Senior or Principal Data Engineer

Job description

Mai te hiku ki te taurapa, whitikina e te rā

From the tail of the fish to the tail of the waka, shines the sun

Meridian is Aotearoa’s largest renewable electricity producer, generating power from 100% renewable sources—wind, water, and sun! We also retail electricity to more than 400,000 homes, businesses and farms across New Zealand through our Meridian and Powershop brands.

Job Description

Mō te tūranga | What you’ll be doing

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a new chapter in Meridian’s Generation business — helping shape the future of data engineering from the ground up.

As we modernise our data platforms and practices, you’ll be at the forefront of designing and building the systems, standards, and tools that will power decision‑making and innovation across New Zealand’s largest renewable energy portfolio.

Generation is embarking on a new journey — not just upgrading technology, but rethinking how data is used, shared, and embedded in our operations.

You’ll be joining at a pivotal moment, with the chance to influence architecture, governance, and team culture from day one.

As a leader, you will mentor other data practitioners, fostering a culture of innovation, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement.

If you’re excited by greenfield opportunities and want to leave a lasting mark, this is the role for you.

• Designing scalable data and AI architectures for Generation
• Building and managing automated, high‑quality data pipelines
• Ensuring platform reliability, performance, and security
• Leading the shift to modern, AI‑enabled data practices
• Shaping governance aligned with DigiGen and Meridian standards
• Collaborating across teams to align data strategy
• Mentoring team members and embedding lasting capabilities

Ngā pukenga kei a koe mō tenei tūranga | What you’ll bring

We are seeking a Data Engineer to join our Generation team.

This position is open to candidates at either Senior or Principal level.

The final appointment will be based on the skills, experience, and leadership capability demonstrated through the recruitment process.

You’ll be a strategic leader driving the design and delivery of data and AI solutions that support operational and business teams.

You’ll shape architecture, governance, and team culture, transforming raw data into trusted, actionable products that enable smarter decisions and align with the DigiGen vision.

Your leadership will foster innovation and continuous improvement, mentoring others and leaving a lasting impact on Generation’s data capability.

Other desirable experience and skill includes:

• Expertise in designing and optimising scalable data and AI solutions using modern cloud platforms (Databricks, AWS, Azure)
• Skilled in ETL/ELT pipeline development and DataOps for automation, quality, and observability
• Strong knowledge of data modelling, architecture, and governance; able to define and influence best practices
• Proven ability to deliver secure, high‑performance, reliable data platforms for business and operational needs
• Leadership in technical strategy and adoption of modern engineering practices (CI/CD, IaC, AI‑driven solutions)
• Experience mentoring data teams and driving innovation and continuous improvement
• Effective collaboration with cross‑functional teams to achieve impactful, data‑driven outcomes

Additional Information

He aha koe i hono mai ai ki a mātou?

| Why join us?

We help reduce carbon emissions and support communities in doing the same, supplying electricity to over 400,000 homes, businesses, and farms through Meridian and Powershop.

• At Meridian, we embrace diversity and inclusion, knowing that different perspectives make us stronger.
  
  We encourage everyone to bring their whole selves to work, creating a welcoming and empowering environment for all.
  
  
• Be gutsy, be in the waka, and be a good human – our three principles.
  
  We work hard and celebrate connection through quizzes, morning teas, and cultural events, both in person and virtually.
  
  
• Sustainability is in our DNA.
  
  We proudly support KidsCan and Kākāpō Recovery and work side‑by‑side with our generation communities.
  
  

Ngā painga ki a mātou | What we can offer!

We value work/life balance, so our WFH and flexible work options (where possible) make things easier for you and your whānau.

We also offer:

• An attractive and competitive salary package that’s reviewed annually, performance‑incentive plus discounts from several partnerships
• Southern Cross Healthcare - Wellbeing One insurance, funded scheme for eligible employees to give you that extra peace of mind
• Enhanced leave provisions: three company paid days (over the holiday period), enhanced parental leave and options to buy up to 12 days additional leave
• Life, trauma and income protection insurance (which we hope you won’t need!)
• Enhanced KiwiSaver contributions
• Access to the Meridian employee share scheme
• Excellent learning and development opportunities, we want you to be the best version of yourself and will help you get there!
• Award‑winning wellbeing programme that provides support whenever and wherever you need it
• Employee discounts off your power with Meridian, every bit counts
• A one‑off $400 payment to support your work‑from‑home set‑up (if needed)

Tono mai ināianei tonu | Apply now

All in all, we’re an awesome place to work.

If this sounds like you and you want to bring your energy and use your power to make a difference (pun intended), then apply today and tell us why!

We encourage you to apply for this role — even if you don’t meet every requirement.

At Meridian, we value diverse perspectives and believe that potential, passion, and a willingness to grow are really important.

If you’re excited about this opportunity, we’d love to hear from you!

To view the full Position Description/s, please click: Senior Data Engineer PD or Principal Data Engineer PD.

If you’ve got any questions, please email We’re committed to becoming more accessible and providing support if needed.

Please get in touch if there are parts of our process you would like assistance with (process found here meridianenergy.co.nz/careers), we’re more than happy to help.

Advertising closes 28th October 2025 (please note this is subject to change).

Required Skill Profession

Database, Analytics & Bi, It Management & It Project Management