Environmental Scientist - Land

Environmental Scientist or Specialist, Including Health

The role

Do you want to be a part of a science team answering the tough questions in land management?

We are currently seeking an Environmental Scientist for Land to work alongside a team of scientists to collect, collate and manage data that underpins the management of natural resources across our large and diverse region.

Based in Palmerston North, this permanent, full-time position will have you working closely with members of the science team, and other teams across the organisation, to understand soil and erosion monitoring, effects of land use or land management on water quality, and the natural capital of soil.

When you join us, you can look forward to a rewarding career full of opportunities to develop a positive and supportive work environment. We do this through :

• Positive focus on employee health, wellness and wellbeing initiatives across the organisation including your birthday off, wellness day, life insurance for all permanent staff and 5 weeks leave after 2 years of service.
• Flexible family friendly work environment.
• Ongoing development and opportunities across the organisation to grow, specialise or diversify your skills.
• Working together for a better environment across our region.
• A supportive and social work environment across the organisation.

About you

The successful applicant will demonstrate a customer focused mind-set, working with other specialists across the organisation to solve problems and deliver solutions for natural resource management.

Suitable candidates should hold a bachelor level qualification or higher in a relevant natural science discipline. Candidates with a solid foundation in soil science, farm or land management, physical geography or environmental science are preferred. Previous working experience in land and soil science and familiarity with the Resource Management Act will be advantageous. Skills and experience in project management, data analysis and reporting are essential, as is an ability to communicate scientific information in an engaging and informative way.

We are looking for the right person to fill the role and are willing to develop and provide on the job training for the right candidate.

This will be a busy role, requiring agility and an ability to organise and prioritise your workload to respond to emerging issues and changing demands. If you like a fast paced team environment, where the workload will be diverse and challenging then we want to hear from you!

About us

The Horizons region extends over 22,200km2 – from Ruapehu in the north and Horowhenua in the south, to Whanganui in the west and Tararua in the east. We work with and for our community in the use and protection of our environment, managing our precious resources of land, air and water; as well as public transport and a key role in emergency management. At Horizons Regional Council we work to make our region a healthy environment where people are thriving, including our staff.

Applications close

Applications close at 5pm on Sunday 19 October 2025.

Horizons are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to ensuring we have a diverse and inclusive workplace so our people reflect the diversity of our region.

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