Whakatakoto te tūāpapa — Laying the foundation

Contact Energy is proud to generate renewable energy that keeps Aotearoa moving, while caring for people and place. In the South Island, we are part of the Central Otago whānau through our kaitiakitanga of Lake Hāwea and the Clyde and Roxburgh stations on the Mata Au, as well as our newly acquired facilities from Manawa Energy stretching from Cobb at the top to Waipori in the south. 

The mahi here balances reliable power, community wellbeing and the environment, guided by deep mātauranga of the river system and the landscapes we serve.

Te āhua o te tūranga | The nature of the role

Variety isn’t a bonus here, it’s part of the job every single day. Some days you’ll be out on site taking surveillance readings on our dams and nearby landslides, walking embankments, tunnels and structures, then heading back to process what you’ve observed. Other days you’ll be on the water or shoreline, supporting lakebed surveys and river inspections, making sure our instruments are talking and the data is flowing. It’s hands on, outdoors and technical, with real impact for our communities.

You’ll help keep our scheme safe and compliant by reviewing monitoring results, writing clear reports, and pitching in on maintenance and minor works with our engineers. You’ll contribute to our HSE aspirations, support emergency readiness, and work closely with teammates across the wider Operations group. It’s collaborative, it’s practical, and it’s a place where your curiosity and care for detail will shine.

Ko wai koe | About you

You’re the kind of person who notices small changes, asks good questions and backs yourself to learn. The must‑haves are a strong safety mindset, accurate record keeping, comfort working both independently and as part of a tight team, and the willingness to be outdoors in varied conditions while following schedules and procedures. You’re happy with computers and data, and you communicate clearly so others can act on your insights.

If you bring experience in monitoring or surveillance in energy, utilities or environmental mahi, ka rawe. Nice‑to‑haves include data processing with GIS or CAD, civil engineering, geology or hydrology knowledge, operating instrumentation and data loggers, and using devices like drones, ROVs or borehole cameras. Being comfortable with 4WDs, jet boats, working at heights or in confined spaces, plus some HSE chops from construction or operations, would set you up well. If you tick some boxes but not all, we still want to hear you

The role will predominantly be based out of our office in Clyde however work from home is an option where appropriate.

There are a bunch of perks to being a permanent Contact kaimahi. Along with great leadership, teammates, development, and growth and progression opportunities, free health insurance cover, better-than-your-average leave, access to Contact Shares, a ‘Good to be Home’ annual payment toward your home set up & wellbeing, a trail-blazing parental leave policy, bi-annual payments towards Contact Energy products, and more!

Applications for this position close 5pm Friday the 27th of February. 
 

Here at Contact Energy (Te Mata Hiko), we know our strength lies in developing a sense of belonging - one that helps us attract and retain people with a broad range of perspectives and experiences.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our customers and communities to help build a better Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have a rich community of talented people that we support to thrive at Contact.

Our inclusive hiring process is designed to embrace the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring a wide range of perspectives are included in our decision-making and helping reduce bias along the way.

The wellbeing of our kaimahi is super important to us.

We use employee insights to offer a range of initiatives and resources to support physical, mental, financial and emotional wellbeing – including flexible working arrangements, employee network groups and a market-leading parental leave policy.

At Te Mata Hiko, we want everyone to thrive. We welcome applicants far and wide - of every age, stage, background, and pride. Join us and be part of a team that values your passion and attitude just as much as your experience and skills.

Please note, only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role.

Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria, women and those in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they tick every box. We're not about box ticking, so if you think you have what it takes but don't meet everything stated above, please still get in touch. We'd love to kōrero.

Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) does not accept any CVs received from recruitment agencies where a formal engagement has not been confirmed and agreed to with our Talent team. In the event that unsolicited CVs are submitted by recruitment agencies, Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current/future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency in question. This will also apply to any CVs sent directly to line managers.