Fish Health & R&D Manager

King Salmon Co; Picton; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks annual leave

Southern Cross Medical Insurance

Permanent, Full Time

Job summary

New Zealand King Salmon Co is seeking a seasoned Fish Health & R&D Manager to lead our health, welfare, and innovation programs across NZKS fish stocks. You will drive evidence-based strategies, oversee our Fish Health Team, and partner with veterinarians, researchers, and regulators to advance welfare and sustainability.

You will develop and implement strategic R&D initiatives, secure funding, and guide analytics, monitoring systems, and AI-enabled tech to improve biomass,

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualifications in finfish health, aquaculture, fish welfare, production, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 5–10 years' experience working within salmonid aquaculture.
• Proven experience managing fish health and welfare programmes with veterinarians.

Responsibilities

• Lead fish health, welfare, and biosecurity across Aquaculture with a hands-on approach.
• Develop and deliver strategic R&D initiatives and commercial trials.
• Manage relationships with veterinarians, researchers, laboratories, suppliers and regulators.
• Identify and secure funding opportunities and research grants.
• Drive improvements in fish performance, quality and monitoring systems.
• Ensure compliance with biosecurity and animal welfare legislation and standards.
• Provide technical leadership and expert advice across the organisation.
• Coach and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Team leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Analytical thinking

Research & development

Education

Postgraduate degree in finfish health / aquaculture

Veterinary qualification (advantage)

Job description

Lead the future of fish health, welfare and innovation at New Zealand King Salmon.

At New Zealand King Salmon (NZKS), we're passionate about producing world-class salmon while continuously improving fish welfare, sustainability, biosecurity, and innovation. We're seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Fish Health & R&D Manager to provide strategic leadership across fish health, welfare, biosecurity, and research and development initiatives.

This is a unique opportunity to influence the future of New Zealand's salmon industry while leading a team of specialists and working alongside researchers, veterinarians, government agencies, and industry partners.

About the Role

Reporting to the GM Aquaculture, you will be responsible for developing and implementing evidence-based programmes that support the health, welfare, performance, and sustainability of NZKS fish stocks. You'll be hands‑on when leading our Fish Health Team, driving innovation through applied research, continuous improvement, and strategic partnerships.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Leading fish health, welfare, and biosecurity across Aquaculture with a hands‑on approach.
• Developing and delivering strategic R&D initiatives and commercial trials.
• Managing relationships with veterinarians, research institutions, laboratories, suppliers, and regulatory agencies.
• Identifying and securing funding opportunities and research grants.
• Driving improvements in fish performance, quality, biomass estimation, monitoring systems, and AI-enabled technologies.
• Ensuring compliance with biosecurity and animal welfare legislation and industry standards.
• Providing technical leadership and expert advice across the organisation.
• Coaching and developing a high‑performing multidisciplinary team.

About You

We're looking for an experienced fish health professional who combines strong scientific expertise with strategic leadership capability, and not afraid to get their hands dirty.

You will bring:

• Postgraduate qualifications in finfish health, aquaculture, fish welfare, production, or a related discipline. A recognised veterinary qualification, or equivalent, would be highly advantageous.
• Minimum of 5-10 years' experience working within salmonid aquaculture.
• Proven experience managing fish health and welfare programmes alongside qualified veterinarians.
• Strong analytical, research, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• The ability to lead and influence across operational and scientific environments.
• A proactive, innovative, and evidence-based approach to decision making.

Why Join NZKS?

Hours of work: Monday to Friday, guaranteed 40 hours minimum per week. However, there may be some flexibility in start and finish times.

Employment Type: Permanent, Full Time

Salary: $150,000 - $175,000 NZD (depending on experience)

Benefits: 4 weeks annual leave & Southern Cross Medical Insurance

This is an opportunity to:

• Shape the future of fish health and aquaculture innovation at NZKS
• Work with industry-leading specialists, researchers, and partners.
• Lead meaningful projects that advance fish welfare, sustainability, and production performance.
• Contribute to an organisation committed to safety, continuous improvement, provenance, and environmental responsibility.

Applications close 17 November 2026.

The New Zealand King Salmon Co Ltd is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace and has a pre-employment, post-incident and reasonable cause drug testing programme in place.