Engineering Hydrologist

Tonkin & Taylor; New Zealand; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible leave options

Professional development

Wellbeing allowance

Parental leave benefits

Back-to-work coaching

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Tonkin & Taylor is seeking an Engineering Hydrologist / Water Engineer to join our growing Water team across Aotearoa. The role suits an intermediate-to-senior practitioner with hydrology experience in consulting, government, or infrastructure.

You will apply hydrological science to support infrastructure planning, flood risk management and climate resilience, delivering reports, models, and design documentation for NZ and Pacific projects.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil, Environmental or Water Resources Engineering (or similar).
• Experience in hydrology, flood estimation, catchment modelling, or water resources assessments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with hydrological analysis and modelling tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clients and multidisciplinary teams.
• Curious, practical mindset and ability to translate technical analysis into clear advice.
• Commitment to technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Chartered status, or progress toward chartership, would be an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Undertake hydrological investigations, rainfall-runoff modelling, flood estimation and catchment assessments for water-related projects.
• Support flood risk management, climate resilience, hydraulic modelling and flood modelling studies.
• Assist with design and assessment of hydraulic structures, stormwater systems and water infrastructure.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, specifications, assessments and design documentation.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary project teams across the business.
• Engage with clients, councils, infrastructure providers and project stakeholders to support delivery.
• Contribute to proposals, business development and client relationships where appropriate.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to technical excellence initiatives across T+T.

Skills

Hydrology

Flood estimation

Catchment modelling

Water resources

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Collaboration

Chartered status

Chartered progress

Education

Degree in Civil/Environmental/Water Resources Engineering

Tools

Hydrological modelling tools

Hydrological analysis software

Job description

Tonkin & Taylor – Wellington Central, North Island

Shape resilient water futures across New Zealand and the Pacific

At Tonkin + Taylor, we help clients solve some of the most complex water challenges facing New Zealand and the Pacific. From catchment hydrology and flood risk assessment to stormwater management, water infrastructure, hydropower, drought and climate resilience, our work helps communities make informed decisions and prepare for the future. If you’re motivated by applying hydrology to real-world infrastructure, flood risk and climate resilience challenges, this is an opportunity to contribute to projects that shape safer, more resilient communities across Aotearoa and the Pacific.

We’re seeking an Engineering Hydrologist / Water Engineer to join our growing Water team. This role is ideally suited to someone with a strong foundation in hydrology who is excited by the opportunity to apply their skills across a diverse range of water engineering projects. It would suit an intermediate- to senior-level practitioner with experience applying hydrology in consulting, local government, infrastructure, or water-related environments.

As an Engineering Hydrologist / Water Engineer, your primary focus will be the application of hydrological science and engineering principles to support infrastructure planning, flood risk management and climate resilience projects. You'll undertake hydrological investigations, rainfall-runoff modelling, flood estimation and water resource assessments while also contributing to related water engineering disciplines including flood modelling, hydraulic structures, stormwater systems and water infrastructure design.

Working alongside a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists and planners, you'll help deliver practical and innovative solutions for clients across New Zealand and the Pacific.

This position is full-time, can be based at any of our office locations across Aotearoa – Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Nelson or Christchurch.

What you’ll do

• Undertake hydrological investigations, rainfall-runoff modelling, flood estimation and catchment assessments for a range of water-related projects.
• Support flood risk management, climate resilience, hydraulic modelling and flood modelling studies.
• Assist with the design and assessment of hydraulic structures, stormwater systems and water infrastructure.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, specifications, assessments and design documentation.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary project teams across the business.
• Engage with clients, councils, infrastructure providers and project stakeholders to support successful project delivery.
• Contribute to proposals, business development and client relationship growth where appropriate to your experience level.
• Support and mentor junior staff, and contribute to technical excellence initiatives across T+T.

We’re interested in hearing from people with a passion for understanding water systems and solving complex challenges.

Ideally, you’ll bring:

• A degree in Civil, Environmental or Water Resources Engineering (or similar).
• Experience in hydrology, flood estimation, catchment modelling, or water resources assessments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with hydrological analysis and modelling tools. Experience with tools such as or similar would be advantageous.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work collaboratively with clients and multidisciplinary teams.
• A curious, practical mindset and the ability to translate technical analysis into clear advice for clients and communities.
• A commitment to technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Chartered status, or progress toward chartership, would be an advantage.

If you don’t meet every requirement but have strong hydrology experience and a willingness to learn, we’d still encourage you to apply.

At T+T, you’ll be supported to do meaningful work, grow your career and enjoy a range of benefits, including:

• Flexible working arrangements, including the option to purchase additional leave
• Professional development, mentoring, internal learning programmes and support toward chartership
• Competitive remuneration, including paid overtime as per your employment agreement
• A $750 annual wellbeing allowance, Sonder 24/7 wellbeing support and annual flu vaccinations
• Enhanced family support, including parental leave benefits and back-to-work coaching
• A supportive, inclusive culture with active social clubs and meaningful projects across New Zealand and the Pacific