• Make a meaningful impact on river resilience for future generations
• Central city office-based plus fieldwork
• Full time | Fixed Term for 3 years

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

Council plays an important role in responding to national legislation and policy changes – this mahi is part of our operating environment and is embedded in our everyday mahi. The current proposals from central government are significant, and Council is working through the opportunities and implications. However, our mahi must continue to deliver our three core services for our partners, communities and te taiao (environment).

Kōrero mō te Tūranga | About the Role

We are seeking a motivated individual to join our team of river stewards as a River Engineer within the Rivers Section’s Investigation and Design Team.

As a River Engineer, you will play a key role in the planning, design, and delivery of high-quality river engineering projects throughout Canterbury. The role spans a range of project scales and complexities and includes hydraulic analysis, detailed design, consenting, and construction implementation. In addition to capital works projects, you will provide technical support for the management of river and drainage assets, including gravel management, scheme reviews, asset management, review of consent applications, and monitoring during flood events. You will work alongside a team of experienced professionals to improve the resilience of the region’s rivers and deliver sustainable outcomes for our local communities.

While primarily office-based, the role includes fieldwork such as site investigations, construction monitoring, and flood response. You will also regularly engage with regulatory staff, ratepayers, rūnunga, and the public in both formal and informal settings.

This position is a fixed-term role with a 3-year tenure of employment and is based out of our Tuam Street office in Christchurch.

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

Mōu │ About You

You will bring a relevant tertiary qualification in Civil Engineering, Natural Resources, or a related discipline, ideally with a focus on water resource or river engineering, along with at least 2-years of practical experience.

Beyond your qualifications, you are motivated to learn and apply engineering solutions that work with natural river functions and processes to achieve sustainable, long-term outcomes.

Mātau ā-Wheako | Experience  

The preferred candidate will demonstrate:

• An ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and contribute positively to team culture. Open to feedback, willing to share knowledge, and able to support others while also working independently when required.
• An understanding of hydrologic and hydraulic principles, including river processes such as erosion, scour and sediment transport. Experience in 1D and 2D hydraulic modelling tools such as HEC-RAS, along with proficiency in CAD and/or GIS platforms is a plus.
• A clear communication style and an ability to distil complex technical information into language that is accessible to a wide range of audiences, including colleagues, regulators, contractors, and the public.
• A pragmatic approach to problem-solving, balancing technical rigour with constructability, cost, environmental outcomes, and risk.
• Knowledge of the full project lifecycle, including planning, consenting, design, procurement, and construction. Experience working within frameworks such as NZS3910 is advantageous.
• Prioritisation of safe working practices in both office and field environments and understand the importance of risk management.

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

For a confidential chat about this role, please contact Quinn Donnelly on 027 258 7154

Applications close on Monday 27 April 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