Biosecurity Officer – Bay of Plenty Regional Council – Rotorua

Bay of Plenty Regional Council; Rotorua; On-site; NZD 98,000 - 116,000; Full time

Job summary

A local regional council in Rotorua seeks an experienced individual for biosecurity projects focusing on pest management. You will plan and implement initiatives while engaging with the community and landowners. Ideal candidates hold a relevant degree and have at least 2 years of experience in pest control. The role promotes a supportive environment and offers flexible working arrangements, aiming for a balance between work and personal life.

Benefits

Challenging and varied work

Supportive work environment

Flexibility in work hours

Competitive remuneration and leave package

Employer paid insurance

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years relevant experience managing pest plant programmes.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse audience.
• Sound understanding of biosecurity practices.

Responsibilities

• Plan and implement biosecurity projects for pest control.
• Monitor biosecurity threats and established pests.
• Negotiate with landowners to meet regulatory requirements.
• Promote community initiatives for pest control.

Skills

Communication with community

Negotiation skills

Technical knowledge of biosecurity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science or Biology

Job description

Overview

Thriving together– mō te taiao, mō ngā tāngata. Our environment and our people go hand-in-hand.

Do you want to take your career to the next level at one of New Zealand’s most progressive Regional Councils and contribute to the valuable work that we do? If so, we have just the right job for you!

• Are you a great organiser with drive and initiative?
• Do you relish the opportunity to put your experience with pests to good use?

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced person to plan and implement biosecurity and pest control projects that give effect to Council’s policies, plans and strategies within the Bay of Plenty region. This position is also to promote and support community, council and national agency initiatives aimed at managing biosecurity and other pest threats.

The work is varied and interesting, taking place in a friendly, team-based environment.

Te āhuatunga a te tūranga | About the role

The role is varied but will focus primarily on pest plants, where you will:

• Plan and implement biosecurity projects to control pests and pest threats.
• Monitor biosecurity threats, incursions and established pests within the Bay of Plenty region.
• Inspect properties and negotiate with landowners/occupiers/Māori to ensure regional and national strategy and plan objectives and regulatory requirements are met.
• Promote the establishment of community initiatives for the control of pests and support these.

You will be given the opportunity to continue to develop your career and work on a varied range of interesting projects while living in the sunny Bay of Plenty.

Your skills and experience

We are seeking a passionate individual who can communicate with the community as well as taking action against pests. You will also have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science, Biology or be conservation-based.
• Minimum of 2 year’s relevant experience, ideally managing pest plant programmes.
• Sound technical knowledge of biosecurity and pest plant management.
• Ability to negotiate good biosecurity outcomes with a wide range of people and institutions.

Ideally you will also be highly motivated and want to deliver great outcomes for the community and the local environment.

Who we are

Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council is responsible for land, air and water as well as public transport and economic development. A major focus of our work involves looking after the environment. We manage the effects of people’s use of freshwater, land, air and coastal water. However, we also have a broader responsibility with others for the economic, social and cultural well-being of the regional community.

We are a values-driven organisation, that really cares about our people. Who you are is important to us and we welcome diversity as an opportunity to grow our teams and are keen to support people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions and abilities. We want Toi Moana to be a place where you bring your whole self to work.

Benefits

• Varied and challenging work.
• A supportive and collaborative work environment.
• Flexibility with the way you work.
• A competitive remuneration and leave package, including additional paid leave over Christmas/New Year, employer paid insurance, well-being initiatives.
• A commitment to supporting you grow and develop.

This role is located in Rotorua.

The position is currently being advertised at 40 hours per week (1.0 FTE) however, reduced hours could be negotiated to provide a better work/life balance for the successful candidate.

The salary for this role will be in the range of $98,558.35 and $115,951.00 pro-rated and per annum.

How to apply

How to apply: Click APPLY NOW or contact Greg Corbett, Biosecurity Manager, on 029 368 7571 for a confidential discussion.

To access a copy of Te Tūranga Mahi (Job Description) please copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: https://shorturl.at/3Utyg

Applications close 9pm, Wednesday 1 October 2025 and will only be accepted online.

NB: To apply for this job, you must have the legal right to be able to work in New Zealand and also a current, valid driver’s licence. As this position is designated as being “safety sensitive”, the successful candidate will be asked to undergo a pre-employment drug and alcohol check as part of the recruitment.