Ranger Project Lead – Biodiversity (Flora) – Chatham Islands

• Permanent Full-Time role | Split your time across Masterton and the Chatham Islands

• $69,429 - $88,181 + allowances – depending on skills and experience

• Apply your flora expertise to protect unique island ecosystems

Lead conservation where it truly counts — delivering priority biodiversity outcomes across the Chatham Islands through practical, on-the-ground action.

Our vision: Nature is thriving in Aotearoa | Te Oranga o te Ao Tūroa

Mō te tūranga | About the role

As Ranger Project Lead – Biodiversity, you will lead the planning, delivery, and completion of operational biodiversity projects across the Chatham Islands, with a strong focus on flora conservation and ecosystem restoration. Based in Masterton, you'll spend significant time on the Chatham Islands providing practical leadership for vegetation management, threatened plant recovery, restoration planting, weed control, monitoring, and wider biodiversity projects.

This is a delivery-focused project leadership role, not a technical specialist position. You’ll work closely with technical advisors and scientists, translating plans into action, managing logistics, contractors, budgets, and ensuring work is completed safely, on time, and to standard. The role requires strong organisation, resilience, attention to detail, and a “get on and do it” mindset — balanced with the ability to see the big picture and manage complex relationships.

The role will focus on:

• Leading the delivery of flora conservation, vegetation management, threatened plant recovery, and ecosystem restoration programmes

• Supporting restoration planting, vegetation monitoring, weed management, and habitat restoration initiatives

• Managing projects end-to-end: planning, logistics, contractors, budgets, and reporting

• Working alongside technical advisors to translate flora management plans into effective on-the-ground delivery

• Delivering pest control and biosecurity activities that support broader ecosystem outcomes

• Monitoring concessions, covenants, and compliance, including engagement with landowners

• Responding confidently to incidents and competing priorities, ensuring critical work is completed

This is a highly autonomous, delivery-focused role requiring strong judgement, organisation, and a practical “can-do” mindset.

Click here for the Role Description

Find out what it’s like to live and work on the Chatham Islands

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a strong flora background to lead conservation outcomes for some of New Zealand's most distinctive and internationally significant plant communities.

If you have some of following, we are keen to hear from you:

• Experience delivering conservation field programmes, with demonstrated expertise in flora conservation, vegetation management, ecosystem restoration, or botanical fieldwork

• Sound understanding of monitoring methods, data management, and reporting, with strong attention to detail and confidence using systems

• Proven ability to plan, lead, and complete projects end‑to‑end, including logistics, contractor coordination, budgeting, and reporting

• Practical, solutions‑focused “#8 wire” mindset, with the judgement to problem-solve when resources are limited

• Experience building and maintaining effective working relationships in small, close‑knit or complex stakeholder environments, including landowners and advisors

• Calm, organised, and resilient under pressure, with the ability to prioritise, adapt to changing demands, and see work through to completion

You’ll also:

• Hold a full, clean New Zealand driver licence (LUV/4WD experience desirable)

• Be willing to obtain and maintain relevant certifications (e.g. first aid/PHEC – training supported)

• Be comfortable working in remote locations, including offshore islands

He aha ngā pāinga mōu? | What’s in it for you?

DOC is committed to a culture where everyone can participate, thrive, and grow. We’re driven by our values and behaviours, and are working towards being an organisation that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive by default.

We also support flexible working arrangements for our kaimahi across Aotearoa, with options considered based on the role and in discussion with your leader.

Want to know more?

Tonoa inaiānei | Apply now

Apply online with your CV and cover letter outlining your relevant experience and motivation. We’re unable to accept emailed applications or provide feedback to applicants not shortlisted.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, let us know and we’ll try to accommodate.

Salary: $69,429 - $88,181, depending on skills and experience.

Eligibility: You must hold a valid NZ work visa that covers the duration of employment.

Please note, we are not engaging with recruitment agencies for this role. 

Rā whakakapi | Applications close at 11:59 pm on Sunday 4th October.

Me he pātai anō, whakapā mai | For further enquiries, please contact Leeza Young, Senior Recruitment Advisor, [email protected]