technical vetting rather than CV forwarding
We understand the difference between someone who has a technology keyword on their CV and someone who can actually deliver.
Questions, answered
Zome Tech Labs provides businesses with technically vetted Data, AI and Software engineering professionals — as individual specialists or dedicated engineering squads.
No — Zome goes beyond recruitment. Every candidate is technically vetted, English-screened and matched to your stack before you see a profile, and Zome stays involved through the engagement rather than stopping at placement.
Zome professionals work directly inside your existing team and tools, not as a separate offshore unit. You keep full control of technical direction, systems access and priorities; Zome handles sourcing, vetting and the engagement structure.
Yes. Before any placement, Zome can review your current team structure and role list and recommend which roles are the best candidates for conversion to a Zome specialist, based on cost, complexity and risk — as a free, no-obligation assessment.
The initial talent network is focused on China, one of the world's largest technology talent pools, with expansion into additional global markets planned.
For an individual specialist, yes — you always meet and approve the candidate directly before the engagement begins. For a squad, you'll meet the team lead in full; other squad members can be briefly introduced or interviewed as needed, depending on your preference.
Yes. Professionals join your existing tools and workflows — Slack, Teams, Jira, GitHub, sprint ceremonies — rather than operating in a separate silo.
Zome professionals are flexible on working hours. If full overlap is important, they can work entirely within your NZ/AU business hours — giving you 100% real-time availability for stand-ups, reviews and incident discussions, with no time zone gap to manage.
Yes. Individual specialist engagements — adding one experienced professional into your existing team — are a core part of the Zome model.
Yes. Zome can assemble a dedicated squad — for example a technical lead, senior engineers and a data/AI specialist — around a defined Data, AI or Software initiative.
Initially: Data Engineering, AI Engineering, Software Engineering, and BI & Analytics.
Every candidate goes through resume review, English communication screening, a technical interview, a hands-on assessment and a client interview before being presented.
Every new engagement includes a 30-day satisfaction period. If the fit isn't right, Zome provides a replacement at no additional fee and credits unworked prepaid hours, subject to the applicable MSA/SOW.
Depending on the engagement, Zome uses an independent contractor structure or coordinates employment through a regional employment / EOR partner — you don't need to manage the legal complexity.
Ownership terms are set out in your MSA/SOW. Zome's role is to supply vetted capability, not to retain rights over client-owned work product or data.
Zome is designed around client-controlled access — SSO, MFA, VPN, least-privilege permissions — and does not intentionally retain or intercept client production data, consistent with applicable privacy requirements in both New Zealand (the Privacy Act 2020) and Australia (the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles).
Need a Senior Data Engineer?
Tell us your stack. We'll recommend the ideal profile.
Whether you need one senior specialist or a dedicated engineering squad, tell us what you're building and we'll come back with a shortlist approach — no cost, no obligation.