Pacific Animal Health Diagnostic Specialist

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); Upper Hutt; On-site; NZD 122,000 - 142,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invites applications for a Pacific Animal Health Diagnostics Specialist based in Upper Hutt (Wallaceville), with frequent international travel. The role leads animal health diagnostics initiatives across Pacific partner countries, strengthens laboratory quality capability, and supports preparedness and surveillance efforts.

You will bring a strong background in animal health, experience with diagnostic systems, and the ability to design training and

Qualifications

• Qualification in animal health lab science, veterinary science, or epidemiology with relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support animal health diagnostics initiatives across Pacific partner countries.

Skills

Animal health diagnostics

Lab quality management

Disease surveillance

Training design

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Project planning

Teamwork

Travel readiness

Education

Animal health lab science

Veterinary science

Epidemiology

Job description

Pacific Animal Health Diagnostics Specialist

Role type: Fixed-term until end June 2027, full-time

Location: Upper Hutt (Wallaceville), with frequent international travel

Salary band & range: General Salary Range C – $121,764 to $142,494 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

The Pacific Animal Health Diagnostics Specialist plays a key role in delivering the animal health component of the Enhanced Pacific Biosecurity Partnership (EPBP). Working across Pacific partner countries, you will help strengthen animal health diagnostic systems, laboratory quality capability, surveillance linkages, and preparedness arrangements. This is a unique opportunity to support sustainable, long-term capability development by helping countries establish practical diagnostic pathways, improve laboratory systems, and build the skills and confidence of local animal health professionals.

This role combines technical expertise with strong relationship management and regional collaboration. You will work closely with Pacific governments, laboratories, animal health agencies, regional partners, and MPI technical experts to support diagnostics, preparedness, and surveillance outcomes that are fit for purpose in Pacific contexts. With regular international travel, you will lead and contribute to initiatives ranging from diagnostic training and laboratory quality systems to disease preparedness planning, helping partner countries build resilient and sustainable animal health capability for the future.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and support animal health diagnostics initiatives across Pacific partner countries.
• Strengthen field-to-laboratory diagnostic pathways, including disease recognition, sample collection, testing, and result interpretation.
• Support the development of sustainable diagnostic systems and pathways that reduce reliance on New Zealand-based testing where appropriate.
• Provide practical advice and mentoring to strengthen laboratory quality management systems and accreditation readiness.
• Design and deliver diagnostic training programmes for veterinarians, laboratory staff, paravets, biosecurity officers, and other animal health workers.
• Support the development of local capability through mentoring, train-the-trainer approaches, and sustainable learning models.
• Help connect diagnostics activities with animal health surveillance, preparedness, and disease response systems.
• Contribute to preparedness initiatives, including simulation exercises, outbreak response planning, and high-priority disease readiness activities.
• Maintain and enhance existing paravet and animal health worker capability programmes across the Pacific.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, laboratories, regional organisations, and international partners to support shared animal health objectives.

About You – Mōu

You will bring a strong background in animal health and a passion for building sustainable capability and partnerships across diverse environments. Whether your experience has been gained in veterinary services, animal health laboratories, diagnostics, epidemiology, or a related field, you will be confident working across technical and operational settings. You'll have experience strengthening diagnostic systems, supporting laboratory quality frameworks, and translating complex technical concepts into practical solutions that deliver real-world outcomes.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A qualification in animal health laboratory science, veterinary science, epidemiology, or a related animal health discipline, supported by relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience in animal health diagnostic systems, including diagnostic pathways, sample referral processes, testing, and interpretation of results.
• Extensive experience supporting laboratory quality management systems, quality assurance programmes, accreditation readiness, or laboratory capability development.
• A practical understanding of animal disease surveillance, preparedness, outbreak investigation, and response activities.
• Experience designing and delivering training, mentoring, or capability development programmes.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, with the ability to build trusted partnerships across a range of organisations and cultures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor technical information for different audiences.
• Strong planning, organisational, and project delivery skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• A willingness and ability to undertake regular international travel across Pacific partner countries.

Just as important as your technical expertise is your ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with others. You will be someone who enjoys connecting with people, establishing new partnerships, and working alongside colleagues and stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes. You will bring a pragmatic, culturally aware approach, adapting confidently to different environments and ways of working. A supportive and collaborative team player, you will be comfortable working across organisations, influencing without authority, and helping partners build capability in a way that is sustainable, practical, and locally led.

You must have a current full New Zealand driver licence (not temporary, learner, or restricted) or equivalent full foreign drivers licence, and any endorsements required for the type of driving you'll be doing.

You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit.

About the Team – Mō tō mātou Rōpū

You will be part of a small, high-performing, and collaborative team that draws on a broad range of knowledge, experience, and perspectives. Our diverse capabilities allow us to take an integrated approach to complex challenges, adapt to the evolving needs of our Pacific partners, and deliver practical, impactful outcomes. We value teamwork, innovation, and a shared commitment to strengthening biosecurity systems and supporting long‑term resilience across the Pacific region.

About MPI – Mō Te Manatū Ahu Matua

We're a large organisation with massive scope from the frontline to policy development and beyond.

Security checks – NgāTakiWhakahaumaru

This role requires a New Zealand national security clearance. To be considered for this role, you must meet the eligibility criteria set out below.

• You must be a NewZealand citizen, or hold a NewZealand residence‑class visa (including permanent residence).
• You must have a minimum five (5)‑year background history that can be verified and assessed by the NewZealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) to determine your suitability for a CONFIDENTIAL national security clearance.

Find out more about the national security vetting process and access the eligibility self‑check tool.

If you do not meet these minimum criteria, we will not be able to accept your application.

Credit check – Tirotiro nama

Please note, given this position is identified as carrying financial risk, the preferred candidate(s) will be required to satisfactorily pass a credit check.

Drug and Alcohol Screening – Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(s) for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre‑employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site.

Are you ready to make a difference? – Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?

We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori. We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday, 4 October.

If you have any questions about the role, please email [e-mail]