Northland Regional Council’s role is to care for and protect Te Taitokerau Northland's environment and communities. Does that resonate with you?  

Ko te aha ā mātou mahi?  / What work do we do? 

We work together with tangata whenua and communities to care for the incredible environment and many communities in our rohe, matching our skills and resources with the visions and aspirations of our people. We work to protect and restore healthy waters and our native taonga, through meaningful partnerships with tangata whenua and communities, and to build more resilient and adaptable communities in a changing climate. Here at Te Kaunihera ā rohe o Te Taitokerau | NRC, your mahi makes a real difference to our communities. 

Toitū te whenua, toitū te moana, toitū te tangata. If the land is well, if the sea is well, the people will thrive.     

Te āheinga / The opportunity  

We are seeking a skilled and insightful Data Specialist to join our Hydrology team, bringing a sharp analytical lens to hydrometric data. This role is key to supporting the Hydrology Manager with critical data management operations, underpinned by your ability to analyse, validate, and translate environmental datasets into meaningful information.

As our Data Specialist, you’ll manage the processing and archiving of hydrological data into the Hilltop time-series database, constantly analysing the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of our data flows. You’ll conduct periodic audits to assess quality against National Environmental Monitoring Standards and our internal Quality Systems, ensuring that every dataset stands up to scrutiny.

Your analytical mindset will be vital when responding to internal and external data requests. Rather than simply supplying figures, you’ll interpret and analyse data to provide clear, actionable insights that support scientific and operational decisions across the organisation.

If you are passionate about environmental data and ready to bring precision and insight to every dataset, we’d love to hear from you.

He kōrero mōu / About you 

Success in this role will be built on your proven experience in hydrology, including hands-on data collection and a strong foundation in hydrometric data workflows. You’ll bring a keen eye for analytical detail, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to upholding the integrity of environmental information. In addition, you will have:

• Tertiary qualification in a related discipline (e.g., science, hydrology, environmental monitoring etc.).  
• 5+ years’ experience in hydrological data collection, flow gauging and hydrological data processing and archiving to the National Environmental Standards. 
• Expert working knowledge of continuous hydrometric data, flow ratings, and time series software such as Hilltop.  
• Strong proficiency in the analysis of hydrological data for the description of trends and extremes.  
• Proficiency in communicating hydrological data, including report writing, and presenting to audiences.  
• Proficiency with Microsoft applications particularly Word, Excel & Outlook.  
• Experience in training and mentoring staff.  
• Experience in local government is preferable.  
• Full drivers’ licence. 

Ko te aha ngā painga o te mahi kei konei? / What are the benefits of working here? 

Just as you care about your community and environment, NRC cares about you and your wellbeing. Our organisation celebrates collective efforts and achievements and recognises every individual for their contributions and dedication to their mahi.     

 We understand the importance of flexibility, so we’re committed to alternative working arrangements for our staff. We offer a range of flexible work arrangements to suit our people’s varied lifestyles, commitments and cultural needs. 

 Tono mai / Apply 

The mahi we do really makes a difference, so if you are motivated to help nurture our region’s taiao, we are keen to learn more about you. Want to have a kōrero with us first, or just need more information? If so, contact our Hydrology Manager, Allen Temple (Allent@nrc.govt.nz). When you hit “Apply”, you will be taken through to our external careers site, where you will be able to view the job description: JD: Hydrology Data Specialist

Applications close on 24 August 2025   

We review applications as they are received. Apply online now, as the close date may change. Please note that we do not accept email applications. 

Applicants for this position should have NZ residency/citizenship, or a valid NZ work visa.