Monitoring & Reporting Specialist (Forest & Environment) – Nelson City Council – Nelson

Nelson City Council; Nelson; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing leave

Health insurance

Professional development

Employee benefits

Leave provisions

Job summary

Nelson City Council is recruiting for a Forest Monitoring and Data Specialist who will design and run environmental monitoring, spatial data workflows and reporting systems across forests and hill country reserves. The role blends field science with GIS, UAV surveys and remote sensing to track environmental changes.

You will lead data pipelines and dashboards, apply advanced statistics, and produce governance and funding reports for senior leaders and regulators. A NZ driver license is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level or higher qualification in environmental science or related field.
• Experience designing environmental monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Strong GIS, remote sensing, and UAV experience.
• Strong statistical and scripting skills (R, Python).
• Experience building dashboards and data visualisation tools.
• Experience in reporting to regulators or funders.
• Full NZ driver license.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement environmental monitoring frameworks including field and UAV surveys.
• Own and operate spatial data infrastructure, GIS workflows and remote sensing processes.
• Apply statistical methods to identify trends and inform adaptive management.
• Build data pipelines, dashboards and visualisations for diverse audiences.
• Prepare monitoring, governance and funding reports for regulators and funders.
• Maintain data quality standards for audit readiness.
• Provide technical input across related programmes and methodologies.

Skills

GIS skills

UAV/drone experience

Data visualization

Statistical analysis

R/Python scripting

Monitoring frameworks

Team collaboration

Education

Tertiary qualification in environmental science / ecology / geography / data science / statistics

Tools

ArcGIS

QGIS

Python

R

Job description

• Shape evidence-led environmental decisions
• Lead spatial monitoring and data innovation
• Support Nelson’s forest and reserve transition

Shaping our future | Kōmiria te anamata

Nelson City Council is undertaking one of the most significant local government transformations in New Zealand. Through Shaping Our Future, we’re organising ourselves around the people and communities we serve, getting clearer about who does what, and investing in the capability we need for the years ahead. We’re also working more closely with iwi, neighbouring councils and other partners to deliver better outcomes for Whakatū Nelson. Our new structure is in place, and we’re now recruiting for the roles that will bring it to life.

You’ll be part of one of Council’s most significant and visible programmes, shaping the future of our forests and hill country reserves for recreation, biodiversity and generations to come.

About the role | Kō tēnei tūranga mahi

This new role sits in our Forest Transition & Hill Country Reserves business unit, reporting to the Manager Forest Transition & Hill Country Reserves. You’ll design and run the monitoring, spatial data and reporting systems that show how our forests, reserves and wider environment are changing, combining field science with remote sensing, GIS and UAV surveys. Most of your time (0.75 FTE) will support the Forest Transition & Hill Country Reserves programme, with the remainder (0.25 FTE) supporting wider environmental work in our Science & Environmental Policy business unit.

You will:

• Design and implement environmental monitoring frameworks, including field-based ecological measurement, remote sensing and UAV survey programmes
• Own and operate the programme’s spatial data infrastructure, including GIS, mapping and remote sensing workflows
• Apply advanced statistical methods to identify trends, assess programme performance and inform adaptive management
• Build data pipelines, dashboards and visualisation tools that make complex data clear for a range of audiences
• Prepare monitoring, performance, governance and funding reports for regulators, funders, certification auditors and senior leaders
• Set and maintain data quality standards so environmental data is traceable and audit-ready
• Provide specialist technical input across Science & Environmental Policy programmes, including methodology development and peer review.

About you | Ko ngā pūmanawa ō

You’re a technically strong environmental data specialist who is just as comfortable designing a field sampling programme as building a dashboard. You care about data integrity, enjoy turning complex datasets into insight people can act on, and can explain your findings credibly to technical and non-technical audiences alike. You work well independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

You will bring:

• A tertiary qualification in environmental science, ecology, geography, data science, statistics or a related discipline (postgraduate study or equivalent specialist experience is an advantage)
• Experience designing and implementing environmental monitoring and evaluation systems in land management, conservation, forestry or natural resource settings
• Advanced GIS skills (ArcGIS, QGIS or equivalent), hands‑on UAV/drone experience and working knowledge of remote sensing
• Strong statistical and scripting skills in R, Python or similar
• Experience building dashboards and data visualisation tools
• Proven ability to prepare high‑quality technical, funding and governance reports
• Experience maintaining data management and quality assurance systems where data is subject to external audit
• A full current New Zealand driver licence.

What we offer | Ko ngā painga mōu

• Supportive, empowering leadership that backs you to do your best work
• Wellbeing leave, platforms and initiatives
• Fully subsidised health insuranceGenerous leave provisions
• Learning and professional development opportunities
• A range of employee benefits and discounts
• Meaningful work that shapes our community’s future
• Mountains, beaches and national parks on your doorstep.

At Nelson City Council, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and has a true sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from diverse ethnicities and cultures, LGBTQ+ communities, neurodivergent individuals, and people with disabilities. If you require any assistance with your application, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

For further enquiries | Ina he pātai anō, whakapā mai

Please reach out to James Griffiths, Forest Systems Manager on [e-mail]

Applications close | Rā whakakapi

Midnight on Monday 9 November 2026.

Related documents

• Monitoring & Reporting Specialist (Forest & Environmental) Position Description – Strategy & Planning Oct2026