Veterinary Technical Supervisor 2 | Northland

Job Description

Veterinarian (Veterinary Technical Supervisor 2)

Role type: Permanent, full time

Location: Dargaville, Northland

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

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.

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

Support food safety, animal welfare, and biosecurity at Silver Fern Farms Dargaville, ensuring export standards are met. Help uphold New Zealand's global reputation for high-quality red meat through expert verification and certification. Use your communication skills to solve problems and build strong relationships across the meat industry. Enjoy a varied role with opportunities to work on-site and in farming communities.

You will:

• verify food safety, animal welfare, and export procedures
• certify meat products for international markets
• complete ante-mortem checks and assess post-mortem findings
• ensure animal welfare is maintained
• engage with farmers and conduct on-farm verification
• build strong relationships with meat works staff, vets, and the verification team

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

About You - Mōu

You are a qualified veterinarian who communicates clearly, adapts well, and enjoys working with diverse teams and systems.

You will:

• be a New Zealand registered Veterinarian or be eligible for VCNZ veterinary registration
• communicate clearly and reason through complex information

• show integrity, adaptability, and openness in your work
• work well with others to plan, influence, and organise
• use both standard and customised software confidently including Word, Excel, internet, and email

Knowledge of HACCP or food safety systems is helpful but covered in training.

You must have a current full New Zealand driver licence (not temporary, learner, or restricted) or equivalent full foreign drivers licence, and any endorsements required for the type of driving you'll be doing.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The role sits within the Establishment group of the Verification Services directorate. Reporting to the Supervising Veterinarian (VTS1), this role is suitable for newer verifiers to build up their knowledge of a wide variety of plant processing, or those looking to put down roots in a rural town.

This position is based at Silver Fern Farms Dargaville in Northland, which is very close to the beautiful Kai Iwi Lakes and the Kauri Coast, just over two hours drive to Auckland.

You will work alongside one other full time veterinarian and one part time veterinarian, as well as working closely with the plant personnel. The plant processes only adult beef and has a cold store for frozen product. The plant runs on a day shift and night shift for most of the year and the successful applicant will be expected to work on both shifts, at different times.

This position sits within the Establishment Team for the Bay of Plenty and you may occasionally be required to work at other local meat establishments in the geographic area.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

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.

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

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

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro

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.

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?
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” 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 Monday 2 September

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

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