Environmental Monitoring Officer

Environmental Monitoring Officer | Kaiapiha Taiao – Field Hydrology

We are looking for an enthusiastic Environmental Monitoring Officer who has a keen interest in surface water hydrology and flood warning; and is passionate about preserving our environmental datasets into the future, to join our dedicated Hydrology team. This is a fixed term, full-time role based in our central Wellington office.

The successful candidate will be responsible for collection, review and quality assurance of continuous hydrological monitoring datasets through on-site maintenance of structures, and telemetry and instrumentation systems. As such we are keen to hear from Electricians, Controls Technicians, Builders and Survey Technicians, as well as experienced Field Hydrologists.

About the role:

Ideally, you will be capable of utilising a wide assortment of electronic equipment to collect accurate information, be interested in design, construction, and operation of hydrological monitoring assets, and have good communication skills.

This role will be primarily field based, working in a variety of environments and terrains, in all weather conditions which can be physically demanding and challenging. You will therefore need to be physically fit, confident in and around rivers (ability to swim), comfortable working at heights and/or in remote locations, be able to safely operate a manual vehicle in 4WD, and happy to have a yarn with landowners and members of the public. Training and support for these activities will also be provided.

Additionally, there will be some office-based work, so you'll carry out data processing, quality assurance, and be involved in data analysis and project/contractor management. You will need to communicate regularly with the rest of the team and Environmental Science department, be able to maintain good working relationships with other departments (key teams include ICT and Flood Protection) and represent GWRC and Hydrology in the community. Some occasional travel to the Wairarapa to support the team in the Western region would be expected.

As an intermediate member of the team, you will be expected to bring a high level of enthusiasm for field work and the discipline and seek out ways to learn from the expertise around you and develop your skills to become a future leader in hydrological monitoring.

Skills and experience required:

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Enthusiasm to learn and develop.

• Strict attention to detail and commitment to data quality.

• A logical, analytical mind with proven problem-solving ability.

• Strong customer focus.

• The ability to be a team player who can work autonomously where required

• Excellent interpersonal, engagement and relationship management skills

• Good computing skills, including experience with Microsoft Excel and Word

• Resilience, flexibility, and an ability to work with ambiguity.

• The ability to work in all weather conditions and able to occasionally work outside of office hours responding to flood events.

• The ability to manage multiple small projects efficiently, to prioritise competing commitments and proactively manage customer expectations.

• A strong commitment to health and safety.

• Ability to swim and confidence working in and around water.

• A full driver’s licence.

It would be beneficial if you have Field Hydrology skills / experience and have:

• Experience working with environmental monitoring instrumentation, electrical and communication equipment such as sensors, data loggers, modems and radios or industrial equivalent SCADA, RTU, telemetry, and DC solar power systems.

• Practical skills and be comfortable using tools, building things, digging and getting your hands dirty.

• Appropriate education in a relevant environmental field such as hydrology, geography, earth sciences or environmental engineering. Alternatively qualifications or experience in electronics, instrumentation or control systems and an interest to learn our science will be useful.

• Understanding/knowledge of the National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS) for environmental data collection.

• Data management experience including using time series data management software such as TIDEDA, HILLTOP, HYDSTRA or AQUARIUS.

• Topographical survey experience as basic levelling work will be part of the role.

• Working towards or interest in obtaining New Zealand Diploma in Field Hydrology.

• Experience/leadership in field data collection and data management or ability to undertake accurate detailed recording

About the Hydrology Team

High-quality environmental data is key to good decision-making, and across the Greater Wellington region, the Hydrology Team plays a critical role in this. Our team includes Environmental Monitoring Officers, Scientists and Data Analysts who are passionate about surface water hydrology, groundwater, and flood management. We work as a team to ensure priority long term monitoring continues to be of suitable quality for flood warning, consent compliance monitoring, water allocation decision-making, and prevention of declining groundwater quality and saline intrusion. We work across Wellington and the Wairarapa to maintain our hydrological data network in a variety of landscapes from the Tararua tops to the foreshore and beaches.

About Greater Wellington:

Every day we put all our energy into protecting and enhancing our region. We carefully balance sustainability with economic growth and protection with expansion.

We’re a growing and diverse region, and it’s our role to protect our environment while also meeting the cultural, social and economic needs of our communities. We’re specifically responsible for environment management, flood protection and land management, provision of regional parks, public transport planning and funding, and metropolitan water supply.

It’s about dealing with today and planning for the future, especially with the challenges of climate change.

What we offer:

We're all about growing our people through professional development and experience across everything the council does and we provide a range of benefits that help our staff balance their own lifestyle and work commitments: 

• Flexible working

• Medical and trauma insurance

• “Dress for your day”

• Subsidised social clubs

• Modern, new offices

Located in our new Cuba Mall offices, there’s also lots of opportunity to sample the great coffee and food in the area.

How to apply:

Click on the Apply link to view the job description and to apply for the role with a cover letter and CV.

For further information, please contact Louise Algeo, Team Leader – Hydrology, louise.algeo@gw.govt.nz

Greater Wellington has a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination requirement for new employees as part of our health and safety risk management framework. This requires all new employees to be fully vaccinated from their start date. Proof of vaccination status will be required as part of our pre-employment process.

Applications close: Tuesday 19 April 2022

Due to current border restrictions from the New Zealand Government we are only able to accept applications from candidates who are a New Zealand Citizen/Resident or who have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and hold a valid visa. For further information, please visit www.immigration.govt.nz