Department of Conservation

Would you like working in the rugged mountainous landscapes of inland north Canterbury and Marlborough?
Are you an avid outdoorsman that loves to hunt, trek and spend time in the backcountry?
Free accommodation and hut access across DOC sites!

Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata

If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive

At Te Papa Atawhai, Department of Conservation we express our spirit of service and serve Aotearoa through our purpose, Papatūānuku Thrives. Our organisational strategy, Te Kaupapa a Te Papa Atawhai, puts nature and people at the heart of everything we do. It is anchored by te reo Māori and te ao Māori, recognising that Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our whānau, hapū and iwi are central to all our mahi.

He angitūtanga | About the role

As a Kaitiaki, Ranger, you will be joining our dedicated team in in the South Marlborough and Sounds Operations teams, carrying out critical conservation work programmes for the Department. This is a niche role as you will be focused on hunting ungulates (goats, deer chamois and pigs) across the motu alongside the current Lead Hunter role.

Our Ranger, Hunter role will be part of two district teams where you will hunt the summer months at prioritised sites within the South Marlborough District and during winter months hunt prioritised sites within the Sounds District. The role will involve some landowners contact prior to entering a block. You will be required to also be required to report on your post hunt experiences through recording both GPS track logs and animal kill data. Brief reports may also be required covering your recommendations for each area targeted. The majority of the role will require you and the Lead Hunter to work together in remote locations which will require frequent overnight stays, some of up to 10 days in length. At times you will be required to work alongside the biodiversity team and/or emergency works as required.

The position will be focussed on:

Hunting ungulates in different locations/terrains across the two Districts.
Build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

This is a 3-year fixed term position.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

As the Kaitiaki, Ranger, you’ll work closely with the Lead Hunter as you set out on hunting expeditions across the motu. Your work will at times have limited accessibility where you may travel via helicopter, boat, 4×4 vehicles and LUVs. You will be working alone in the backcountry on a daily basis with a requirement for certain qualifications and experiences.

If you have the following attributes, we are keen to hear from you:

Passion for the outdoors and a genuine interest in conservation
Hard working and self-motivating
Support the delivery of ungulate control
Extensive experience culling ungulates in Aotearoa
Extensive experience running an indicating dog for ungulate control
Strong Healthy and Safety focus
P Endorsement New Zealand Firearms Licence
Must be fit and capable of enduring repetitive backcountry work
GPS use experience
Tech Savvy, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel and other mobile phone applications to sign off work orders and purchase goods.
Current basic first aid qualification

Desirable

4×4, LUV and utility vehicle experience/qualifications
Working around helicopter experience
Boating experience/qualifications
Avian awareness and aversion training for dogs

Mō te tīma | About the team

The Ranger position will report to the Supervisor based in Picton during the winter months and report to the Renwick supervisor during the summer months. The hunting team may only consist of 2 hunters, but at times will also have additional support through fixed term staff who will work alongside your team. This unit is tight knit where you will work almost solely with the other Hunter as you deliver conservation outcomes across the two Districts.

Mō mātou | About us

Te Papa Atawhai is committed to fostering a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve, and to creating an inclusive workplace culture. Our Te Kaupapa behaviours of whakatīnanatia (we deliver), atawhaitia a Papatūānuku (we love nature), whakawhānaungatanga (we build relationships) and whakaauaha (we innovate) guide what we need to do for Papatūānuku to Thrive.

Ko ngā hua | What we offer

We take pride in enabling our kaimahi to bring their unique perspectives to mahi, in pursuit of our collective aspirations. Our commitment to well-being and professional development includes:

Flexible working options where applicable
Te Pukenga Atawhai – Cultural Capability Development Programme
Active employee networks, Te Kāwai Aho Tapu – Māori Kaimahi Network, Rainbow Network

Tono ināianei | Apply now

Submit a tailored CV and cover letter highlighting your relevant skills, experience, and alignment to our Kaupapa.

The salary range for this position is $47,320 to $59,978 with the starting salary of the successful applicant being based on their relevant skills and experience

Rā katinga | Applications close: Monday 1 August, 5pm

Me he pātai anō | Further enquiries contact Siobain Finlow-Bates on 027 228 1526

Taupānga| Job Reference: 400/06144

COVID-19 Vaccination requirement: From 4 May 2022 our Vaccination Policy, requiring all employees to be vaccinated, has been suspended but may be reinstated in the future if the COVID-19 situation changes. Positions that are identified as high risk will still have a requirement for appointees to be vaccinated. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to commencing for these positions will be required and applicants will be notified during the recruitment process if this condition will apply.

Visit www.doc.govt.nz to find out more about a career with us.