Project Engineer Substructure Care - Drainage

KiwiRail Freight; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car and weekend allowances

KiwiSaver contribution 4%

Discounted medical insurance

Staff travel benefits and partner-disc

Job summary

KiwiRail Freight in Auckland is seeking a Project Engineer to deliver a data‑driven drainage maintenance strategy for the Auckland Metro network. You’ll bring together inspection data, asset information and engineering insight to prioritise interventions and support field trials.

You’ll work across engineering, maintenance, GIS, contractors and stakeholders to refine the strategy and deliver planned interventions on a day or night shift basis, with a strong focus on safety and value.

Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification in engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience contributing to outcomes in complex, multidisciplinary environments.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence with inspection, condition or asset data.
• Excellent organisation, prioritisation and stakeholder-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyse drainage inspection and asset-condition data to identify network condition, priorities and intervention needs.
• Updating drainage asset records, validating information and supporting transfer into the central asset database.
• Working with the GIS visualisation team to develop a tailored drainage asset-management platform.
• Helping refine the drainage strategy, intervention thresholds, task instructions and maintenance delivery processes.
• Developing scopes, plans and work packages for drainage interventions and field trials.
• Collaborating with Civils, Track Maintenance, Infrastructure, Engineering, Protection, contractors and other stakeholders.
• Supporting procurement, contract administration, project controls, reporting, forecasting and variation management.
• Monitoring safety, cost, programme, quality, risks and benefits, while escalating material issues appropriately.
• Championing innovation, continuous improvement and practical solutions that improve network performance.
• Providing planned field support during day or night shifts as required.

Skills

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Documentation

Analytical thinking

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

GIS

Job description

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• Auckland Based Fixed-term end of June 2028
• Heavily focused on innovation, Predictive Maintenance, and asset management
• Car and weekend allowance available
• Strong training and development support to build your capability

At KiwiRail, we’re proud to connect people, goods and communities across Aotearoa. For more than 150 years, rail has helped move New Zealand forward. Today, we’re modernising and strengthening our metro networks to support more frequent passenger services, faster journey times and increased freight capacity. Our Network Readiness team is helping lead that transformation through safer, smarter and more preventative maintenance. With a focus on intelligence, automation, mechanisation and asset management, the team is building a more resilient and reliable rail network for the future.

This is an opportunity to contribute to a high-impact programme focused on improving drainage performance across the Auckland Metro network. Reporting to the Project Manager, you’ll help develop and deliver a data-driven drainage maintenance strategy that shifts the network from reactive maintenance toward a more planned and predictive approach.

You’ll bring together inspection and asset-condition data, engineering insight and practical field knowledge to help define intervention priorities, develop work packages and support field trials. Working across engineering, maintenance, GIS, contractors and key stakeholders, you’ll help improve track performance, resilience and whole-of-life asset outcomes.

The role is primarily project and administration based, with planned support for drainage inspections and interventions during day or night shifts when required.

What you'll be doing

• Analysing drainage inspection and asset-condition data to identify network condition, priorities and intervention needs.
• Updating drainage asset records, validating information and supporting transfer into the central asset database.
• Working with the GIS visualisation team to develop a tailored drainage asset-management platform.
• Helping refine the drainage strategy, intervention thresholds, task instructions and maintenance delivery processes.
• Developing scopes, plans and work packages for drainage interventions and field trials.
• Collaborating with Civils, Track Maintenance, Infrastructure, Engineering, Protection, contractors and other stakeholders.
• Supporting procurement, contract administration, project controls, reporting, forecasting and variation management.
• Monitoring safety, cost, programme, quality, risks and benefits, while escalating material issues appropriately.
• Championing innovation, continuous improvement and practical solutions that improve network performance.
• Providing planned field support during day or night shifts as required.

You’re a practical and collaborative Project Engineer who is comfortable working with data, technical specialists and operational teams. You can turn information into clear priorities and keep work moving in a complex, safety-critical environment.

You'll bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in engineering or a related discipline.
• Previous project engineering experience, ideally within rail, civil infrastructure, construction or asset management.
• Experience contributing to positive project outcomes in complex, multidisciplinary environments.
• Knowledge of project-management methods and reporting, including risk, scope, cost, quality, design and programme controls.
• Strong analytical skills and confidence working with inspection, condition or asset data.
• The ability to develop clear project documentation, scopes, reports and recommendations.
• Excellent organisation, prioritisation and stakeholder-management skills.
• A calm, pragmatic and flexible approach, with sound judgement under pressure.
• A strong commitment to health, safety and wellbeing.

Rail or drainage experience, GIS knowledge and relevant industry or project-management certification, such as PMP, would be advantageous but are not essential.

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you?

You’ll join a team working on a meaningful programme that will improve the resilience and reliability of Auckland’s rail network. The role offers variety across engineering, data, asset management, field delivery and stakeholder engagement, with real scope to test ideas and influence better ways of working.

In return, we offer:

• A role with a strong focus on innovation, data-led decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Car and weekend allowances, reflecting the planned field and out-of-hours requirements of the role.
• Training and development support to help you upskill.
• The opportunity to work with experienced engineering, maintenance, asset-management and GIS specialists.
• Competitive remuneration and a 4% employer KiwiSaver contribution.
• Discounted Southern Cross medical insurance.
• Staff travel benefits, retail partner discounts and access to the NZ Rail Staff Welfare Trust.

Kua rite, kia rite | Ready to make a difference?

If you’re a Project Engineer who enjoys solving practical infrastructure challenges, working with data and driving smarter asset outcomes, we’d love to hear from you.

Join KiwiRail and help create a safer, more resilient and better-performing metro rail network for Auckland.

Applications close: Tuesday 10th of November 2026