About the role
As a Ranger Biodiversity, Heritage and Visitors, you'll support conservation outcomes across the Central Otago District. Based in Alexandra, you will contribute to a varied work programme spanning biodiversity, heritage, and visitor assets. Central Otago covers a large geographic area stretching from the Haast Pass in the west to Middlemarch in the east, Lindis Pass in the north to the Nevis Valley in the south. This diverse landscape creates a broad and dynamic work programme, offering opportunities to develop a well‐rounded skill set across multiple work areas. In this role you will be involved in both the planning and delivery of conservation work, with increasing responsibility for coordinating work programmes and supporting procurement activities. Your focus will include:
* Threatened species management – protecting our unique flora and fauna
* Threat management – delivering weed and pest control and maintaining fencing
* Covenant monitoring
* Work planning, procurement and contractor coordination – supporting the scoping, organisation and delivery of work programmes and contracts
* Visitor amenity maintenance – ensuring sites are safe, functional, and provide a positive visitor experience
* Tracks, huts and cycle trails – maintaining and improving recreational assets
* Heritage and visitor asset maintenance – protecting and maintaining sites of cultural and historic significance
Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience
Ideal candidates will have:
* A full New Zealand Driver's Licence
* Be physically fit
* Experience and competence in the outdoors
* Technology confident, with proficiency in the MS Office suite, data management and reporting, and the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new systems, apps and tools
* Organised and proactive, with the ability to support coordination of work programmes, contractors and project delivery
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to tailor your approach to different audiences
* A strong health and safety focus and experience leading the health and safety of others
* Experience with working with iwi, community partners, landowners, and volunteers
* Data collection, data analysis and record-keeping skills
Desirable
* Experience with technology such as GIS and GPS
* Experience in practical conservation field delivery work (e.g. threatened species, pest plants and animals)
* Experience in building/construction, fencing, engineering or protecting heritage sites
* Backcountry experience and navigation
* A tertiary qualification in a relevant field, or equivalent experience
What's in it for you?
DOC places importance on developing a culture where everyone can participate, thrive, and grow. We're working towards being an organisation that is diverse, equitable and inclusive by default.
The salary range for this position is $65,590 – $76,589, with the starting salary of the successful applicant being based on their relevant skills and experience.
Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory – this includes holding a valid work visa that covers the whole period of employment.
Applications close at 11:59 pm on Friday, 5 June 2026.
For further enquiries, please contact Phil Tisch, Principal Ranger at ptisch@doc.govt.nz.
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