• Work on the contact recreation programme
• Be part of a positive impact on Canterbury
• Share your passion for our amazing waterways

Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha │ About Environment Canterbury

As a regional council, we are responsible for managing natural resources including air, soil, water and land. We work in partnership with mana whenua Ngāi Tahu to protect the health of our environment to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for our region.

The region’s evolving environmental and political context means we will continue to be agile and adaptive, as we respond to regulatory and environmental changes.

Our mahi (work) is organised around the delivery of our three core services:

• Environmental Regulation and Protection
• Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards
• Public Transport

Kōrero mō te Tūranga | About the Role

This role sits within our Water Quality Team and works closely with a wide range of experts—including scientists, consent planners, and enforcement officers—as well as Zone Committees and community groups. Together, you’ll tackle complex challenges such as sustainable resource use and improving the ecological health of our waterways.

A major responsibility in this position is acting as the lead scientist for the contact recreation programme. This includes interpreting coastal and freshwater monitoring results, working closely with stakeholders, supporting effective communication, and guiding the development of new approaches to recreational water quality.

This position can be based in either Christchurch or Timaru.

For more information on this role, please refer to the job description at the bottom of the advert.

Mōu │ About You

You’ll ideally have a master’s degree in a relevant field with at least five years of professional experience, or a bachelor’s degree with ten years of professional experience. Your solid technical background will stand out as you interpret scientific data to a wide range of audiences including tangata whenua, community, and decision-makers.

More about you:

• Proven track record with defining research questions and designing and implementing collaborative investigation and monitoring programmes
• Excellent writing and oral skills for a range of audiences
• Excellent relationship building skills
• Great team player, mentor and collaborator
• Hold a current full driver’s license
• Understanding of and commitment to honouring tikanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi combined with experience of incorporating te ao Māori perspectives into science delivery

Mātau ā-Wheako | Experience  

You’ll have experience in freshwater water quality science, including an understanding of key chemical, physical, and microbiological indicators, and factors that influence them. You’ll also have experience in water quality monitoring methods and data interpretation in New Zealand.

Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Kaunihera Taiao ki Waitaha | Working at Environment Canterbury  

Our mahi is underpinned by our values:

• Kaitiakitanga (stewardship)
• Pononga (integrity)
• Manaakitanga (people first)
• Whanaungatanga (collaboration)
• Māiatanga (can do)

We understand and embrace a diverse workforce; this diversity will enable us to better serve our people, our community, and our greatest taonga, the environment. We value everyone’s contribution, diverse thinking, and skills.

We're on a journey to become a treaty partner of excellence, including incorporating te ao Māori into our work. We offer supportive opportunities to develop capability in this area and encourage our people to use kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori in our daily work. We welcome you with an open heart & mind, wherever you are on your personal te ao Māori journey.

Ko ētahi atu kōrero | Additional Information

Applications close on 25 March 2026.  Applications will be reviewed as we receive them, and interviews may take place before the close date. We reserve the right to close advertising early.  

Short-listed candidates will be required to complete an interview process, reference checks, and a criminal check. Further background checking will be required when relevant to the role. 

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply.

Me mahi tahi tātou - Together we can

Hours of work – Permanent full-time position - From time to time, as required, the role may require work outside of normal work hours for emergency and flood response and to represent Environment Canterbury at meetings and events with partners, other agencies, and the community. Location - This position is predominantly based at 200 Tuam Street, Christchurch OR 75 Church Street, Timaru.  
Salary - The indictive salary range for role is $95,632 to $118,133 per annum depending on skills and experience. The specific salary will be discussed at interview stage.