Senior Civil Engineer (Three Waters) - Queenstown (QLDC)

Lakes District Council is at the very heart of a dynamic community. Our services are essential to the people in our region and include infrastructure development, community recreational facilities and planning, building and other regulatory services.

We’re proud to be QLDC, and in response to the growth the district has experienced over recent years, QLDC has itself experienced substantial growth. We genuinely believe in developing our people and providing them with all the tools and opportunities needed to succeed.

About the role:
As the Three Waters reform progresses across Aotearoa, Queenstown Lakes District Council remains committed to delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable water services to our communities - now and into the future. We’re currently recruiting for several key roles within our infrastructure delivery teams. These roles are essential to our ability to deliver for the district and will be a key service for delivery as QLDC transitions to a Water Services Commercial Council-Owned Organisation (WSCCO) under the national reform.

You will be responsible for facilitating the high-quality technical delivery of three waters capital infrastructure within the Property and Infrastructure and Community Services departments. You will provide support and guidance to the internal and external teams delivering three waters infrastructure projects across the Lakes District with a view to assure the high quality, consistency and continuity of technical project outcomes.

Responsibilities of the role:

• Provide technical support to the Engineering Manager, Infrastructure Delivery & Engineering Manager, and project teams across the capital works programme.
• Ensure quality assurance through design reviews, specification checks, and consistent technical guidance across all project phases. 
• Support technical continuity and compliance with QLDC’s Land Development and Subdivision Code of Practice (LDSCP).
• Apply sustainable design principles in alignment with QLDC’s Climate and Biodiversity Plan.
• Providing technical quality assurance guidance at a project level, through regular liaison with external project teams, with a focus on technical continuity and consistency across the Council’s programme of capital works
• Conducting design reviews and ensuring technical continuity across capital works projects
• Undertaking high-level checks of design calculations to support decision making.
• Undertaking project safety in design reviews and contract specification reviews.
• Sitting on the internal technical governance group for project technical gateway approvals.
• Assisting with and guiding the technical scoping of projects, including the review of project scopes/project plans for adoption in the Annual Plan/Long Term Plan.
• Engaging with suppliers and industry professionals for technical guidance
• Champion health and safety, ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and construction industry standards

What we offer:
We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports your health, wellbeing, and professional growth, including:

• Southern Cross Wellbeing One Plan.
• Discounted membership to our health and fitness facilities.
• Genuine commitment to your training and career development.

What you'll bring:
You will have 8 years of minimum relevant experience within three waters infrastructure project delivery.
To best succeed in this role, you’ll have:

• Bachelor of Engineering or Engineering Diploma with significant relevant experience.
• Experience in infrastructure delivery in a client-side design reviewer role, local or central government experience preferred.
• Practical experience in three waters infrastructure design, risk identification and mitigation, infrastructure planning, sustainable design implementation and design management.
• Experience working to the requirements of Taumata Arowai and the Water Services Act 2021.
• Excellent communication skills, including solid independent technical report writing skills e.g. infrastructure reports.
• A current and valid New Zealand Driver’s License.
• Knowledge and experience of project management methodologies (e.g. PMP, PRINCE2).

For any questions prior to applying, please contact Christian Wingate, Engineering Manager, on [email protected].

Applications close: Friday 22nd August 2025.

Please note we will review and process applications as they come through; we encourage your early application