Description
Job title: Senior Technician, Animal Health Laboratory
Role type:Permanent, full-time
Location:Wallaceville, Upper Hutt
Salary band & range:General Salary Range G:$67,658 to $89,957depending on skills and experience
About the Role - Korero mo te Turanga
We're seeking a Senior Technician with expertise in virology to join our Virology A team at MPI's Animal Health Laboratory.
The Animal Health Laboratory located in Wallaceville, Upper Hutt is New Zealand's reference laboratory for exotic, new and emerging terrestrial and aquatic animal diseases, and contains both PC2 and PC3+ laboratory facilities.
As a Senior Technician within the Virology A team, you will play a major role in diagnostic testing processes within our laboratory including employing classical virology and molecular testing techniques to support import/export testing, testing for exotic disease investigations and responses, capability development projects, surveillance, quality assurance and test validation. You will also contribute to the daily maintenance and running of the laboratory.
About You - Mou
- BSc or postgraduate qualification in a related scientific field
- Expertise in molecular techniques, particularly PCR and real-time PCR
- Experience working in microbiological laboratories
- Strong planning, coordination, organising, and teamwork/leadership capabilities
- Familiarity with quality assurance systems
- Knowledge of relevant standards and regulations e.g. ISO:17025, AS/NZS 2243.3, animal ethics, HSNO
- Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce clearly presented documentation
About the Team - Mo to matou Ropu**
Our Diagnostic, Readiness & Surveillance (DRS) directorate are the guardians of Aotearoa New Zealand's biosecurity. We run several targeted and passive biosecurity surveillance programmes at any one time, identifying the new pests and diseases that make it past our borders, providing research and analysis on their impact, and supporting eradication where we can. Our laboratory 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 an extensive range of organisms and projects.
Then there's our facilities. Our design-award winning Wallaceville National Biocontainment Laboratory is one of the newest, most advanced biocontainment laboratories in the world. Opened in 2021, it's the most complex building in New Zealand. We diagnose, research, and help control animal diseases, including animal diseases that can affect people (zoonoses).
About MPI - Mo te Manatu Ahu Matua
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.
To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.
Benefits of working at MPI - Nga hua o te mahi i te Manatu Ahu Matua
- Additional MPI leave days
- Annual Wellness payment
- Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames
Security checks - Nga Taki Whakahaumaru
Low level Security Clearance
- most preferably a New Zealand citizen, who has resided continuously in New Zealandfor 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.
Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamatau Whakapoauau me te Waipiro
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.
Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mo tenei mahi whaitake?
We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapu, whanau and hapori.
In your Cover Letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes, and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.
Applications close at 11.59pm on Sunday, 15 February 2026
*Follow MPI here - Whaia nga tuhononga ki MPI i konei