Dog Care Specialist

Nz Ministry For Primary Industries; Auckland; On-site; NZD 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Annual Wellness payment

Bi-annual paid eye test

Job summary

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is seeking a Dog Care Specialist to oversee the healthcare and wellbeing of detector dogs. The role involves caring for dogs, assisting with canine development, and liaising with volunteer puppy walkers. You must enjoy activity, be on your feet, and have a full clean driving licence.

4 days on, 2 off, weekends worked, in Auckland. Starting salary is $60,882. The position is fixed-term until the end of September 2027, based in Mangere, near Auckland Airport.

Qualifications

• Proven work experience with dogs in a kennelling environment.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Physically fit and able to be on your feet for the 8.5-hour day.
• Team player with reliable attendance.
• Full clean driver's licence.

Responsibilities

• Care for detector dogs' healthcare and wellbeing.
• Maintain dogs' environment and transportation cleanliness.
• Liaise with volunteer puppy walkers and canine development activities.
• Rostered weekend work; participate in practical assessments in Auckland.
• Support canine development and welfare across the team.

Skills

Dog handling

Communication skills

Physical fitness

Team player

Driver's license

Job description

Dog Care Specialist Role type: Fixed term role ending end of September 2027 Location: Auckland (Māngere - just north of the airport) Starting salary: COPS Border Clearance Services DCS: $60,882

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

As a Dog Care Specialist, your primarily responsibility is the healthcare and wellbeing of our detector dogs. You will love keeping our dogs in peak physical condition and taking care of their mental wellbeing while ensuring their environment and transportation is clean. You will also assist with canine development including liaising with our volunteer puppy walkers. We are looking for people who enjoy running around, not being tied to a desk and will love and care for the puppies who will be around you all the time! Please note that this position works 4 days on, 2 days off, meaning you will be required to work weekends. The hours are 6:30am – 3:30pm with occasional 9am – 6pm shifts.

About You – Mōu

You will be experienced in handling canines. This will include handling adult canines through to pregnancy and puppies. You will also have good experience and knowledge of canine healthcare & behaviour management.

• Proven work experience with dogs in a kennelling environment
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Physically fit & able to be on your feet for most of the 8.5 hour day
• Team player
• A full clean driver's licence

The successful candidate will help to oversee the commercial cleaners and will be required to work weekends on a rostered basis and do overtime when required. Applicants must be available to attend practical assessments as part of the recruitment process in Auckland – on 22 and 27 October 2026.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Border Clearance Services directorate of the Ministry for Primary Industries is responsible for providing frontline clearance services at the border for imported goods, arriving international vessels and aircraft, international mail, international passengers and crew, and detection technology including X-Ray and detector dogs.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu

We're a large organisation with massive scope from the frontline to policy development and beyond. To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.

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

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

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.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 11 October 2026.

If you have any questions about the role, please email [e-mail]