Senior Civil Engineer

Davis Ogilvie; Nelson; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD opportunities

Health insurance

Wellbeing programme

Environmental focus

Community involvement

Job summary

Davis Ogilvie seeks a Senior Civil Engineer to join its Nelson team, delivering civil engineering design across infrastructure, road and water projects. You will work within a multidisciplinary group to design schemes from roading to three-waters, liaising with clients, contractors and local authorities.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years' experience, are Chartered or working toward chartership, and proficient with Civil3D, with strong English communication and knowledge of NZ standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years' experience and a relevant tertiary qualification.
• Be a Chartered Professional Engineer / Engineering Technician and working toward chartership.
• Experienced with 3D design using Autodesk Civil3D.
• Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Good understanding of New Zealand standards and codes of practice.
• Ability to manage time and take ownership of workloads.

Responsibilities

• Deliver civil engineering design across infrastructure, three-waters and land development projects.
• Prepare technical reports, design documentation and engineering assessments.
• Design roading, water supply, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure.
• Conduct construction administration and observation.
• Collaborate with local team to deliver integrated land development solutions.
• Engage with clients, contractors and authorities throughout project delivery.
• Apply 3D design tools to support engineering solutions.
• Manage own projects and workload to achieve high-quality outcomes.

Skills

Civil engineering

Project management

3D design

Autodesk Civil3D

NZ standards

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Autodesk Civil3D

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.

19d ago , from Engineering New Zealand Job Board

We're seeking a Senior Civil Engineer to join our busy Nelson team.

Having successfully delivered on several Central Otago projects over recent years, and with a strong pipeline of work within the region, we've recently opened a local office in Wānaka.

Who you are…

• You’re an enthusiastic and motivated civil engineer who enjoys delivering practical infrastructure solutions and working closely with clients, contractors and local authorities.
• You thrive in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment and enjoy contributing to projects that range from small residential developments through to commercial sites and larger infrastructure projects.
• You’re confident managing your own workload and enjoy working in a dynamic, energetic consulting environment where initiative, technical capability and strong communication skills are valued.

Your purpose…

You will play an important role in both the delivery of civil engineering projects within our Nelson office and the continued growth of our established local presence. Working within a multidisciplinary team of civil, structural, geotechnical and environmental engineers, surveyors and planners, you will contribute to the design and delivery of a wide range of projects throughout the South Island.

You will apply your technical expertise across infrastructure design including roading, water supply, stormwater and wastewater systems, while building strong working relationships with clients, contractors, and local authorities throughout the project lifecycle.

This is a key technical role requiring sound engineering judgement, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage projects and deliver practical solutions for clients.

Your daily adventures will include…

• delivering civil engineering design across infrastructure, three-waters and land development projects
• preparing technical reports, design documentation, and engineering assessments
• undertaking design for roading, water supply, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure
• carrying out construction administration and observation
• collaborating closely with our local team including survey and engineering managers to deliver integrated land development solutions
• engaging with clients, contractors and local authorities throughout project delivery
• applying 3D design tools and modelling software to support engineering solutions
• managing your own projects and workload to deliver high-quality outcomes for clients.

To be successful in this role you will ideally…

• have a minimum of five years’ experience and hold a relevant tertiary qualification
• be a Chartered Professional Engineer / Engineering Technician and working toward chartership
• be experienced with 3D design using Autodesk Civil3D
• have a strong understanding of relevant New Zealand standards and engineering codes of practice. An understanding of local engineering standards would be advantageous
• demonstrate strong English communication skills, both written and verbal
• be able to manage your time effectively and take ownership of your workload and projects
• bring a positive, fun and outgoing personality to a collaborative team environment.

What we offer

We offer the opportunity to work within a long-established and highly respected South Island consultancy delivering a diverse range of engineering projects. You will be supported by experienced professionals across multiple disciplines while enjoying a high level of autonomy in your role.

We offer excellent remuneration and a strong commitment to maintaining a healthy work–life balance.

Why DO is a great place for you to work

Our people are key to the success of our business. We have a distinctive team culture built around a non-hierarchical structure and a “leaders as coaches” philosophy. Principals and Directors work alongside teams in an open-plan environment, fostering accessibility, collaboration and professional growth. We also maintains a strong social culture, with regular events and activities that support connection across the business.

We’re highly skilled, technical experts who are passionate about what we do. We’re also a friendly, supportive, diverse and inclusive team with high priority on creating a positive work environment. We work on a wide range of projects from residential and commercial developments to large scale roading and infrastructure projects.

While this role is Nelson based, we have five offices who work closely together on projects throughout the South Island. This will give you the opportunity to work with colleagues from our other offices on exciting projects within the other regions too.

In addition to working with a team of great people, you can also expect the following benefits:

• Professional development: We encourage our staff to keep learning and growing. We will cover the cost of Engineering NZ subscriptions and provide opportunity for meeting CPD requirements with a range of inhouse and external courses throughout the year
• Wellbeing: We offer subsidised health insurance through Southern Cross, access to our online wellbeing programme, regular mental health and wellness presentations, paid entry into various sports events and 24/7 EAP services.
• Environmental: We care about the environment. We’re a carbon positive company with a focus on minimising our impact as much as possible, and regular tree planting and other environmental initiatives.
• Communities: We care about the communities where we live and work. Supporting them is important to us, and we do this through hands‑on involvement, raising awareness, and supporting causes that make a difference to New Zealanders’ lives.
• History: Davis Ogilvie has been established in Christchurch for over 90 years and is locally owned and operated. You will work side by side with the company directors and other staff with an abundance of knowledge and experience.