Compliance Officer - Vessels - Earth Sciences

Sciene New Zealand; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Challenging work

Development opportunities

Wellbeing focus

Generous leave

Job summary

Research Vessels New Zealand (RVNZ) is seeking a Compliance Officer to ensure our vessels operate safely and in full regulatory compliance. You will maintain systems, coordinate inspections, manage documentation, and support operational teams in a dynamic maritime setting.

You will work with Operations and Engineering to implement changes, train staff, and ensure audit readiness, while building strong relationships with crews and regulators across national and international frameworks.

Qualifications

• Experience in a compliance, document control, or administrative support role within a regulated environment.
• Excellent written communication skills and strong attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to interpret regulations, policies, and procedures and apply them in a practical operational setting.
• A proactive, collaborative approach with strong stakeholder relationship and communication skills.
• Experience in the maritime, engineering, or other regulated industries.
• Knowledge of maritime regulatory frameworks and document management systems.

Responsibilities

• Maintaining and improving compliance systems, documentation, and processes to support safe and compliant vessel operations.
• Coordinating regulatory audits, inspections, certifications, and compliance reporting activities.
• Managing document control, ensuring records are current, secure, and audit ready.
• Monitoring changes to maritime regulations and supporting their implementation across the organisation.
• Assisting with the development and delivery of compliance-related training and awareness initiatives.
• Providing compliance and administrative support to the Operations and Engineering Managers.
• Supporting continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen operational compliance and efficiency.
• Providing backup support for crew administration, including timesheet processing and employment documentation.
• Building effective relationships with vessel crews, shore‑based staff, regulatory authorities, and certification bodies.

Skills

Compliance

Document control

Administrative support

Written communication

Organisational skills

Stakeholder relationships

Maritime knowledge

Tools

Document management systems

Job description

Compliance Officer - Vessels - Earth Sciences

Job / Position Specific Summary

Do you have a keen eye for detail and a passion for ensuring organisations meet regulatory requirements? Research Vessels New Zealand (RVNZ) is seeking a Compliance Officer to help ensure our fleet of research vessels operate safely and efficiently. We're looking for a Compliance Officer who thrives on maintaining robust systems, improving processes, and supporting operational teams in a dynamic maritime environment.

Working closely with the Operations and Engineering Managers, you'll maintain critical compliance systems, coordinate inspections, and help ensure our vessels continue to ensure our fleet continues to meet both national and international regulatory maritime requirements. If you enjoy improving processes, creating order from complexity, and making a meaningful contribution to an organisation with real-world impact, we'd love to hear from you.

This position sits within Research Vessels New Zealand (RVNZ), a subsidiary of Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Maintaining and improving compliance systems, documentation, and processes to support safe and compliant vessel operations.
• Coordinating regulatory audits, inspections, certifications, and compliance reporting activities.
• Managing document control, ensuring records are current, secure, and audit ready.
• Monitoring changes to maritime regulations and supporting their implementation across the organisation.
• Assisting with the development and delivery of compliance-related training and awareness initiatives.
• Providing compliance and administrative support to the Operations and Engineering Managers.
• Supporting continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen operational compliance and efficiency.
• Providing backup support for crew administration, including timesheet processing and employment documentation.
• Building effective relationships with vessel crews, shore‑based staff, regulatory authorities, and certification bodies.

You’ll bring the following:

• Experience in a compliance, document control, or administrative support role within a regulated environment.
• Excellent written communication skills and strong attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to interpret regulations, policies, and procedures and apply them in a practical operational setting.
• A proactive, collaborative approach with strong stakeholder relationship and communication skills.
• Experience in the maritime, engineering, or other regulated industries.
• Knowledge of maritime regulatory frameworks and document management systems.

What we offer

• Varied, challenging and important work with talented colleagues in an organisation devoted to earth science.
• A high performing organisation with a focus on employee development and wellbeing
• Generous leave entitlements and employee benefits

About us

Research Vessels New Zealand (RVNZ) is a subsidiary of Earth Sciences New Zealand. RVNZ owns and operates a fleet of three research vessels out of Port Wellington that provide world‑class environmental monitoring and research platforms. Our busy onshore team is based at Earth Sciences New Zealand Greta Point site in Wellington and provides full operational support to ensure all vessel, crew and voyage requirements are met.

Earth Sciences New Zealand is a new entity created from the merger of NIWA and GNS. We’re proud of our contribution to science and innovation in Aotearoa and you’ll be part of a collaborative and purpose‑driven organisation where your work has impact. To deliver the science needed to achieve meaningful change, we are committed to providing the best for our people, strengthening domestic and international collaborations, partnering with Māori, supporting Pacific resilience, leveraging advanced technologies, and investing wisely in essential assets and infrastructure. We also uphold our environmental responsibilities and maintain a strong focus on financial sustainability, ensuring our work continues to make a lasting difference.

We don't expect perfection in our candidates - if you think you have what it takes, but don't meet every point in the position description, please still get in touch!

Closes on 11 Oct 2026 23:00

Location(s) Porirua, Wellington, Hutt Valley, Wellington, Central Wellington

Expertise Biosecurity, Administrative Services, Business Management & Support, Analysis & Impact Evaluation, Quality Assurance, Seafaring