Data Engineer

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE.

• Work in a dynamic environment and play a key role in delivering transformational change.
• Maintain and optimize the JTA risk analytics environment.
• Manage the ingestion of new data into the risk analytics environment.
• Engage with MBIE Central Data team to support continuous improvement in data management and governance.
• Manage your workload and ensure your time is used effectively and efficiently, in alignment with agreed strategy and plans, and escalate issues when necessary.
• Permanent opportunity – Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch.
• Salary range: $101,911 - $121,196.

The Our Future Services programme will deliver a more cost-effective immigration system that is more productive, more effective at managing immigration risk, and provides a better experience for our customers and staff.

The Data Engineer is a technical position in the Joint Targeting and Analytics team within the Immigration Risk and Border (IRB) branch of Immigration New Zealand (INZ). The IRB branch works to collaboratively identify and mitigate risk early and to reduce harm to the integrity of the immigration system, system users, and New Zealand.

The Joint Targeting and Analytics (JTA) team offers specialist expertise in the analysis of data and information to identify and target immigration risk. Services provided by the team include the delivery and management of the Visa Triage process, risk identification and targeting at the NZ border, and the provision of risk models and analytics.

The Data Engineer supports the JTA team by managing and optimizing the risk analytics environment (Databricks or Snowflake), managing the JTA raw data environment, and supporting JTA data scientists and data analysts in delivering analytical solutions to business problems and queries. This may include ingestion of new data sources, building and optimizing ETL processes, researching and answering questions about how to access and interpret data, and providing coaching to JTA and the wider network about how to write efficient and sustainable SQL queries.

The role actively engages with the data warehouse team and keeps up to date with the latest developments within data engineering to ensure INZ uses the most appropriate tools and methods and incorporates these into existing processes within INZ.

Skills and Experience Required

• Demonstrable experience of data warehousing, business intelligence, and analytics solutions in a complex data environment.
• A demonstrable competency in the use of SQL programming and Python.
• Strong development experience within cloud environments, preferably Azure/Snowflake.
• Strong experience with developing and deploying efficient workflows at enterprise scale.
• A track record of understanding how real-world business processes are manifested in enterprise data.
• A strong view on SQL development best practice, data modeling, and database design.
• Strong commitment to documenting analytical projects and outputs.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to develop solid working relationships.
• Sound knowledge of architectural and design techniques, industry standards, and practices.
• Good understanding of data governance principles in a public sector environment and the ability to apply and operate within the relevant legislative framework.
• Very process-oriented and detail-minded and able to work with and understand security, privacy, and ethical requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Qualifications:

• A relevant tertiary qualification, preferably in software engineering or a similar discipline.
• Can gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.
• Be a New Zealand citizen or hold a permanent resident visa.

You must be a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident visa holder.

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.

People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Māia– Bold and brave.
• Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future.

Me pēhea te tono - How to Apply:

Please note that MBIE is currently undergoing a set of significant changes which have resulted in a number of our kaimahi being considered affected. As per our usual policy, any staff affected by change are considered first for vacancies if appropriate. This may result in delays to recruitment for non-affected staff, or in recruitment being stopped prior to shortlisting or interview stage.

Click here to view a position description. All applications must be submitted via our online process and include a Cover Letter and CV outlining your interest and suitability for the role.

Email Nik Sharma at nikhil.sharma@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/17052 if you have any further questions.

Applications close on Friday, 11 April 2025.

Employer: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Location: Auckland - Auckland; Canterbury - Christchurch; Wellington