Veterinarian | Oamaru

Job Description

Job Title: Veterinarian (VTS2)

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Pukeuri, North Otago

Salary range: VTS Range 9: $97,680 to $122,100 per annum

Starting salary will be dependent on skills and experience of the successful applicant.

In addition to salary, we offer overtime, penal time and shift allowances.

Kōrero mō te Tūranga - About the Role

The purpose of this role within New Zealand Food Safety Verification Services is to provide a range of food safety, animal welfare and biosecurity verification and certification services based at meat exporting plants. To support the meat industry and New Zealand's reputation in the world red meat market for the product produced and to ensure food safety and export standards are being followed by the plant. 

We have an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys problem solving and enhancing their relationships with others with effective communication. This is a permanent full-time role, 40 hours per week. 

Alliance Pukeuri is a beef and sheep processing plant which operates on both day and night shifts, 7 days a week. Shift patterns will depend on time of the year which includes a mix of early, day time and late shifts. For half the year, shifts will include Monday - Friday, with occasional Saturday work and for the other half of the year shifts will include Monday – Saturday, with occasional Sunday work.

Any overtime is compensated and early starts, or late finishes are recognised with penal time payments, as well as shift leave accumulation.

The role is varied, and you will be expected to do the following:

• Collaborate well with internal and external stakeholders, such as meat works personnel, Veterinary colleagues/VS team.
• Verify that requirements and procedures are being followed.
• Provide certification for animal meat exports
• Complete ante mortem inspections and occasionally provide judgement on post-mortem inspection
• Maintain knowledge within the farming communities and be involved in on farm verification
• Ensure animal welfare is being maintained

You will receive full-time technical training prior to being warranted under the relevant legislation. We have ongoing, on-site training, mentoring and technical support for you in your new role. 

Mōu - About You

The successful candidate will:

• Be a New Zealand registered Veterinarian (Or be able to obtain registration with VCNZ)
• Hold a full New Zealand driver's licence (or be able to obtain a full NZ licence by converting a current overseas driver's licence)
• Have verbal and written skills, and analytical reasoning skills
• Demonstrate integrity and trust, ethics and values, resilience, adaptability, and openness
• Have experience persuading and influencing, teamwork, planning and organising
• Have computer literacy – can operate standard and customised software to an acceptable standard including word-processing, excel, internet, email
• It is advantageous if you have knowledge of HACCP/Quality Assurance in Food Safety however, this is included in your training.

Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the Team  

The role sits within the Establishment group of the Verification Services directorate. MPI Verification Services (MPI VS) provides a range of food safety and biosecurity verification and certification services to support market access strategies and setting standards.

Reporting to a Supervising Veterinarian (VTS1) on site, you will work alongside other VTS2's as well as working closely with personnel at the plant. This position sits with the Establishment Team for Dunedin and may sometimes be required to work at other local meat establishments in the geographic area.

The premises is located in Pukeuri just outside of Oamaru in the Otago region. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Timaru and 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connect it to both cities. The Otago region has a wide range of hiking and cycling trails that feature a dramatic landscape of the adjacent Otago Peninsula, home to colonies of albatross, sea lions and rare yellow-eyed penguins.

Watch some of our team describe why they love the role that they are in and their journey into a career with Verification Services – Click Here 

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) partners with New Zealand's food and fibre sector to be the world's most sustainable provider of high-value food and primary products.

Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua - Benefits of working at MPI

• Annual Wellness payment and reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes
• Career development and internal opportunities across the branch and organisation
• Professional membership reimbursement

See the benefits of working at MPI

Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro - Drug and Alcohol Screening

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred applicant/s for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre-employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site, here.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - Are you ready to make a difference?

We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To view the position description and/or apply online, please click “APPLY FOR THIS JOB” or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunda, 22 September

If you have any questions about the role, please email shane.gooch@mpi.govt.nz