Ranger

Looking for a fulfilling career where your passion for conservation meets purpose?
- Join a team dedicated to maintaining and improving our unique recreation and historic places for our community and visitors to enjoy
- Permanent, full-time role based in Murihiku/ Invercargill.

Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) serves to protect and sustain nature across Aotearoa. We put nature and people at the heart of our mahi, guided by te reo Māori, te ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We do this by:

- protecting land, species, ecosystems, and cultural heritage for conservation purposes
- managing threats and adverse impacts
- being a voice for conservation
- connecting people to nature.

He angitūtanga | About the role
You'll play a vital role in projects dedicated to the care and maintenance of both front and backcountry and busy tourist sites in the Murihiku district covering Southland and the Catlin's. In this role, you will be involved in:

- managing assigned project work
- track clearing and maintenance in the back and front country, using scrub bars, chainsaws, and diggers (if you have the qualifications)
- maintaining huts, bridges, and other structures
- building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and internal staff
- participating in team safety briefings and taking responsibility for your safety and the safety of your teammates every day
- assisting the biodiversity and wider teams as required.

While this position is mostly field-based you will also be required to complete office-based tasks assisting the Supervisor and Senior Ranger with planning and organising of projects.You will be required to work in backcountry locations, often in remote and rugged terrain, occasionally staying overnight.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experienceWe are looking for a confident communicator who can work well in a team environment as well as alone. If you have the following attributes, we are keen to hear from you:

- A valid full New Zealand driver licence, ideally with the ability to drive a manual.
- A high level of physical fitness and experience in the backcountry, particularly in remote and rugged terrain.
- Hands on practical skillset, ideally with carpentry, construction or building experience.
- Good planning and organisational skills.
- A strong health and safety focus.
- Tech savvy skills with ability to learn new systems.
- Good people skills and a strong team player who works well with others.

**Desirable**:

- Experience in maintaining visitor facilities, tracks and structures.
- Experience/ qualifications with chainsaws, scrub bars, 4WDS, LUVs, helicopters and/or boating.
- A current First Aid certificate.

We are passionate about developing our people and will provide qualification training for specialised skills where required.

Mō te tīma | About the teamWhen you join us, you are stepping into a supportive and collaborative team who value their staff and foster personal development and growth. The operational team is led by the Operations Manager and consists of the Heritage and Visitors, Biodiversity, and Community teams. Our work culture is positive, promoting cross-team cooperation for essential tasks. Get ready for a rewarding journey within a welcoming environment.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What's in it for you?Te Papa Atawhai is committed to fostering a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve, creating an inclusive workplace culture, supporting the relationship between Māori and the Crown, and lifting our cultural capability. We encourage our people to bring their authentic self and unique perspectives to work, in pursuit of our collective aspirations. Our commitment to well-being and professional development includes:

- career development, secondment and training opportunities to help you realise your goal
- study assistance in programmes that are relevant to your work
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and discounted medical insurance
- great discounts on DOC accommodation and outdoor apparel and gear so you're ready for your next adventure
- Te Pukenga Atawhai - Cultural Capability Development Programme.

The salary range for this position is $55,278 to $64,578 with the starting salary of the successful applicant being based on their relevant skills and experience.