Damwatch has a unique opportunity for a senior technical leader in geotechnical and earthquake engineering for dams and hydraulic infrastructure.

This role is aimed at an experienced specialist who can provide high-level seismic and geotechnical leadership, support dam safety decision-making, facilitate risk and failure mode workshops, and advise clients on complex dam, reservoir and hydraulic structure projects in New Zealand and internationally. This is a permanent full-time role based in Wellington, New Zealand.

About Damwatch

• A world-class, high-performing engineering team passionate about dams.
• A specialist consultancy providing strategic engineering and dam safety services for maintaining and developing dam infrastructure in New Zealand and internationally.
• A privately owned, niche consultancy that values its people, technical excellence and practical client outcomes.
• Based in central Wellington, with opportunities to contribute to nationally significant and international dam safety work.

The Role

The Principal / Senior Principal Geotechnical & Earthquake Engineer will work alongside Damwatch's Geotechnical Team and our wider multi-disciplinary group of engineers and geologists. The role combines deep technical delivery, trusted client advisory, peer review, project leadership, workshop facilitation, mentoring and practical dam safety decision-making.

• Lead and review geotechnical, seepage and seismic assessments for dams, canals, stopbanks, reservoirs, power stations and other hydraulic structures.
• Provide specialist input to seismic performance assessments, including probabilistic seismic hazard analysis review, deterministic ground motion development, time-history selection, nonlinear deformation analysis, liquefaction assessment and seismic damage estimation.
• Lead or contribute to semi-quantitative risk assessment, failure modes and effects analysis, potential failure modes assessment and risk reduction studies for embankment, concrete gravity, arch, rockfill and concrete-faced rockfill dams.
• Facilitate multi-disciplinary workshops, identify credible failure modes, support risk quantification and communicate risk reduction options to asset owners and decision-makers.
• Provide peer review and client advisory services on dam safety reviews, design philosophy, investigations, hazard inputs, geotechnical interpretation and engineering analyses.
• Manage technical studies and modelling tasks, including scope definition, quality review, interpretation of results, reporting and presentation of recommendations.
• Mentor and develop engineers, support technical consistency across projects, and help grow Damwatch's earthquake engineering capability.

Why Join Damwatch?

You will work on distinctive, technically challenging dam and hydraulic infrastructure projects where earthquake engineering matters. You will help maintain and develop critical infrastructure, support sound dam safety decisions, and contribute to a specialist team that values technical depth, practical judgement, and collaborative culture.

Key Skills and Experience We Are Seeking

• Master's or Doctorate degree in geotechnical engineering, earthquake engineering or a closely related field.
• Principal-level experience in geotechnical and earthquake engineering, preferably with substantial dam, hydropower, water supply, irrigation, flood management, canal, stopbank or mining infrastructure experience.
• Recognised professional registration such as CPEng, Chartered Engineer, Professional Engineer, recognised dam safety practitioner status or eligibility for an equivalent New Zealand pathway.
• Advanced knowledge of soil mechanics, soil dynamics, critical state concepts, cyclic behaviour of soils, liquefaction, deformation assessment and seismic response of embankment and hydraulic structures.
• Demonstrated experience with PSHA inputs and reviews, national seismic hazard models, ANCOLD or equivalent earthquake guidelines, deterministic seismic scenarios, fault displacement considerations and time-history selection.
• Capability in analytical, empirical, semi-empirical and numerical modelling approaches, including nonlinear deformation analysis and interpretation of modelling outputs for design or dam safety decisions.
• Experience preparing, reviewing and interpreting geological and geotechnical information, including investigation scoping, ground condition logging, in-situ testing and laboratory testing programmes.
• Strong background in dam safety risk methods, including FMEA/FMECA, PFM/PFMA, SQRA, residual risk assessment, F-N plots, potential loss of life inputs and risk-based remedial option evaluation.
• Proven ability to write clear technical reports, present complex seismic and geotechnical issues to clients and regulators and facilitate multi-disciplinary technical workshops.
• Ability to work independently while contributing strongly to collaborative project teams, with effective interpersonal, mentoring and presentation skills.
• Practical competence with geotechnical analysis tools, numerical modelling workflows, general computing systems and the responsible use of AI to improve engineering processes.
• Experience delivering dam safety training or capacity-building assignments.
• Ability to qualify for a New Zealand work visa, or existing New Zealand permanent residence or citizenship.

Damwatch would offer you:

• A great collegial environment with fellow engineers who love what they do.
• The prospect of working alongside world-class technical specialists.
• The opportunity to work on exciting international projects, based in New Zealand.
• Personal, technical, and professional development.
• A competitive remuneration package.

How to Apply

If you have these attributes and are interested in Damwatch's Principal / Senior Principal Geotechnical & Earthquake Engineer position, please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected]

Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Damwatch Engineering is a specialist engineering consultancy focused on dams and associated infrastructure. We provide strategic engineering, dam safety, monitoring, and asset management services for critical infrastructure in New Zealand and overseas. Due to increasing demand for instrumentation and monitoring support, we are seeking an Instrumentation Specialist to join our Wellington-based team.

This role is intended as a development pathway into a specialist dam safety instrumentation role. The ideal applicant may already have experience in geotechnical instrumentation, field investigations, monitoring systems, data acquisition, earth sciences, civil engineering, electronics, or practical technical fieldwork. We do not expect applicants to already match the full depth of experience held by our current senior instrumentation specialists. For the right person, Damwatch will provide structured mentoring over the first 12 months to build capability across dam instrumentation, monitoring systems, site investigations, data acquisition, and technical reporting.

What We’re Looking For

• A practical, technically curious person interested in instrumentation, field investigations, and infrastructure monitoring.
• A degree, diploma, trade, technical, or equivalent background in earth sciences, geophysics, civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, instrumentation, mechanical systems, or another relevant discipline. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.
• Some relevant experience in field investigations, monitoring, instrumentation, data acquisition, technical servicing, construction support, geotechnical work, hydrology, electronics, or infrastructure maintenance would be valuable, but is not essential where the applicant has strong practical aptitude.
• An aptitude for hands-on work, troubleshooting, fabrication, testing, and problem solving in field and workshop environments.
• An interest in developing specialist skills in dam safety instrumentation, including piezometers, weirs, data loggers, telemetry, geophysical testing, hydraulic systems, and monitoring systems.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to contribute to clear technical records, field notes, and technical reports.
• A willingness to travel to project sites in New Zealand and Australia, including remote locations.
• A full driver's licence.

What You Will Do

• Support the design, installation, maintenance, upgrading, and troubleshooting of geotechnical and structural monitoring systems for dams and associated infrastructure.
• Assist with instrumentation systems including vibrating wire piezometers, hydraulic piezometers, weirs, seepage monitoring equipment, thermistor strings, seismographs, data loggers, telemetry, and automated data acquisition systems.
• Undertake field investigations and testing, which may include downhole surveys, geophysical testing, flow measurements, seismic surveys, and other site-based monitoring activities.
• Contribute to the design, testing, and fabrication of custom tools, components, and monitoring systems for one-off or project-specific applications.
• Support dam safety, remediation, construction, and performance monitoring projects, including work on embankment dams, concrete dams, canals, tunnels, spillways, and hydraulic structures.
• Collect, check, manage, and interpret monitoring data, and assist with the preparation of technical reports and recommendations.
• Work closely with civil, geotechnical, structural, hydraulic, mechanical, and dam safety specialists across a wide range of projects.

About the Role

• The role is Wellington-based, with time split between office, workshop, home, and field-based work.
• Fieldwork will include travel to dam and hydropower sites, often in remote and scenic parts of New Zealand and Australia.
• The work is varied and practical, combining hands-on field activities with system design, monitoring, data review, and technical reporting.
• The role offers a pathway to develop into a specialist in dam safety instrumentation and monitoring.

Training and Development

• A structured 12-month mentoring pathway to build practical and technical capability in specialist dam safety instrumentation.
• Progressive hands-on experience with instrumentation system design, installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, data acquisition, telemetry, monitoring analysis, and technical reporting.
• Technical guidance from experienced dam engineers and instrumentation specialists, with supervised involvement in fieldwork, dam safety inspections, upgrades, and project investigations.
• Exposure to geotechnical, geophysical, hydraulic, structural, and environmental monitoring technologies across dam safety, remediation, construction, and infrastructure monitoring projects.

What Damwatch Offers

• A collegial, technically focused team environment with people who are passionate about dam engineering and dam safety.
• The opportunity to work alongside experienced specialists on critical infrastructure projects in New Zealand and overseas.
• A mix of office, workshop, and field-based work, with exposure to interesting and technically challenging projects.
• Personal, technical, and professional development in a specialist field.
• A competitive remuneration package, including health insurance and income protection benefits.

How to Apply

If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected].
Closing date for applications is 31st August 2026.

Damwatch Engineering Ltd has an opportunity for a Senior Civil Engineer focused on civil engineering design and delivery of projects for a full-time role based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Damwatch is a specialised engineering consultancy with focus on dam design, dam civil, safety, and the civil infrastructure associated with dams and water-retaining structures across New Zealand and overseas. Due to increased workload in the South Island, we are seeking an experienced Senior Civil Engineer to initially support the delivery of site-based civil construction projects, with opportunities to contribute to engineering design and develop experience in dam engineering and dam safety practice.

The Role

We are looking for a Civil Engineer with at least 7 years' experience in civil engineering construction delivery, including site-based works, contractor coordination, construction observation, quality assurance, and practical problem solving. Experience in engineering design will be valuable, but this role is primarily focused on helping deliver civil infrastructure projects safely, efficiently, and to a high technical standard.

Why this role: This is a practical, hands-on role for a civil engineer who enjoys seeing projects through from design intent to successful construction outcomes. You will have the opportunity to take a visible site delivery role on important infrastructure projects, work directly with clients and contractors, and be supported by a collaborative team of experienced engineers. The role also offers a strong pathway to build capability in dam engineering, dam design, and dam safety while contributing general civil and construction developing broader technical and delivery skills.

• Support the planning, coordination, and delivery of civil construction works on South Island projects.
• Work closely with clients, contractors, and design teams to resolve site issues, maintain progress, and achieve quality, health, safety, and environmental requirements.
• Provide construction observation, site reporting, quality documentation, and practical engineering advice during delivery.
• Contribute an active, hands-on engineering leadership style on site and within project teams.
• Support design inputs, constructability reviews, and continuous improvement in project delivery processes.

Ideally you will have the following attributes:

• Hold a civil engineering degree or equivalent.
• Have an interest in a broad range of civil engineering and infrastructure projects, particularly site-based delivery and practical construction outcomes.
• Demonstrated civil engineering experience associated with design, construction delivery, site supervision, earthworks, structures, drainage, water infrastructure, roading, or other general civil works.
• Demonstrated capability for analysis, problem solving and innovation.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong understanding of construction documentation, specifications, inspection and test plans, quality records, and site reporting.
• Experience coordinating with contractors, clients, and multidisciplinary design teams to resolve technical and construction issues.
• Practical project delivery experience, including programme awareness, cost awareness, risk management, and use of project management tools and systems.
• The ability to interact with design streams including geotechnical, structural, hydraulic, and civil design disciplines.
• Ability to achieve tight deadlines in a pressurised environment.
• Willingness to travel within the South Island and elsewhere in New Zealand as required to meet our commitments to clients.

Damwatch would offer you:

• A great collegial environment with fellow engineers who love what they do.
• The prospect of working alongside world-class technical specialists.
• Experience and mentoring in dam engineering, dam design, and dam safety from recognised specialists in the field.
• The opportunity to work on exciting and demanding civil infrastructure projects, with a strong focus on the South Island.
• A meaningful site-based construction support, construction observation, and quality assurance role.
• Personal, technical, and professional development.
• A competitive remuneration package.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send a full CV and covering letter to [email protected].
Closing date for applications is 21st August 2026.