Senior Scientist

**Role type**: Permanent, Full-Time

**Location**: Wallaceville, Upper Hutt

**Salary range**: $92,073 to $124,570 depending on skills and experience

Kōrero mō te Tūranga - About the Role
We have a vacancy for a highly talented and experienced Senior Scientist to work in our newly formed Aquatic Animal Diseases (AAD) team. As the Senior Scientist Aquatic Animal Diseases, you'll work with other leading scientists, bringing your own unique knowledge to bear on challenging biosecurity questions.
You'll provide intellectual and technical leadership to the AAD team, enhancing our ability to respond to high-priority infectious animal diseases. Alongside this, you'll mentor others within Biosecurity New Zealand to help develop their knowledge and skills.
Your reputation as a leading scientist will enable you to connect with people across MPI, as well as at a national and international level.

Mōu - About You
- PhD or post graduate qualification in a relevant scientific field
- Extensive experience, scientific knowledge and demonstrated success in a relevant aquatic animal field
- Analytical thinking and conceptual thinking skills to contribute innovative and unique outputs in specialist area
- Previous experience in establishing and effectively maintaining collaborative relationships with industry, science stakeholders, Maori and Government (central and regional) agencies
- Excellent written skills: a demonstrated ability to produce written material that is concise, fluent and clearly presented

Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the Team
Our Diagnostic and Surveillance Services (DSS) directorate are the guardians of Aotearoa New Zealand's biosecurity. We run a number of targeted and passive biosecurity surveillance programmes at any one time, identifying new pests and diseases that make it past our borders, providing research and analysis on their impact, and supporting eradication where we can. Our surveillance programmes aren't just national - we also work with international partners to monitor biosecurity threats.
One of our greatest assets is our people. We've got a team of highly qualified, passionate science professionals who get to work on projects they're interested in. With employees from over 20 different countries, DSS is one of the most diverse, welcoming spaces in MPI.
Then there's our facilities. We've got the highest post-entry quarantine level plant facility in NZ. Our design-award winning Wallaceville biocontainment laboratory is one of the newest, most advanced biocontainment labs in the world. Opened in 2021, it's the most complex building in New Zealand. All our labs are reference labs, so our team works on complex cases, not standard diagnostic lab activities. We have the best, highest qualified people - critical thinkers solving dynamic problems.

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI
Our role includes seizing export opportunities for our food and fibre sector, improving sector productivity, ensuring the food we produce is safe, increasing sustainable resource use, and protecting New Zealand from biological risk.

Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua - Benefits of working at MPI
- Up to three additional (MPI holidays) leave days
- Work amongst some of the best scientific minds in the country
- Work from one of the most technologically advanced biocontainment laboratories in the world

Wā Mahi Ngāwari - Flexible Working
We support flexible working arrangements and are happy to discuss these options with you.

Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru - Security checks
Low level Security Clearance
- most preferably a New Zealand citizen, who has resided continuously in New Zealand for at least the last five (5) years, OR
- is a citizen of, and/or has resided continuously in one or more of the following countries for the last five (5) years: either Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK) or the United States of America (USA); and has a background history that is verifiable and can be assessed as appropriate by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) towards a recommendation of suitability for a security clearance at this level.
- click here to find out more about the national security vetting process and access the eligibility self-check tool.

Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro - Drug and Alcohol Screening
Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred applicant/s for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre-employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site, here.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - Are you ready to make a difference?We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.
In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, your whakapapa; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to th