Technical Assistant

Technical Assistant / Senior Technical Assistant

Role type : Permanent, full-time

Location : Wallaceville, Upper Hutt

Salary band & range : General Salary Range H : $60,750 to $80,333 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Korero mo te Turanga

The Ministry for Primary Industries has an exciting opportunity for a Technical Assistant / Senior Technical Assistant– Laboratory Services to join the Assurance, Biosafety, and Containment team at MPI's Animal Health Laboratory (AHL).

The Animal Health Laboratory located in Upper Hutt is New Zealand's reference centre for exotic, new, and emerging terrestrial and aquatic animal diseases and contains both PC2 and PC3+ laboratory facilities.

AHL is accredited to ISO : 17025.

The Assurance, Biosafety, and Containment team is a multi-disciplinary team responsible for a range of operational systems that ensure a safe operating environment and compliance to the required regulations and standards.

We are seeking a Technical Assistant / Senior Technical Assistant to join our multi-disciplinary team and play a critical role in supporting AHL operations.

Key responsibilities include :

Cleaning of PC3+ laboratory areas.

Autoclaving of PC3+ waste.

Sterilising of laboratory equipment and utensils.

Managing stocks of sterilised equipment, consumables, and utensils.

Supply and laundry of PC3+ clothing and linen.

About You - Mou

To be successful role you will have experience working in a laboratory environment, have a high degree of attention to detail, and be an excellent team player.

You'll also have the ability to effectively communicate with a range of stakeholders, be, adaptable, and remain calm under pressure.

You will have :

NCEA level 2 or equivalent qualifications.

Experience complying with Health and Safety regulations.

Experience working within and across teams.

Effective communication (verbal and written).

Strong attention to detail and quality focus.

Ability to work within the constraints of, and follow the procedures, used in a PC3+ containment laboratory.

Capacity to plan work in line with priorities and coordinate work activities with others.

About the Team - Mo to matou Ropu

The Assurance, Biosafety, and Containment team is a multi-disciplinary team responsible for a range of operational systems that ensure a safe laboratory operating environment and compliance to the required regulations and standards.

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.

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamatau Whakapoauau me te Waipiro

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(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.

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

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.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities.

As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatu Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

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.

To view the position description and / or apply online, please click "APPLY FOR THIS JOB" or visit the MPI Careers Site.

To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 12 October 2025.

If you have any questions about the role, please email

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