Ranger River Restoration – Department of Conservation – Warkworth

Job description

• Passionate about making meaningful difference for freshwater conservation?
  
  
• Get stuck into delivering a crucial project and engage others in supporting conservation
• Permanent, full-time role based in Warkworth

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

The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) serves to protect and restore nature across Aotearoa.

When nature thrives, we all thrive.
Ko tā Te Papa Atawhai he tiaki, he whakarauora anō hoki i te taiao puta noa i Aotearoa.

He oranga taiao, he oranga tangata.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

An exciting opportunity has become available for a River Restoration Ranger based at our Warkworth office in Auckland.

We are looking for a dedicated and collaborative individual to join our team who feels inspired, day in day out to work towards our purpose: Toitū te Taiao – We protect and restore nature.

Nga Awa is a national DOC-led project which takes a whole-catchment approach to freshwater restoration and focuses on a range of river catchments throughout New Zealand.

The River Restoration Rangers working on this project are driven by their shared motivations of river ecosystems and species thriving from mountains to sea, and restored rivers with the capacity to enrich people’s lives.

You can read more about the Nga Awa project here.

As Tāmaki Makaurau’s next River Restoration Ranger you will be responsible for freshwater restoration within two river catchments across the region – the Hōteo and the Mahurangi.

This work is varied, and you’ll spend much of your time out and about across the Mahurangi region.

From stream spotlight surveys, eDNA sampling and biodiversity monitoring to sharing your expertise with others, managing project delivery, and making connections with local like-minded groups and individuals, this role has so many ways that you can make a difference to your local environment.

You’ll be responsible for planning and implementing the restoration of river catchments, managing large restoration projects undertaken with others, developing new partnerships to advance freshwater restoration, and working with your colleagues in both the national Nga Awa project team and the local Tāmaki Makaurau team.

Click here for the Role Description

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

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

• 5+ years specialist experience in practical habitat restoration or resource management, with a focus on freshwater habitat restoration.
  
  
• A tertiary qualification or equivalent experience and achievements in science or natural heritage management, preferably in an area relating to natural or biological sciences.
  
  
• Skills in planning, delivery, and reporting of operational projects.
  
  Budget management experience a bonus.
  
  
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and proven ability to deliver projects in collaboration with tangata whenua and a range of partners.
  
  
• Practical understanding of how the Māori- Crown relationship is important to DOC and implications for how Te Tiriti o Waitangi/ The Treaty of Waitangi is important in conservation work.
  
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to a range of audiences, including technical or scientific writing skills.
  
  
• Ability to understand, interpret and apply technical and scientific advice to practical work.
  
  
• Contract management experience.
  
  
• Full New Zealand driver’s licence (manual transmission).
  
  
• Reasonable level of physical fitness and willingness to work in the outdoors.
  
  

Desired:

• Current First Aid certificate.
  
  
• Familiar with local or national conservation legislation.
  
  
• Familiarity with how concepts in te ao Māori such as kaitiakitanga and mātauranga Māori influence and inform conservation efforts.
  
  
• NZQA qualification in 4-wheel driving and experience driving off-road in forest, farmland, river or sandy conditions.
  
  
• Good data analysis and visualisation skills.
  
  
• Ability to use day-to-day te reo Māori and tikanga at work e.g. waiata and pepeha.
  
  
• Good geographical or historical knowledge of or connections to the north Auckland region e.g. Mahurangi, Rodney, Helensville or Matakana, for example through living, working, or having other connections to the area.
  
  
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work.
  
  

He aha ngā pāinga mōu?

| 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.

You can learn more about what we offer here.

We support flexible work arrangements for our kamahi who are working in a wide variety of roles and locations across Aotearoa.

Flexible options will be considered based on your role and in discussion with your leader.

Tonoa inaiānei | Apply now

Apply online with a CV and cover letter that highlights your relevant skills, experience and motivation for joining Te Papa Atawhai.

Please note, due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept direct or emailed applications and provide feedback to those not shortlisted.

If you require any accommodations or adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

The salary range for this position is $68,878 to $87,265 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.

Rā whakakapi | Applications close

at 11:59 pm on Sunday, 2 November 2025

Depending on the volume of applications received, we may close this advertisement early, so please submit your application as soon as possible

Me he pātai anō, whakapā mai | For further enquiries

please contact David Wilson, Principal Ranger Mainland, at

Required Skill Profession

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, And Hunting