Animal Welfare Inspector

Ministry for Primary Industries; Invercargill City; Hybrid; NZD 76,000 - 106,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Annual Wellness payment

Bi-annual paid eye test and costs for

Job summary

The Ministry for Primary Industries in Invercargill is seeking an Animal Welfare Inspector to lead welfare and NAIT investigations, split between field and office. This permanent, full-time role emphasises risk assessment, regulatory action, and collaboration with SPCA, NZ Police, and industry partners.

You will hold statutory appointments, contribute to incident management, and travel regionally or nationally as required.

Qualifications

• Experience in animal welfare or regulatory investigations is advantageous.
• Knowledge of NAIT or animal regulation is desirable.
• Driver licence required; firearms licence desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead and undertake animal welfare and NAIT investigations.
• Prepare prosecution files and coordinate readiness activities.
• Engage with farmers, partners and agencies to ensure compliance.
• Maintain investigation records and reports in MPI systems.

Skills

Relationship management

Investigations

Regulatory knowledge

Project planning

Firearms licence

Education

Relevant qualification

Job description

# Animal Welfare Inspector | Invercargill29-Oct-2026MPI26/1953829Invercargill| | || --- | --- || Category: | Enforcement || Position Type: | Permanent || Attachments: | Animal Welfare Inspector PD - Oct 2026.docx (Word, 74KB) || Application Close Date: | 12-Nov-2026 |### Job Description**Animal Welfare Inspector****Role type:** Permanent, Full Time **Location:** Invercargill**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.* Regional and national travel as required.**About You - Mōu**You may be a recent graduate with a relevant qualification and a strong interest in building a career in animal welfare and regulatory work. Any experience in animal welfare, compliance, investigations or regulatory environments would be an advantage, but is not essential.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.* Knowledge of animal husbandry, production systems, and primary sector operations.* 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 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 midnight on Thursday 5 November 2026**If you have any questions about the role, please email [e-mail]