Tour Guide | Dark Sky Project

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 41,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu's Dark Sky Project in Takapō seeks a Mandarin and English-speaking Tour Guide for a permanent, full-time role combining guiding and driving and welcoming visitors to unforgettable night-sky experiences.

You will engage guests from around the world using bilingual communication, sharing local stories and Māori astronomy insights, helping create memorable experiences while prioritising health and safety.

Qualifications

• At least 3 years relevant experience in astronomy-based guiding, science communication, visitor interpretation, or tour guiding.
• Public speaking and/or tour guiding experience in a customer-facing role.
• NZ Driver’s Licence, P endorsement, Class 2 Licence and First Aid may be required.

Responsibilities

• Guide and drive tours at Dark Sky Project, Welcoming visitors.
• Share local stories and Māori astronomy insights with guests.
• Deliver memorable night-sky experiences under Aotearoa’s skies.

Skills

Public speaking

Customer service

Mandarin language

English language

New Zealand Driver’s Licence

P endorsement

Class 2 Driver’s Licence

First Aid

Education

NZ Certificate or Diploma in astronomy

Job description

Permanent / Full-Time (Min 32 hours per week) Takapō / Mackenzie District Hourly rate: $29.90 – $31.00

Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei – for us and our children after us.

Are you passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences?

Does the opportunity to be part of a world‑class tourism development excite you?

Are you looking for an opportunity to work for Ngāi Tahu Tourism, one of the largest tourism operators in Aotearoa?

We have a newly created opportunity for a Mandarin and English‑speaking Tour Guide to join our talented team at Dark Sky Project. This unique role combines guiding and driving, welcoming manuhiri (visitors) and delivering unforgettable night‑sky experiences. Using your bilingual communication skills, you'll connect with guests from around the world, share local stories and insights, and help create memorable and engaging experiences under some of Aotearoa's most spectacular skies.

Located on the Takapō lakefront, our world‑class Astronomy Centre brings to life the science of the stars and Tātai Aroraki (Māori astronomy) through immersive and engaging experiences. These experiences are a world‑first and complement the outdoor experiences we deliver to domestic and international visitors to the region.

Our purpose is to make the connection – with our customers, through our people, to our place and to Ngāi Tahu.

We take great pride in warmly welcoming manuhiri to our experiences. Manaakitanga (hospitality) is one of the core values that drives the way we do business. As hosts, we care for our manuhiri and our team as our own whānau.

A Little Bit About You

We are looking for someone who has:

• At least 3 years relevant experience in astronomy‑based guiding, science communication, visitor interpretation, or tour guiding (required if the qualification below is not held)
• Proven experience in public speaking and/or tour guiding
• Demonstrated experience in a customer‑facing role
• Previous experience working in the tourism industry (desirable)
• A New Zealand Certificate or Diploma (Level 4 or above) in astronomy, science communication, visitor interpretation, or an equivalent overseas qualification (required if the above experience is not met)
• A valid New Zealand Driver’s Licence, or the ability to obtain one
• A current P endorsement, or the ability to obtain one
• A Class 2 Driver’s Licence, or the ability to obtain one
• A First Aid Certificate, or the ability to obtain one
• A strong commitment to health and safety
• Care and attention when completing routine vehicle inspections and maintaining accurate driver logbooks
• Strong time management skills
• A genuine interest in learning and correctly pronouncing reo Māori names and terms
• Availability to work shift work, including nights, weekends and public holidays
• Additional language skills, including Japanese, Mandarine are advantageous in supporting our international customer base.

Why join us?

Aside from being a great place to work, we offer competitive remuneration, excellent training, staff discounts across Ngāi Tahu Tourism, and a supportive, values‑based environment. Dark Sky Project is a fun, unique and safe place to work, and we are committed to keeping it that way.

Before starting with us, you will go through a range of pre‑employment checks, including drug and alcohol testing. Health and safety is extremely important to us and is key to protecting our people and our manuhiri.

Want to find out more about us?

Visit www.ngaitahutourism.co.nz