Senior Technician | Auckland Tamaki

Job Description

Senior Technician

Role type: Permanent, Full-time

Location: Auckland (Tamaki Makaurau)

Salary band & range: GSR G: $67,658 to $78,771 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

The Ministry for Primary Industries' Plant Health and Environment Laboratory in Auckland has one vacancy for a full-time Senior Technician in Entomology to provide technical support for professional diagnostic and advisory services for specimens collected during surveillance and investigation activities or intercepted at the border. 

Our Entomology team is dedicated, diverse, highly supportive, and operates in a busy and varied environment to deliver our core work programme supporting New Zealand's biosecurity system and our stakeholders. The roles require conducting routine laboratory maintenance, diagnostic processing, routine diagnoses, field investigations, and data management. The position also provides the variety and the challenge to develop and enhance your technical expertise in entomology while working with a team of scientists.

 The core responsibilities for the role are:

• Laboratory maintenance, processing, and curation of insect specimens.
• Undertaking routine identification and testing of samples received from Border, Post- Border, Surveillance, and responses using morphological & molecular methods.
• Undertaking laboratory information management system (LIMS) and Plant Pest Information Network (PPIN) data entry for Entomology and reporting new records.
• Collecting technical information and providing technical advice to other MPI staff as required.
• Assisting with equipment maintenance and calibration.

About You - Mōu

We are seeking one highly motivated individual with a tertiary education or relevant technical experience in entomology with basic recognition and working knowledge of the major groups of plant and environmental pests.

You will have excellent technical skills in sample processing and experience of working in plant health laboratories using relevant diagnostic methods.

Our ideal candidate will be a good team player with excellent communication skills, initiative, and sound judgment with an ability to think outside of the square. 

Preference will be given to applicants with some identification experience (both morphological and molecular) who have worked within a quality assurance environment, have proven planning & organisational skills, are able to prioritise work under pressure, and adapt to changing demands.

You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Plant Health & Environment Laboratory (PHEL) is part of MPI's Diagnostic Readiness and Surveillance directorate (DRS) of the Biosecurity New Zealand business unit. PHEL is the national reference centre for the identification of all suspected exotic, new, and emerging pests and diseases of plants and arthropod pests affecting the environment. PHEL also provide diagnostic services to primary industries to facilitate trade. The laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025.

We have specialised facilities including a Level 3 quarantine glasshouse and tissue culture facility, containment laboratories, equipment for molecular and serological procedures, a transmission electron microscope, light microscopes (enabled for remote diagnostics), and reference collections of pests. 

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 trusted provider of high-value food and fibre products.

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

• Additional MPI leave days
• Ability to purchase extra annual leave
• Annual Wellness payment

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/about-mpi/careers/working-mpi/benefits/

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(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 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 midnight on 15^th February 2026

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

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