Environmental Monitoring Scientist - IRIS Next Gen (Fixed Term)

Waikato Regional Council; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Waikato Regional Council in Hamilton is seeking an Environmental Monitoring Scientist for a two-year fixed-term role focused on field water quality monitoring and leading the IRIS Next Gen implementation.

You will deploy and maintain monitoring equipment, collect and validate data, and support reporting while collaborating with Water Quality, Hydrology, Ecology and Environmental Data teams.

Qualifications

• A tertiary qualification or degree in natural, physical or environmental sciences or related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in environmental monitoring or related field.

Responsibilities

• Conduct sampling of rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater in the Waikato region.
• Deploy, calibrate, and maintain water monitoring equipment.
• Process, quality check and store environmental data in Council databases.

Skills

Excellent communication

4WD driving

Swimming 25m

Physical fitness

Attention to detail

Education

Degree in natural/physical/environmental sciences

Tools

Sampler

WisKi

Located

IRIS

National Wells Database

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Environmental Monitoring Scientist - IRIS Next Gen (Fixed Term)

Waikato Regional Council – Hamilton, North Island

Are you interested in a great opportunity to be monitoring the quality of our rivers, streams, lakes, and groundwater and being at the forefront of environmental monitoring? We are looking for an experienced field staff to join our Water Quality team on a two-year fixed termbasis, based in Hamilton.

The role is divided equally between practical water quality monitoring and leading the implementation of IRIS NextGen software to support environmental monitoring.

For half your time you will support the Team Leader - Water Quality to deliver freshwater monitoring programmes across the region. The remainder of your time is being the subject matter expert for IRIS Next Gen. IRIS NG is new software that will contain all site information relating to monitoring locations, staff skills and used for scheduling sampling runs. For IRIS NG you will be working across the Water Quality, Hydrology, Ecology, and Environmental Data teams.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

For IRIS, the role involves:

Knowledge of monitoring approaches and field site details of monitoring locations.

Being the Environmental Monitoring lead for IRIS Next Gen and supporting its implementation across the section.

Attending IRIS NG meetings and connecting with other leads across the organisation.

Developing user guides, templates, forms, and reports to support monitoring activities.

Providing training, guidance, and support to staff using IRIS Next Gen.

Working with Water Quality, Hydrology, Aquatic Ecology, and Environmental Data teams to ensure consistent monitoring, record management, and data entry processes.

Helping identify and resolve monitoring-related issues and supporting the transition to new systems and ways of working.

For WQ following best practice, the role involves:

Sampling rivers, streams, lakes, and aquifers throughout the Waikato region.

Deploying, maintaining, calibrating, and troubleshooting continuous water quality and water level monitoring equipment.

Downloading, processing, quality checking, and storing environmental monitoring data in Council databases.

Collecting, processing, and quality assuring both discrete and continuous water quality datasets.

Driving to remote parts of the region to undertake inspections, collect samples, and carry out field measurements.

Monitoring the condition of the region's shallow lakes, including operating and skippering Council boats.

Maintaining a strong focus on health, safety, and wellbeing while working in the field, on the water, and around monitoring equipment.

Ability to deliver in a difficult physical working environment with a high level of time pressure

Skills in data processing and a high level of competence using domain specific software relevant to the data being collected, e.g. Sampler, Wiski, Located, IRIS, National Wells Database

Eye for detail – high degree of accuracy when undertaking tasks

Proficient level of computer skills including Microsoft products

Those undertaking lake and river monitoring are competent around water and at using and skippering boats.

Those undertaking lake and river monitoring are able to swim at least 25m fully clothed

Physically fit: able to work full days in challenging field work.

Be able to stay away overnight for work from time to time.

Proven experience and ability in driving Utes, including 4WD experience and knowledge

Excellent communication skills – written and verbal

A tertiary qualification or degree in natural, physical or environmental sciences or related discipline.

Minimum 2 years’ experience.

Certified boat skipper – desirable but not essential.

We work hard to care for the mighty Waikato, so current and future generations will benefit from a healthy environment, strong economy, and vibrant communities.

Our mahi is as diverse as the region we care for and the people who share it. Our work helps look after our region's water, soil, air, geothermal areas and coasts - so we can all enjoy these precious resources for generations to come.

Customers sit at the heart of everything we do, and all staff have an important role to play in the delivery of exceptional customer service.

By partnering with iwi and working with many others in our communities, our collective kaitiakitanga will make the Waikato region even better.

Together, we’ll create a sustainable future that will make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Applications will be reviewed as they come in, and this role will close on Sunday 30th August 2026.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact ***************@waikatoregion.govt.nz