Maintenance Shift Engineer

Silver Fern Farms Ltd; Balclutha; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership development

Supportive team

Competitive remuneration

Employee benefits

Career growth

Job summary

Silver Fern Farms Finegand in Balclutha is seeking a skilled Shift Engineer to join our high-performing engineering team. You will bring refrigeration expertise to a large-scale industrial site, supporting critical plant operations.

The role operates on a rotating 45-hour roster (morning, mid, and afternoon shifts) and offers opportunities to lead maintenance and safety initiatives across ammonia, refrigeration, and water systems.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in refrigeration, ammonia systems, or industrial engineering.
• Strong fault-finding ability with a practical, solutions-focused mindset.
• Maintenance principles understanding in industrial settings.
• Experience with chillers, cold stores, compressors, or heat pumps.
• Able to work independently and in a team.
• Well-organised with strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Relevant Level 3 or 4 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning qualification (advantageous).

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day operation of refrigeration systems, water reticulation, and site services.
• Carry out planned and reactive maintenance to minimise downtime.
• Respond to breakdowns to restore capacity quickly and safely.
• Maintain operation of systems including refrigeration, ammonia, compressed air, water services.
• Promote health & safety culture through leadership.
• Ensure compliance with MPI food hygiene and regulatory standards in controlled areas.

Skills

Refrigeration

Ammonia systems

Industrial maintenance

Fault finding

Maintenance principles

Chillers & compressors

Teamwork & comms

Education

Level 3-4 Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Job description

Te Tūranga / About The Role

Silver Fern Farms Finegand is on the lookout for a skilled Shift Engineer to join our high-performing engineering team.

Based in Balclutha, our Finegand site is the second largest in our network, employing over 1200 people at peak season. This is a fantastic opportunity to apply your refrigeration expertise in a large-scale industrial environment, supporting critical site services and plant operations.

You’ll be working a rotating 45-hour roster (morning, mid, and afternoon shifts) giving you variety and exposure across operations.

Te Mahi / Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the day-to-day operation of refrigeration systems, water reticulation, and essential site services
• Carry out planned and reactive maintenance to minimise downtime and optimise plant reliability
• Respond to breakdowns efficiently, ensuring equipment is restored to full capacity quickly and safely
• Maintain the smooth and reliable operation of key systems including refrigeration, ammonia, compressed air, and water services
• Actively contribute to and promote a strong health & safety culture through participation and leadership
• Ensure full compliance with MPI food hygiene and regulatory standards when working in controlled areas

Ōu Pūkenga / About You

• Proven experience in refrigeration, ammonia systems, or industrial engineering environments
• Strong fault-finding ability with a practical, solutions-focused mindset
• Solid understanding of maintenance principles in industrial settings
• Experience working with equipment such as chillers, cold stores, compressors, or heat pumps
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Well-organised with strong problem-solving and communication skills
• Relevant Level 3 or 4 (or higher) qualification in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning (advantageous)

Te Ahurea | Why Silver Fern Farms?

At Silver Fern Farms we're all about creating goodness from the farms the world needs.

Join a business that values its people, invests in leadership development, and provides opportunities to grow your career. You'll work alongside dedicated teams committed to delivering safe, high-quality products while making a meaningful contribution to New Zealand's food industry.

We Offer

• Ongoing leadership development opportunities.
• A supportive team environment.
• Competitive remuneration.
• Employee benefits and wellbeing initiatives.
• Career growth within one of New Zealand's leading food companies.

Silver Fern Farms is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.