Ranger, Heritage and Visitors at Department of Conservation, Haast

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Do you love working in the outdoors?
• Are you keen on working in one of the best locations in New Zealand?
• Do you want a great job looking after amazing sites based in the centre of Te Wāhipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area?
• Full time, permanent role based in Haast.

If you appreciate the untamed natural wilderness of the West Coast and have good practical field skills with a proven ability to work well in a small team, then this is the ranger job for you.

Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata 

If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive 

Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai serves to protect and sustain nature across Aotearoa. We put nature and people at the heart of our mahi, guided by te reo Māori, te ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We do this by: 

• protecting land, species, ecosystems, and cultural heritage for conservation purposes 
• managing threats and adverse impacts 
• being a voice for conservation 
• connecting people to nature.

He angitūtanga | About the role

As a Ranger, you will be part of the South Westland Heritage and Visitor team who are dedicated to looking after popular tourist sites and undertaking hut and track maintenance as well as protection and restoration of historic sites. In this role, you will be involved in:

• scrub-cutting, chainsawing, drain clearing and spraying tracks in the back country and front country
• maintaining back country huts, bridges and other structures
• participating in team safety briefings and taking responsibility for your safety and the safety of your team mates every day.
• construction and building work, as well as looking after historic buildings and sites.
• supporting the other teams based in Haast, which may include trap checks in the Landsborough valley and helping the kiwi team in the Haast Tokoeka Sanctuary.

While this position is mostly field-based, you will also be required to complete office-based tasks assisting the Supervisor and Senior Ranger with planning and organising projects. You may be required to spend extended periods of time in the backcountry, often in remote and rugged terrain. You will often support the team in the field and provide supervision of volunteers and contractors as required. 

The South Westland area encompasses some 800,000 ha of public conservation land. A significant proportion of this is Te Wāhipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area and includes such gems as Ship Creek Icon site, the Haast to Paringa Cattle Track – now with the new Mataketake Hut loop, Moeraki Valley, Gorge River Hut along with many other wonderful sites along the Haast Heritage Highway.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

We are looking for a confident communicator and great team player who has a passion for protecting the natural heritage of Aotearoa. If you have the following attributes, please do get in touch:

• hands on and practical skills, ideally with chainsaws, mowers and scrub bars as well as carpentry, plumbing and painting experience
• a high level of physical fitness and experience in the backcountry, particularly in remote and rugged terrain
• good planning and organisational skills, with an ability to maintain attention to detail and use your initiative to get jobs done
• ability to learn quickly, computer/tech savvy skills and experience using App's and computer-based systems
• strong health and safety focus
• a full New Zealand driver licence
• the ability to live and work in a small, remote community
• outstanding interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work as a team member, a team leader and alone.

Desirable:

• experience with 4WDs and working around helicopters.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What's in it for you?

Te Papa Atawhai is committed to fostering a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve, creating an inclusive workplace culture, supporting the relationship between Māori and the Crown, and lifting our cultural capability. We encourage our people to bring their authentic self and unique perspectives to work, in pursuit of our collective aspirations. Our commitment to well-being and professional development includes:

• Departmental accommodation is available in in Haast. 
• Career development, secondment and training opportunities to help you realise your goals
• Study assistance in programmes that are relevant to your work
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and discounted medical insurance
• Great discounts on DOC accommodation and outdoor apparel and gear so you're ready for your next adventure
• Te Pukenga Atawhai – Cultural Capability Development Programme

Tono ināianei | Apply now 

Apply online via the DOC Careers Centre with a CV and cover letter that highlights your relevant skills experience and motivation for joining Te Papa Atawhai.  

The salary range for this position is $54,314 to $69,401 with the starting salary of the successful applicant being based on their relevant skills and experience.  

Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory – this includes holding a valid work visa that covers the whole period of employment. 

Applications close at 5 pm on Sunday, 5 February 2023.

For further enquiries contact Ian Singleton, Senior Ranger on 027 544 0885 or at isingleton@doc.govt.nz or Marie Kealey, Recruitment Advisor at mkealey@doc.govt.nz

Job Reference: DOC/1692681