Maintenance Engineer

Silver Fern Farms Ltd; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Silver Fern Farms Ltd in Christchurch is seeking a Maintenance Engineer to join our Engineering team at the Belfast site. You’ll be responsible for providing engineering services, maintenance, and technical support across a busy food production environment.

You’ll play a key role in maintaining plant equipment reliability and performance, handling planned maintenance, breakdown responses, installations, and continuous improvement initiatives while prioritising safety and quality.

Qualifications

• Trade-qualified engineer with strong mechanical aptitude.
• Experience in maintenance operations within manufacturing/industrial settings.
• Familiar with pneumatic, hydraulic, conveyor and mechanical drive systems.
• Good knowledge of health, safety and compliance in engineering environments.
• Proficient in CMMS or similar maintenance management software.

Responsibilities

• Deliver mechanical repairs and maintenance across site equipment and assets.
• Plan and execute maintenance to maximise plant performance and minimise failures.
• Respond to breakdowns and restore equipment to full operation safely and quickly.
• Support installation and commissioning of new plant and equipment.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and data in site systems.
• Promote safety culture with hazard identification and safe work practices.

Skills

Mechanical troubleshooting

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Safety awareness

Education

Trade qualification in engineering

Tools

CMMS systems

Job description

Te Tūranga | About the Role

We're looking for a Maintenance Engineer to join our Engineering team at our Belfast site in North Christchurch. This is a practical, trade-focused role responsible for providing engineering services, maintenance, and technical support across a busy food production environment.

You’ll play a key role in maintaining the reliability and performance of plant equipment, ensuring maintenance activities are completed safely, efficiently, and to a high standard. Working closely with production and engineering teams, you’ll be involved in planned maintenance, breakdown response, equipment installations, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This role requires a proactive approach to problem solving, strong technical skills, and a commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence. You’ll have the opportunity to work on a diverse range of mechanical systems while contributing to the ongoing success of one of New Zealand’s leading food manufacturers.

Shift Pattern: The Maintenance Engineer role will cover both day and night shift requirements. The shift pattern is a 9hr rotating shift starting 5.30am or 3.30pm and flexibility required to support both day and night shift operations as needed. The role is Monday – Friday with Saturday work through our peak period.

What You’ll Have Ownership Of

• Delivering mechanical repairs and maintenance across site equipment and production assets
• Completing planned maintenance activities to maximise plant performance and minimise equipment failure
• Responding to breakdowns and restoring equipment to full operating capacity as quickly and safely as possible
• Maintaining pneumatic, hydraulic, conveyor, drive systems, and related plant equipment
• Supporting the installation and commissioning of new plant and equipment
• Ensuring maintenance work is completed in accordance with food safety, quality, and compliance requirements
• Maintaining accurate maintenance records and task completion data through site systems
• Promoting a strong safety culture through hazard identification, safe work practices, isolation procedures, and permit systems
• Contributing to team culture, problem-solving activities, and continuous improvement initiatives across the engineering function

Ōu Pūkenga | About You

You’re a trade-qualified engineer who enjoys working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and takes pride in delivering quality maintenance outcomes. You have a strong mechanical aptitude, a practical approach to problem solving, and a commitment to always working safely.

You work well both independently and as part of a team, building positive relationships across the business while supporting production and operational objectives. You’re dependable, proactive, and motivated by improving equipment performance and reliability.

Ideally, You’ll Bring

• A relevant engineering or mechanical trade qualification
• Experience in maintenance operations within a manufacturing, processing, or industrial environment
• Sound knowledge of plant mechanical and engineering practices, maintenance systems, and reliability principles
• Experience working with pneumatic, hydraulic, conveyor, and mechanical drive systems
• Strong understanding of health, safety, and compliance requirements within an engineering environment
• Good communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively across teams
• Computer literacy and experience with CMMS systems or similar maintenance management software
• Strong attention to detail and a proactive, solutions-focused approach to work
• Experience maintaining processing equipment; electrical appliance knowledge would be advantageous

Silver Fern Farms welcomes people from all backgrounds and experiences. We are proud of our diverse, inclusive workplace and are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone.

Come and create goodness together with us.