Principal Water Engineer

Engage Recruitment Support; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KiwiSaver

Birthday leave

WFH flexibility

Wellbeing benefits

Flu vaccination

EAP access

Southern Cross scheme

Job summary

Hawke’s Bay Water Partners seeks a Principal Water Engineer to lead its drinking water operations, ensuring safety, compliance and reliable service in Hastings, NZ. You will oversee day‑to‑day treatment, guide staff, manage budgets and coordinate with capital delivery teams on projects and commissioning.

The role combines strategic leadership with occasional hands‑on involvement for escalations and commissioning, and requires an established track record in regulated water environments.

Qualifications

• Leadership of a five‑person team in a regulated drinking water setting.
• Strong understanding of drinking water standards and public health requirements.
• Experience directing operational teams with regulatory and financial accountability.
• Experience leading capital projects, commissioning and handover.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of five staff and direct day‑to‑day drinking water treatment operations.
• Accountable for service performance, public health protection, regulatory compliance and financial management.
• Collaborate with capital delivery teams to ensure safe, compliant, reliable services and future‑oriented performance.
• Provide hands‑on support for escalations, commissioning activities and specialist technical issues.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Financial management

Technical oversight

Communication

Education

Bachelor of Engineering

Job description

We’re partnering with an established Hawke’s Bay organisation who are seeking a Principal Water Engineer to join its internal infrastructure team. This senior leadership role will provide technical oversight, financial accountability and operational assistance for the organisations drinking water treatment operations.

About the role:

The role leads a team of five staff and directs day‑to‑day drinking water treatment operations, with clear accountability for service performance, public health protection, regulatory compliance, and effective financial management . It is responsible for ensuring services are delivered safely and reliably, and that operational performance supports regulatory compliance.

The role works closely with capital delivery teams to ensure services remain safe, compliant, reliable, and future‑focused, contributing operational insight into design, commissioning, and ongoing system performance.

While the role is primarily leadership‑focused, hands‑on operational involvement may be required at times for escalations, incident response, commissioning activities, or specialist technical support.

This opportunity could be for you if you have…

• Recognised drinking water, engineering, infrastructure or related qualification, or significant equivalent experience
• Strong operational knowledge of drinking water treatment and associated assets (including abstraction, treatment, storage systems, and distribution)
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in drinking water treatment operations, with leadership responsibility
• Demonstrated experience leading and managing operational teams in a regulated environment
• Strong understanding of drinking water compliance, public health risk, drinking water regulatory requirements (including the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand), and Water Safety Plans
• Experience providing technical oversight and decision‑making support for complex operational issues
• Experience contributing to or leading capital projects, including commissioning and operational handover
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of technical, financial and compliance reporting
• Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical Materials, or Process Engineering)

What’s on offer?

• A challenging, varied and people‑focused role where no two days are the same
• The position will offer a well‑rounded salary & benefits package including a competitive salary plus KiwiSaver, birthday leave, and flexible/WFH options
• Other wellbeing perks include discounted fitness memberships, free flu vaccinations, access to EAP services, and access to a Southern Cross group scheme

Please note the location is:

Hastings, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Applicants from other regions need to be willing to relocate.