Generation Technician - Operations

Contact Energy; Taupo; On-site; NZD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Good to be Home annual payment

Energy & broadband bill support

KiwiSaver employer contribution 4%

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Contact Energy in Taupō seeks a Generation Technician to operate and maintain hydro generation assets across the Taupō region. The role is broad and hands-on, involving high-voltage, mechanical and rotating plant with autonomy at remote sites and collaboration with the wider team during faults or outages.

You will complete routine maintenance, fault diagnosis, and scheme work, travel regularly to sites, and enter plant history records.

Qualifications

• Relevant mechanical or electrical trade qualification.
• Experience in power generation, with exposure to hydro.
• Hands-on maintenance and operation of large industrial plant and equipment.
• Strong safety awareness and ability to work safely.
• Good communication and collaboration with team and contractors.

Responsibilities

• Carry out routine maintenance, inspections and condition monitoring of generation assets.
• Diagnose faults and coordinate repairs to restore plant performance.
• Work across mechanical, electrical, HV and rotating equipment.
• Operate plant following safety rules and competency requirements.
• Plan outages and modifications, update records and plant history.
• Travel regularly between sites and work with remote plant locations.
• Contribute to safety and environmental compliance across schemes.

Skills

Mechanical trade

Electrical trade

Power generation

Hydro exposure

Attention to detail

Safety mindset

Communication

Driver license NZ

Education

Trade Certificate

Job description

At Contact, we believe home is the most important place in the world. That belief shapes everything we do, from leading the energy transition to how we power Aotearoa and care for our people and communities. We’re a power, broadband, and mobile company, but we’re also investing boldly in renewable energy and smarter, more connected ways of working ( mahi ). Our ambition is simple: to leave Aotearoa better than we found it. Guided by our values & behaviours, we’re a team who care deeply about the work we do, how we support one another, and the impact we have. Simply put, we touch lives to make life better.

We’re looking for a Generation Technician to join our Taupō hydro team on a 12-month fixed-term basis. Our hydro generation teams help keep renewable electricity flowing by safely operating, maintaining and improving the plant and systems across our schemes.

Job Description

This is a broad, practical role working across Contact’s hydro generation assets in the Taupō region. You’ll operate and maintain high-voltage, mechanical and rotating plant, building a strong understanding of the schemes and how they operate safely and reliably. There’s plenty of autonomy, with much of the work carried out independently across remote sites, alongside working closely with the wider team when breakdowns or operational issues require a coordinated response.

In this role, you will:

• Carry out routine maintenance, inspections and condition monitoring to support the safe and reliable operation of our generation assets.
• Investigate faults, diagnose plant and equipment issues, and complete or coordinate the work needed to rectify them.
• Work across mechanical, electrical, high-voltage and rotating plant and equipment.
• Operate plant and equipment in line with operational guidelines, safety rules and relevant competency requirements.
• Plan and complete scheme, asset and outage work, including approved modifications and enhancements.
• Monitor plant condition and respond to alarms, faults, defects and emergency maintenance requirements, paying close attention to changes that could indicate an emerging issue.
• Maintain accurate operational, maintenance and plant history records, including updates following changes to plant or systems.
• Work independently across our schemes while staying closely connected with your team, contractors and technical specialists, particularly when responding to breakdowns or operational issues.
• Build a thorough understanding of operational requirements, environmental consents and the safety rules that apply across the schemes.
• Travel regularly between sites, including remote plant locations, as part of your day-to-day work

This is a 24-hour operational environment, and once you’ve built the required plant knowledge and completed the relevant HCTP modules, you’ll take part in the on-call roster. We expect this initial competency period to take around three months, giving you time to get to know the plant and build the knowledge you need before going on call.

Qualifications

Kowaikoe| About You

You’ll bring a relevant mechanical or electrical trade, along with hands‑on experience in power generation and some exposure to hydro. A mechanical background would be particularly valuable for this team, although we’re also interested in electricians who bring strong mechanical capability. Experience working with large‑scale industrial plant, including environments such as manufacturing or other heavy industry, will also be useful.

You’ll also bring:

• A relevant mechanical or electrical Trade Certificate or equivalent qualification.
• Experience working in power generation, with some exposure to hydro generation.
• Hands‑on experience maintaining and operating large‑scale industrial plant and equipment.
• The ability to investigate faults, diagnose technical problems and identify practical solutions.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to recognise changes in plant or equipment that may indicate an emerging issue.
• Sound judgement and a strong approach to safety, including the confidence to make decisions about whether work or plant conditions are safe.
• Reliability, initiative and the ability to work safely and effectively on your own for much of the day.
• Clear communication skills and the ability to work constructively with colleagues, contractors and technical specialists, particularly when responding to breakdowns or time‑sensitive operational issues.
• A full New Zealand driver licence and the flexibility to travel regularly to sites in the Taupō region.

Additional Information

This is a 12-month fixed‑term role based in Taupō, with regular travel to hydro generation sites across the region. Due to the operational nature of this role, flexibility in where and when the work is performed is limited.

Contact is not a place you’ll stagnate. Even in a fixed‑term role, you’ll enjoy a generous suite of benefits designed to support your wellbeing and make life a little easier. You’ll have the flexibility to work in ways that suit you and your team, plus access to our ‘Good to be Home’ annual payment to help with your home set‑up and wellbeing. If you’re a Contact customer, you’ll also receive twice‑yearly payments toward your energy and broadband bills. You’ll even get a boosted 4% KiwiSaver employer contribution while you’re here with us! And of course, you’ll also have access to a range of additional corporate discounts that make it good to work at Contact.

Applications close on Friday 13th November. But just like peak demand, great talent surges early.

We love a good story at Contact, it’s what keeps our energy flowing! If you’ve got one that connects with this role.

Here at Contact Energy (Te Mata Hiko), we know our strength lies in developing a sense of belonging - one that helps us attract and retain people with a broad range of perspectives and experiences.

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our customers and communities to help build a better Aotearoa New Zealand.

We have a rich community of talented people that we support to thrive at Contact.

Our inclusive hiring process is designed to embrace the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring a wide range of perspectives are included in our decision‑making and helping reduce bias along the way.The wellbeing of our kaimahi is super important to us.We use employee insights to offer a range of initiatives and resources to support physical, mental, financial and emotional wellbeing – including flexible working arrangements, employee network groups and a market‑leading parental leave policy.

At Te Mata Hiko, we want everyone to thrive. We welcome applicants far and wide - of every age, stage, background, and pride. Join us and be part of a team that values your passion and attitude just as much as your experience and skills.

Please note, only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role.

Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet 60% of the criteria, women and those in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they tick every box.We're not about box ticking, so if you think you have what it takes but don't meet everything stated above, please still get in touch. We'd love to kōrero.

Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) does not accept any CVs received from recruitment agencies where a formal engagement has not been confirmed and agreed to with our Talent team. In the event that unsolicited CVs are submitted by recruitment agencies, Te Mata Hiko (Contact Energy) reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current/future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency in question. This will also apply to any CVs sent directly to line managers.

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