Google ups search for regional talent

The search heavyweight -- whose global hiring surge saw staff numbers rise by 800 to 4,989 during the three months ended 30 September -- is also advertising for experts to fill positions in technical, sales and management ranks in both Sydney and Melbourne.

Roles on offer include several product managers, a software engineer, a couple of client managers and a copywriter.

Google indicated the Oceania position -- based in New Zealand and including Fiji and Micronesia, but not Australia -- was among its most senior for the region, saying the successful candidate would be "responsible for leading strategic and operational initiatives that are critical to the ongoing growth of the company".

The company wasn't willing to comment on why the executive appointment was temporary.

The Australian vacancies indicate Google is looking to beef up an office which currently consists of a smallish sales force and a few engineers in Sydney working primarily on its Google Maps and Earth geographical data projects.

An Australian spokesperson for Google said the hiring reflected growth in the company's local business. "The growth is very much around extending the team to support direct and online clients," he said.

Google's local chief is Kate Vale, head of the company's sales and operations for Australia and New Zealand.

Best of breed
However, while Google's hiring splurge is opening up career opportunities for ambitious tech sector specialists, the company makes it clear it is after top-notch talent.

Candidates for the regional representative role must have achieved an MBA "at or near the top of their class," an undergraduate engineering degree and five to 10 years of experience in a management role for a high-growth technology firm,a similar enterpreneurial endeavour, or a leading consulting firm.

"We are looking for self-starters who can work in a rapidly changing industry, tolerate ambiguity and demonstrate leadership with limited oversight," the ad for the role reads, listing also a responsibility for candidates to be able to "embody the progressive, innovative values that represent Google".

The other roles also demand an impressive curriculum vitae. For example, a software engineering position on offer locally requires postgraduate-level qualifications in computer science as well as extensive experience in design and implementation of "distributed systems, machine learning, information retrieval algorithms, network programming, and/or developing large software."

"We need world-class engineers to develop the next generation search engine.... If you have a need to bring order to a chaotic Web, contact us," reads the job advertisement.

However, Google is not the only international tech giant hiring in Australia -- competitors Microsoft and Yahoo are also looking.

Yahoo's jobs Web site says the company is looking for a media analyst, a marketing specialist, a sales account manager and an associate product manager for its classifieds and travel Web properties.

Interestingly, Yahoo is also seeking a business development manager to take charge of revenue earned through the company's mobile products -- such as those delivered on mobile phones.

The hiring comes as the company partners with third-generation mobile carriers like Telstra to offer services like e-mail on handsets.

Microsoft Australia is looking for more staff than either Google or Yahoo, with several dozen spots on offer -- primarily non-technical roles.

Perhaps the most interesting of the new Microsoft positions is a new role which will support the imminent release of the company's flagship Windows Vista desktop operating system -- due in 2006.

The successful candidate must be able to speak both publicly and internally at Microsoft about Vista, as well as working with partners and driving Vista deployment opportunities.