Senior Technician

Ministry For Primary Industries; Auckland; On-site; NZD 69,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Career development and internal opps

MPI Mentoring program

Job summary

Ministry for Primary Industries is seeking a Senior Technician (Entomology) in Auckland to support diagnostic services, surveillance programmes and biosecurity responses. You will work with scientists and technicians to diagnose specimens, maintain equipment and contribute to field surveys across New Zealand.

The role requires a solid lab background, attention to detail and a commitment to protecting NZ's environment and primary industries. ISO 17025 aware and plant pest knowledge are assets.

Qualifications

• Requires tertiary qualification or relevant technical experience in entomology.
• Knowledge of plant health laboratories and diagnostic methods.
• Familiarity with major plant and environmental pest groups.
• Strong planning, communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to produce accurate work as priorities change.
• Experience with LIMS and PPIN data entry for Entomology.

Responsibilities

• Process specimens and support routine identification work.
• Maintain laboratory equipment, records and reference collections.
• Enter and manage accurate diagnostic information.
• Contribute to field surveys and biosecurity investigations.
• Support quality systems and laboratory procedures.
• Share technical knowledge and laboratory practices with others.
• Support diagnostic, surveillance and response activities across NZ's biosecurity system.

Skills

Entomology

Lab diagnostics

Planning

Communication

Data entry

Equipment calibration

Biosecurity knowledge

Education

Entomology qualification

Tools

LIMS

PPIN

Job description

Job Description

Senior Technician (Entomology)

Role type: Fixed-term or secondment opportunity until June 2027

Location: Auckland (Tamaki) location

Salary range & band: General Salary Range G – $69,011 to $80,346 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te tūranga

As a Senior Technician in the Entomology team, you'll support diagnostic services, surveillance programmes, investigations, and biosecurity response activities that help safeguard New Zealand's environment and primary industries. Working alongside scientists and technicians, you'll provide diagnostic and advisory support for specimens collected through border, surveillance, and investigation activities, while contributing to accurate diagnoses as well as developing your technical expertise in entomology.

In this role, you will:

• Process specimens and support routine identification work.
• Maintain laboratory equipment, records, and reference collections.
• Enter and manage accurate diagnostic information.
• Contribute to field surveys and biosecurity investigations.
• Support quality systems and laboratory procedures.
• Share technical knowledge and laboratory practices with others.
• Support diagnostic, surveillance, and response activities across New Zealand's biosecurity system.

About You - Mōu

You'll bring a practical laboratory background, strong attention to detail, and an interest in protecting New Zealand's environment and primary industries.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A tertiary qualification or relevant technical experience in entomology.
• Knowledge of plant health laboratories and diagnostic methods.
• Knowledge of major plant and environmental pest groups.
• Strong planning, communication and organisational skills.
• The ability to produce accurate work while priorities change.
• Undertaking laboratory information management system (LIMS) and Plant Pest Information Network (PPIN) data entry for Entomology and reporting new records.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Assisting with equipment maintenance and calibration.
• Undertaking other duties and responsibilities as delegated.

Experience in both morphological and molecular identification or working within an accredited quality environment would be advantageous. Field experience in biosecurity, horticulture, arable production, or forestry would also be valuable.

You’ll enjoy working collaboratively and will use initiative and sound judgement to solve problems. You’ll also be comfortable sharing your knowledge and supporting others with laboratory techniques and processes.

You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

Our role includes seizing export opportunities for our food and fibre sector, improving sector productivity, ensuring the food we produce is safe, increasing sustainable resource use, and protecting New Zealand from biological risk.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou rōpū

The Entomology team sits within the Plant Health and Environment Laboratory, New Zealand's national reference centre for the identification of suspected exotic, new and emerging plant pests and diseases. The Plant Health & Environment Laboratory (PHEL) is part of MPI's Diagnostic Readiness and Surveillance Directorate (DRS) of the Biosecurity New Zealand Branch.

Our scientists and technicians deliver diagnostic services that support border activities, surveillance, investigations, biosecurity responses and New Zealand's primary industries. You'll join a supportive specialist team working in a busy environment where accuracy, collaboration and continuous learning are important.

The laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025 and includes containment laboratories, specialist microscopy facilities and nationally significant pest reference collections.

Benefits of working at MPI – Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua

• Additional MPI leave days
• Career development and internal opportunities across the branch and organisation
• MPI Mentoring program

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(s) for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre-employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site, here.

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?

We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

Applications close at midnight on 16th November 2026.