Senior Project Engineer

Location: Petone Remuneration midpoint for this role is $127,816 (including KiwiSaver), depending on skills and experience. This is a full-time position of 40 hours per week. The opportunity As a Senior Project Engineer, you will lead the delivery of capital renewal and improvement projects across Wellington’s three waters network. You will manage projects from planning through to construction and handover, provide senior technical leadership and assurance, and work closely with contractors, consultants, councils, and operational teams to deliver safe, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure outcomes. You'll play a key role in shaping forward works programmes, improving network performance, and mentoring the next generation of engineers. Key Responsibilities Deliver projects that strengthen the resilience and performance of critical water infrastructure. Combine hands‑on project delivery with senior technical leadership and mentoring responsibilities. Influence engineering decisions that create lasting benefits for communities and the environment. Provide technical leadership, mentor Project Engineers, and influence best‑practice engineering outcomes. Lead the delivery of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects from concept through to commissioning and handover. Manage consultants, contractors, budgets, programmes, and project risks to achieve successful delivery outcomes. Provide technical leadership and engineering assurance across design, constructability, asset performance, and operational readiness. Develop forward work programmes and identify opportunities to improve network resilience, reliability, and performance. Mentor Project Engineers and foster strong relationships with stakeholders, councils, regulators, and delivery partners. About You A tertiary qualification in Civil, Environmental, or Mechanical Engineering. A full New Zealand driver’s licence and the ability to travel across the Wellington region as required. 8+ years experience delivering water, wastewater, stormwater, or other infrastructure renewal and improvement projects. Proven capability in managing projects through planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover. Strong technical expertise in asset management, network performance, constructability, and engineering assurance. Demonstrated success managing consultants, contractors, budgets, risks, and project programmes to achieve quality outcomes. Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with councils, contractors, regulators, customers, and operational teams. A collaborative leadership style, with the ability to mentor engineers, solve complex problems, and drive continuous improvement. Benefits At Tiaki Wai, our purpose extends beyond delivering great water services for the region; we foster a thriving community, support a diverse workforce, and offer supportive development opportunities. We genuinely care about your safety and wellbeing. Flexible working arrangements including up to 2 days working from home. Comprehensive wellbeing programme, including one paid wellbeing day annually. Formal and informal professional development opportunities. 5 weeks annual leave accrual will be available following 2 years of continual service. About Us Tiaki Wai is a council-owned organization responsible for managing the delivery of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services across Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Wellington. We manage public‑owned extensive water infrastructure and oversee the delivery of safe and reliable services for our communities. We focus on long‑term investment, asset management, maintenance, and delivering major infrastructure projects that support public health, environmental protection, and regional growth. Water is a precious taonga. At Tiaki Wai, we put care into every drop and are guided by our values of Integrity , Care , and Leadership . We work directly with water consumers and in partnership with councils and mana whenua to deliver better water outcomes for current and future generations. Applications close: Sunday 26th July 2026. Applicants for safety sensitive roles will be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing prior to commencing employment with Wellington Water. You must also be legally entitled to work long‑term in New Zealand or eligible to obtain a working visa. #J-18808-Ljbffr