Senior Cloud DevOps Engineer (Security)| Kaipūhanga Kapua Matua Devops

New Zealand Government; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

37.5-hour week

Sick leave 15 days

End-of-year extra days off

Annual flu vaccines

Counselling & coaching

Health benefits

Corporate rates

Study assistance

Cross-agency connection

Social club

Job summary

Stats NZ is seeking a Senior Security/DevSecOps Solutions Engineer in Wellington for a 12-month fixed-term role. You will lead secure cloud and application design, collaborate across delivery teams and provide technical guidance while embedding privacy and security-by-design principles.

A strong security mindset and proven cross-team collaboration are essential. You will work with the Security Uplift Programme, balancing security with operations, and engage vendors on assurance activities.

Qualifications

• Security-first mindset and privacy-by-design principles.
• Ability to collaborate across delivery teams, infra engineers, architects and data specialists.
• Excellent communication and documentation for diverse audiences.
• Deep knowledge of cloud security practices, controls and standards.
• Experience identifying, assessing and mitigating security risks across cloud and development environments.
• Understanding of security assurance, certification and accreditation processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership on architecture and design of secure cloud, infrastructure, middleware and applications.
• Embed privacy and security-by-design principles across cloud and application environments.
• Support adoption of secure cloud technologies and best practices across teams.
• Balance security requirements with operational and business needs.
• Engage with vendors and third-party providers on security assurance and risk management.

Skills

Security-first mindset

Collaboration across teams

Clear communication

Cloud security practices

Risk assessment & mitigation

Security assurance processes

Public service values

Job description

The role |Tetūnga

Are you a hands‑on engineer who lives and breathes security? We're looking for a Senior Security/DevSecOps Solutions Engineer to play a key role in our Security Uplift Programme. Working at the intersection of development, operations, and security, you'll help design and implement secure, resilient technology solutions that stand up to real‑world threats. If you're passionate about secure‑by‑design practices and enjoy collaborating across teams to solve complex challenges, we'd love to hear from you. This is a 12-month fixed‑term position based in Wellington. Reporting into the Security Uplift Programme, you’ll provide technical leadership on the architecture and design of secure cloud, infrastructure, middleware, and application solutions. You'll contribute to planning and design decisions, support the adoption of secure cloud technologies, and build strong relationships across the Technology Services branch. You'll be part of a specialist team that includes the Principal Security Architect, Senior Solutions Security Architect, Senior Business Analyst (Security), Senior Change Manager, and Senior Project Manager, all working together to strengthen Stats NZ's security capability and resilience. You'll bring: A security-first mindset, with experience embedding privacy and security-by-design principles into cloud and application environments. Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across delivery teams, infrastructure engineers, architects, and data specialists. Excellent communication and documentation skills, translating complex technical concepts into clear guidance for a range of audiences. Deep knowledge of cloud security practices, controls, and standards, with the ability to apply them in practical and scalable ways. Experience identifying, assessing, and mitigating security risks while supporting compliance requirements across cloud and development environments. An understanding of security assurance, certification, and accreditation processes, including engagement with vendors and third‑party providers. A continuous improvement mindset and the ability to balance security requirements with operational and business needs. A commitment to public service values, including cultural capability, Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. Personal accountability for health, safety, and wellbeing, contributing positively to a safe and respectful workplace.

• A security-first mindset, with experience embedding privacy and security-by-design principles into cloud and application environments.
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across delivery teams, infrastructure engineers, architects, and data specialists.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills, translating complex technical concepts into clear guidance for a range of audiences.
• Deep knowledge of cloud security practices, controls, and standards, with the ability to apply them in practical and scalable ways.
• Experience identifying, assessing, and mitigating security risks while supporting compliance requirements across cloud and development environments.
• An understanding of security assurance, certification, and accreditation processes, including engagement with vendors and third-party providers.
• A continuous improvement mindset and the ability to balance security requirements with operational and business needs.
• A commitment to public service values, including cultural capability, Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.
• Personal accountability for health, safety, and wellbeing, contributing positively to a safe and respectful workplace.

We recognise that valuable skills can come from both paid and unpaid work. You may have gained experience through education, hospitality, technology, public service, the marae, the arts, community involvement, volunteering, or whānau responsibilities. We welcome and value all forms of transferable skills, and encourage you to bring your full, unique self to your application.

For all our roles, we’re looking for people who:

• Act with integrity, take responsibility, and do what’s right even when it’s hard.
• Understand the ‘why’ behind their work and focus on delivering real value.
• Stay curious and open to learning, seeing challenges as chances to grow.
• Build respectful and inclusive relationships, grounded in care for others.
• Work collaboratively across boundaries and contribute to collective outcomes.

We don’t expect you to know everything. What matters is your genuine interest, commitment, and readiness to grow with us.

In your cover letter, tell us about yourself, what attracted you to this role, and what you would bring to Stats NZ.

About Us | Komātou

StatsNZTataurangaAotearoa is the National Statistics Office, leading the way in data and insights. While this is our focus, it’s our people who are central to everything we do. We value diverse perspectives and experiences, recognising that our work is strengthened by the people behind it.

The data and insights we produce help shape decisions across government, communities, and businesses, and play an important role in telling the story of Aotearoa NewZealand. Our mahi supports informed decision making at both national and local levels, helping improve outcomes for people, the economy, and the environment.

We’re proud of the role we play in guiding and strengthening the data system, with a goal of delivering high-quality data with equitable access for all.

Curious about what it’s really like to work here? Before applying, we encourage you to watch our Life at Stats NZ video. It offers a glimpse into who we are, what we value, and the diverse perspectives and experiences that make Stats NZ a great place to work.

What’sin it for you? |Ngāhuakariroki akoe

• 37.5-hour working week.
• 15 days sick leave allowance (to be used for yourself or people under your care).
• 3 extra days off (taken during end-of-year office closure).
• Annual flu vaccines.
• Funded counselling and coaching through our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Visual and hearing health benefits (for permanent kaimahi).
• Corporate rates for a variety of services and products.
• Study assistance programmes.
• RōpūWaiata – weekly cross-agency connection.
• An active social club in each office.

How to apply | Mepēheatetukutono

Sound like you? Click 'Apply now' to be redirected to the application page on our careers site. The position description is located on the right-hand side of the page. We screen applications as we receive them, so we may move to interview stage quickly. You may be asked to complete a pre‑interview screen by phone or video. Please let us know in your application if we need to make any specific accommodations during our process.

Please reach out to [e-mail] if you have any pātai / questions.

Note to recruitment agencies: unsolicited CVs will not be accepted.