Senior Laboratory Technician

Kaingaroa Tipu Limited is a world-leading forest management company with its main office located near the mountain bike mecca of the Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua. Acting on behalf of the Kaingaroa Tipu Partnership, we manage more than 200,000 hectares of plantation forestry in the central North Island. We are highly operational in our approach, while also investing heavily in research, development and innovation to support the future productivity, quality and sustainability of New Zealand forestry. Job Description Purpose of the Role: Reporting to the Laboratory Manager, based at our Te Ngae Nursery Tissue Culture Laboratory, you will play a key role in supporting our high volume clonal production and tester programmes through the preparation of culture media and reagents, management of laboratory resources, and provision of technical support across a range of tissue culture programmes. Your contribution will help ensure the production and maintenance of healthy, high-quality plant material while supporting laboratory quality, compliance and operational excellence. Key Accountabilities In this senior technical role you will: Prepare and supply culture media, reagents and laboratory solutions to support clonal production, tester, cryopreservation and alternative species programmes Provide technical support across tissue culture activities, including media preparation, subculturing and production processes Maintain compliance with laboratory SOPs, quality systems and regulatory requirements, while contributing to the review and continuous improvement of operational procedures Manage laboratory inventories, procurement of chemicals and consumables, and maintenance of critical laboratory resources Maintain accurate laboratory records and operational documentation to ensure traceability, compliance and quality assurance requirements are met Manage the calibration, maintenance and servicing of laboratory equipment to support reliable and efficient laboratory operations Contribute to process improvement initiatives, trials and problem-solving activities that enhance laboratory performance and quality outcomes Support environmental, biosecurity and certification requirements and assist with the training and onboarding of laboratory staff Desired Skills and Experience Our Ideal Candidate You will be a highly organised laboratory professional with strong technical skills, attention to detail and a commitment to quality, safety and continuous improvement. Ideally, you will have: A relevant tertiary qualification in Science, Biotechnology, Biology, Plant Science, Laboratory Technology or a related discipline Experience working in a laboratory environment, preferably within tissue culture, plant production, biotechnology or a similar field Knowledge of laboratory quality systems, SOPs and regulatory requirements Experience preparing laboratory media, reagents and chemical solutions Strong record-keeping, inventory management and organisational skills Experience operating and maintaining laboratory equipment Excellent problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to continuous improvement The ability to work collaboratively within a team while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail A strong commitment to health, safety and environmental compliance Experience in tissue culture, forestry, plant propagation, biotechnology or research laboratories will be highly regarded. What we offer: We offer a remuneration package designed to retain and reward great people including a competitive salary, a discretionary performance-based bonus, health and welfare insurance benefits, and excellent professional development opportunities including involvement in innovative strategic projects. We pride ourselves on providing a supportive, inclusive working environment where you will be a valued member of our team and have the opportunity to contribute to innovative programmes that support the future of forestry and plant production in New Zealand. This is a full-time permanent position currently based at our Te Ngae Road Tissue Culture Lab, which is soon to be relocated to a state-of-the-art new laboratory opposite our main office in Sala Street, Rotorua. Applicants should have NZ residency or current right to work in New Zealand and already be living here. If you enjoy working in a collaborative laboratory environment and want to contribute to industry-leading tissue culture and plant production programmes, we would love to hear from you. Applications close Friday, 24 July 2026 . #J-18808-Ljbffr