Principal Mechanical or Electrical Engineer

Tonkin + Taylor; Wellington; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Tonkin + Taylor is seeking a Principal Mechanical or Electrical Engineer to establish and grow our in-house M&E capability. You will lead senior technical work on complex infrastructure projects, guide bids, and mentor engineers while shaping a scalable, high‑performing M&E team across New Zealand offices.

The role combines technical excellence with client engagement and business development, delivering integrated M&E solutions for water, energy, and renewables Projects.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in Mechanical and/or Electrical engineering for infrastructure projects.
• Chartered status is highly advantageous.
• Strong leadership and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven capability in design and delivery of M&E systems for water, energy, and related infrastructure.
• Able to contribute to business development and market positioning.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical leadership for M&E on multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Lead or review M&E inputs across water, wastewater, energy, dams, and related assets.
• Collaborate with civil, environmental, and process engineers to deliver integrated solutions.
• Mentor engineers and help grow an internal M&E team.
• Support bids, client pursuits, and market expansion of the service line.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Client relations

Business development

M&E design

Job description

Shape the future of Mechanical and Electrical engineering at Tonkin + Taylor.

We're looking for an experienced Principal Mechanical or Electrical Engineer to help establish and grow our in-house Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) capability. This is a strategic, high-impact role where you will provide immediate specialist support for complex, multidisciplinary infrastructure projects while actively shaping the future of our M&E service offering.

The Opportunity

You will be joining us at a pivotal time. Our business is increasingly delivering complex, integrated infrastructure projects, particularly in water supply, wastewater treatment, pump stations, landfill infrastructure, and renewable energy.

This role will be based in Auckland or one of our other New Zealand offices, and would be ideal for a senior practitioner who enjoys combining technical excellence, client engagement, business growth, and team leadership. You will provide senior project input, help guide bids and client pursuits, and play a leading role in building a scalable, high-performing M&E team over time. You will be supported by a multidisciplinary business that recognises the strategic value of delivering seamlessly integrated M&E solutions to our clients.

What You'll Do

• Technical Leadership: Provide senior technical leadership for Mechanical and/or Electrical Engineering on multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Project Delivery: Lead or review M&E inputs across water, wastewater, stormwater, dams, waste/landfill, and energy/renewables. Support delivery in areas such as pumps, control gates, process equipment, power distribution, instrumentation, controls, and SCADA.
• Integrated Solutions: Work closely with civil, water, environmental, and process engineering teams to provide a seamlessly integrated service offering and improve delivery outcomes.
• Team Growth: Help build internal capability by mentoring engineers, shaping and supporting future recruitment, and moulding the culture of a new M&E team.
• Market Expansion: Contribute to bids, client relationships, cross-selling opportunities, and the broader commercial growth of the service line.

What You'll Bring

• Principal-Level Experience: 15+ years’ experience in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or closely related infrastructure engineering roles. (Chartered status is highly advantageous).
• Technical Excellence: Strong capability in M&E design and delivery, including the ability to lead or review M&E systems across infrastructure projects.
• Sector Expertise: Proven experience delivering projects in one or more of the following sectors: water, wastewater, energy/renewables, dams, stormwater, or waste/landfill.
• Business Acumen: Demonstrated commercial awareness, client focus, and the ability to contribute to business development, strategic growth, and market positioning.
• Leadership Skills: A collaborative working style with a proven ability to lead, mentor, and grow teams within a multidisciplinary environment.

Why Join Us?

This is more than a Principal Engineering role - it is an opportunity to build something meaningful and lead it from the front. You will help shape a key strategic capability, work on diverse, high-impact infrastructure projects, and create a lasting legacy by developing a high-performing M&E team. As a 100% employee-owned consultancy, we're committed to creating an environment where people feel supported, empowered and inspired to do their best work. Our values of Everyone Matters, Empowered to Deliver and Excellence Every Day guide how we work with each other, our clients and our communities.