Veterinary Technical Supervisor 2 (ME26)

Ministry for Primary Industries; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 102,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Overtime pay

Penal time allowances

Shift allowances

Job summary

The Ministry for Primary Industries is seeking a Veterinarian (Veterinary Technical Supervisor 2) for the Balclutha plant. You will conduct verification activities, provide official assurances, and certify meat exports while upholding animal welfare and food safety standards.

You'll work with the Verification Services team, rotate shifts, and receive comprehensive on-site training and mentoring to support your warranting under current legislation.

Qualifications

• New Zealand registered veterinarian or eligible for registration
• Full NZ driver’s licence or ability to obtain one
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; analytical reasoning
• Demonstrated integrity, resilience, adaptability and openness
• Experience persuading, influencing, teamwork, planning and organising
• Computer literacy with standard software (word, Excel, internet, email)
• Knowledge of HACCP/Quality Assurance in Food Safety preferred

Responsibilities

• Undertake verification activities per legislation and requirements, enabling official assurances
• Verify that procedures and requirements are followed at the plant
• Provide certification for meat exports
• Conduct ante mortem inspections and occasional post-mortem judgments
• Ensure animal welfare standards are maintained
• Engage in on-farm verification and industry outreach
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders; participate in team verification
• Receive on-site training and ongoing mentoring prior to warranting under legislation

Skills

Veterinary registration

NZ driver’s license

Verbal & written communication

Analytical reasoning

Integrity & ethics

Teamwork & planning

Computer literacy

HACCP knowledge

Education

Veterinary degree

Job description

**Veterinarian (Veterinary Technical Supervisor 2)****Role type**: Permanent, full time**Location**: Balclutha, South Otago**Salary range**: VTS Salary Range 9: $101,627 to $127,033*Starting salary will be dependent on skills and experience of the successful applicant.**In addition to salary, we offer overtime, penal time and shift allowances.***About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga**The purpose of this role within New Zealand Food Safety Verification Services is to provide a range of food safety, animal welfare, and biosecurity verification and certification services based at Silver Fern Farms Finegand plant. You will support the meat industry and New Zealand's reputation in the world red meat market for the product produced and ensure food safety and export standards are being followed by the plant.We have an excellent opportunity available for a veterinarian, it offers a great work life balance!The role is varied, and you will be expected to do the following:* Undertake verification activities in line with current legislation and organisational requirements, thereby permitting the issue of official assurances* Verify that requirements and procedures are being followed* Provide certification for animal meat exports* Complete ante mortem inspections and occasionally provide judgement on post-mortem inspection* Ensure animal welfare is being maintained* Maintain knowledge within the farming communities and be involved in on farm verification* Collaborate well with internal and external stakeholders, such as meat works personnel, Veterinary colleagues/VS teamYou will receive full-time technical training prior to being warranted under the relevant legislation. We have ongoing, on-site training, mentoring and technical support for you in your new role.For more information on what the role will be like, please see the following link where members of Verification Services are asked questions about their roles:Veterinary Careers in New Zealand with MPI Verification Services | VSGD Interview the Team | Videos & Movies on Vimeo**About You - Mōu**The successful candidate will:* Be a New Zealand registered Veterinarian (Or be able to obtain registration with VCNZ)* Hold a full New Zealand driver's licence (or be able to obtain a full NZ licence by converting a current overseas driver's licence)* Have verbal and written skills, and analytical reasoning skills* Demonstrate integrity and trust, ethics and values, resilience, adaptability, and openness* Have experience persuading and influencing, teamwork, planning and organising* Have computer literacy – can operate standard and customised software to an acceptable standard including word-processing, excel, internet, email* It is advantageous if you have knowledge of HACCP/Quality Assurance in Food Safety however, this is included in your training.**About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū**The role sits within the Establishment group of the Verification Services directorate. Reporting to a Supervising Veterinarian (VTS1) and working alongside another VTS2, this role is suitable for newer verifiers to build up their knowledge of a wide variety of plant processing, or those looking to put down roots in a rural town.Silver Fern Farms Finegand plant is a large cattle and sheep slaughtering plant a few minutes drive south of Balclutha. This position covers various (morning and late/night) shifts throughout the year and you will be expected to rotate shifts as required. Some Saturday processing occurs and you would be expected to participate in the Saturday roster.Balclutha sits on the banks of the mighty Clutha River and is the nearest large town to the Catlins, a scenic region of native forest, wildlife and rugged coastline. The town is about an hour south of Dunedin and 45 minutes from the airport, which is about to recommence direct flights to Australia.**Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro**Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred applicant/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.**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.To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.**Benefits of working at MPI - Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua*** Professional membership and annual practicing certificate reimbursement* Annual Wellness payment* Additional MPI leave days**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.In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.To view the position description and/or apply online, please click “Apply” or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.**Applications close at 11:59pm on Tuesday 22nd September 2026**