Testing & Validation Engineer at Waikato Milking Systems

Waikato Milking Systems; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Waikato Milking Systems in Hamilton, New Zealand, is seeking a Test & Validation Engineer to ensure our dairy technology performs reliably in real-world farming environments. You’ll join the Product Development team and collaborate with Technical Services, NPD Engineers, and customers to test, validate, improve, and document WMS products and systems.

The role blends technical testing, data analysis, and clear reporting, with opportunities to influence product quality, support customer pilots,

Qualifications

• Experience in agricultural technology, engineering support, or product testing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent technical writing and documentation skills.
• Hands-on experience with on-farm systems or milking equipment is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct laboratory and on-farm product testing and validation.
• Collaborate with beta customers to gather feedback and assess performance.
• Investigate faults, perform root cause analysis, and validate solutions.
• Analyse test data and prepare validation reports and recommendations.
• Create and maintain technical documentation.
• Work with engineering and product teams to drive continuous improvement.
• Act as a link between testing, engineering, customer-facing teams, and end users.

Skills

Agricultural technology

Technical writing

Root cause analysis

On-farm testing

Communication skills

Documentation

Job description

This Full time on site position offers great opportunities for career growth.

Company Description

Waikato Milking Systems is a global designer and manufacturer of dairy technology and milking systems, helping shape the future of dairy farming through innovative solutions that improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability. From our headquarters in Hamilton, New Zealand, we develop and manufacture technologies trusted by farmers around the world and supported by a global network of offices, dealers and service partners. Driven by innovation, quality and a passion for dairy, we're proud to be building the future of our industry and we're looking for people who want to help shape it with us.

Job Description

As our Test & Validation Engineer, you'll play a critical role in ensuring our products perform reliably in real-world farming environments. You'll be part of the Product Development team and work closely with Technical Services, NPD Engineers, and our valued customers, to test, validate, improve, and document WMS products and systems. This is a unique opportunity to combine technical expertise, customer interaction, analytical thinking, and clear communication in a role that directly contributes to the future of dairy technology.

What You'll Be Doing

• Planning and conducting laboratory and on-farm product testing and validation.
• Working with beta customers to gather feedback and assess product performance.
• Investigating faults, performing root cause analysis, and validating solutions.
• Analysing test data and preparing validation reports and recommendations.
• Creating and maintaining technical documentation.
• Collaborating with engineering and product teams to support continuous product improvement.
• Acting as a link between testing, engineering, customer-facing teams, and end users.

Qualifications

• Experience in agricultural technology, engineering support, product testing, or a related technical field.
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills.
• Knowledge of mechanical, electronic, or software-based systems.
• Experience creating SOPs, technical manuals, validation reports, or similar documentation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience in agricultural technology, product testing, engineering support, or a related technical field, with hands-on experience in on-farm systems or milking equipment.
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills Experience creating SOP's, test reports, or technical manuals advantageous
• Demonstrated ability to manage customer relationships, particularly with early adopters or pilot customers.
• Ability to translate technical specifications into clear, actionable items for non-technical stakeholders.
• Full, clean Drivers Licence

Additional Information

Our values guide everything we do: People First | Curious & Courageous | Pride | Agile | We Find a Way!