Principal Mechanical Engineer

JobSpace; Wellington; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and talent development

Health insurance and life insurance

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Stantec's Water team in New Zealand is seeking a Principal / Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead and grow our mechanical capability in Wellington. You will focus on water conveyance and treatment projects, deliver outstanding client outcomes, and mentor the next generation of engineers.

You will drive client service excellence, pursue new business, and provide technical leadership across complex projects, while shaping our local pipeline and ensuring delivery across planning, design,

Qualifications

• Proven track record of client service excellence.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience in business development and client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Act as trusted advisor to key clients and build long-term partnerships.
• Proactively drive business development and strategic growth in the local market.
• Lead pursuits, client engagements, industry involvement, and strategic bid support.
• Identify new opportunities in conveyance and treatment and shape our pipeline.
• Ensure delivery excellence across all phases of projects - planning, design, and delivery.
• Lead complex project reviews, provide senior-level technical oversight.
• Provide strong technical and people leadership across mechanical engineering in conveyance and treatment space.
• Mentor and develop a growing local team of intermediate and junior mechanical engineers.

Skills

People skills

Communication

Business development

Proposal leadership

Client relationship management

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Principal / Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what's previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure.

We are designers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and strategic advisors. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what's possible.

Stantec's Water team in New Zealand has an impressive portfolio of successful projects that benefit communities nationwide and beyond, with significant contributions to international work. Our water focus covers the management of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater as a collective resource. Dams and hydropower are a key focus, driving resilience and renewable energy solutions. Tackling our water challenges is crucial, and our diverse local network includes over 360 water specialists dedicated to innovation.

The opportunity:

We are seeking an exceptional Principal / Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead and grow our mechanical capability in one of our key offices. This is a strategic role focused on expanding our water conveyance and treatment portfolio, delivering outstanding client outcomes, and mentoring the next generation of engineers. If you are a senior technical leader with the passion, presence, and commercial acumen to shape a high-performing team, we want to hear from you.

The role includes driving client service excellence, business development, and technical leadership.

Day to day tasks would involve:

• Acting as a trusted advisor to key clients, building long term partnerships.
• Proactively drive business development and strategic growth in the local market to respond to market needs.
• Pursuits, client engagements, industry involvement, and strategic bid support.
• Identify new opportunities in conveyance and treatment and work closely with leadership to shape our business pipeline.
• Ensure delivery excellence across all phases of projects - planning, design, and delivery.
• Lead complex project reviews, provide senior-level technical oversight
• Provide strong technical and people leadership across mechanical engineering in the conveyance and treatment space.
• Mentor and develop a growing local team of intermediate and junior mechanical engineers.

What You'll Bring:

Our preferred candidate for this role will have proven track record of client service excellence, business development, and technical

• Be a people person, with technical understanding in your discipline.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and commercial awareness.
• Demonstrated success in business development, proposal leadership, and client relationship management.
• Experience dealing with a range of clients and stakeholders including local authorities, government bodies and commercial companies.

What we offer:

At Stantec, we take your growth and fulfilment serious. We're proud to offer many supportive benefits, including:

Professional development and support

• Flexible working arrangements, including purchasing up to an extra four weeks of leave and provision for school term contracts, part-time, and job sharing
• Learning and talent development programmes, including global, online, and on-the-job opportunities
• Professional memberships
• Service recognition awards

Wellbeing and connection opportunities

• Health insurance, income continuance insurance, and life insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Developing Professionals Group, a global network for those with under 10 years of experience