Animal Welfare Inspector

Ministry for Primary Industries; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 76,000 - 106,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Annual Wellness payment

Bi-annual eye test and corrective lens

Job summary

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in Dunedin is seeking a Senior/Animal Welfare Inspector to lead animal welfare and NAIT investigations, working between the field and office. You will engage with farmers, partners and internal teams to uphold the integrity of New Zealand's primary sector.

You may hold statutory appointments, lead enforcement actions, and contribute to readiness and response activities across regional and national levels.

Qualifications

• Strong relationship management skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to plan, manage and prioritise multiple investigations.
• Experience conducting investigations, applying enforcement powers, preparing prosecution cases and presenting evidence in court.
• Knowledge of animal husbandry, production systems, and primary sector operations.
• Understanding of primary industry organisations, NAIT agencies, animal welfare networks and biosecurity systems.
• Firearms licence or ability to obtain one; training provided for safe use of firearms.

Responsibilities

• Primarily hold statutory appointments as an Animal Welfare Inspector and NAIT Officer.
• Hold other appointments as required (e.g., Animal Products Act, Biosecurity Act).
• Identify, assess and progress breaches of the Animal Welfare and NAIT Acts, leading investigations and prosecution files.
• Participate in readiness and response activities using the Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS).
• Support regional and national animal welfare emergency management coordination.
• Build and sustain relationships with SPCA, NZ Police, OSPRI, emergency management agencies, and sector stakeholders.
• Regularly update investigation files in MPI data systems.
• Be prepared to travel regionally and nationally as required.

Job description

Job Description

Senior/Animal Welfare Inspector

Role type: Permanent, Full Time
Location: Dunedin

Salary Band & Range: Compliance Services $75,736 – $106,491 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

The Compliance & Response (C&R) Directorate within Agriculture & Investment Services (AIS) plays a critical role in ensuring optimal compliance across MPI's systems.

You will lead and undertake animal welfare and National Animal Identification & Tracing (NAIT) investigations that may involve political, organisational, or export‑related risk.

Each day brings variety as you split your time between the field and office, engaging with farmers, industry partners, co‑regulators, and internal teams to uphold the integrity of New Zealand's primary sector.

In this role you will:

• Primarily hold statutory appointments as an Animal Welfare Inspector and NAIT Officer.
• Hold other appointments as required (e.g., Animal Products Act, Biosecurity Act).
• Ensure breaches of the Animal Welfare and NAIT Acts are identified, assessed, and progressed using appropriate intervention tools. Lead, plan, and progress investigations, including prosecution files.
• Participate in readiness and response activities using the Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS).
• Support regional and national animal welfare emergency management coordination.
• Build and sustain strong working relationships with internal and external partners, including SPCA, NZ Police, OSPRI, emergency management agencies, and sector stakeholders.
• Regularly update reports and investigation files in MPI's data systems.
• Be prepared to travel regionally and nationally as required.

About You - Mōu

You may bring experience in animal welfare, compliance, investigations or regulatory environments, or you could be a recent graduate with a relevant qualification and a strong interest in developing a career in animal welfare and regulatory work.

Other skills and experience:

• Strong relationship management skills, with the ability to work effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to plan, manage, and prioritise multiple workstreams and investigations.
• Experience conducting investigations, applying enforcement powers, preparing prosecution cases, and presenting evidence in court.
• Knowledge of animal husbandry, production systems, and primary sector operations.
• Understanding of primary industry organisations, NAIT agencies, animal welfare networks, and/or biosecurity systems.
• A firearms licence, or the ability to obtain one, is desirable. Training will be provided in the safe use and storage of firearms and captive bolt equipment.

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 Animal Welfare and NAIT Compliance group sits within Agriculture & Investment Services and works across New Zealand to deliver effective compliance and enforcement outcomes.

You will work closely with other Animal Welfare Inspectors, NAIT Officers, analysts and coordinators to respond to complaints, investigate non‑compliance and promote good animal welfare practices. The team also builds strong relationships with co-regulators and stakeholders, including the SPCA, OSPRI, New Zealand Police, local authorities, industry groups and other government agencies, sharing information and expertise to support consistent and effective outcomes.

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 - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua

• Additional MPI leave days
• Annual Wellness payment
• Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames

Security Checks - Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru

To be eligible you must:

• Ideally be a NZ citizen who has resided in NZ for the last five years, OR
• Have lived in Australia, Canada, NZ, UK, or USA continuously for the last five years; and
• Be able to obtain a Secret‑level security clearance.

If you cannot meet these criteria, we are unfortunately unable to accept your application.

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 also have been gained outside of the workforce.

Applications close at midnight on Wednesday 4 November 2026

If you have any questions about the role, please email