Want to join the team? We currently seeking a Senior Scientist (Estuarine and Coastal Ecology) to fill a one-year fixed term (maternity leave cover) position (20-40 hours flexi-time per week) starting early 2026.

The successful applicant will have a PhD in environmental sciences/aquatic ecology, a minimum of 5 years professional experience in consulting, regulatory, and/or research environments, strong technical and writing skills, and be able to work remotely (e.g., from a home office). There is the potential for the right candidate to transition into a long-term role.

Further details are available here. If you have the right background and are interested in joining a small, dynamic consultancy, please submit your application by Monday 1 December to admin@saltecology.co.nz

MONITORING & RESEARCH

Robust, cost effective and trusted delivery of expert science

  • State of the Environment (SOE) monitoring and reporting

  • GIS-based habitat mapping and monitoring programmes

  • Marine biosecurity and surveillance

  • National tool development, e.g. National Estuary Monitoring Protocol, NZ Estuary Trophic Index (ETI), MfE expert panel

  • Development of environmental guidelines and quality criteria

  • Collaborative research projects

ASSESSMENT & Management

Impact mitigation, habitat restoration, ecosystem rejuvenation

  • Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE)

  • Resource consents

  • Habitat restoration advice, planning and implementation

  • Biosecurity Management Plans

  • Integrated catchment-based policy and management advice

  • Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA)

  • Oil spill planning, response monitoring and advice

  • Application of quality criteria and standards

ENGAGEMENT & REPORTING

Provision of high level guidance and interpretation of science outputs

  • Expert science communication and witnessing

  • Training and peer reviews

  • Stakeholder engagement and community liaison

  • Data analysis and visualisation

  • Web-based reporting

  • Database and app development

  • Biostatistics

  • GIS-based geoprocessing

SPECIALIST AREAS

Coastal Ecology

Salt Ecology provides a wide range of environmental monitoring and ecological impact assessment services to support monitoring programmes and resource consent projects in wetland, freshwater, estuarine and coastal ecosystems.

Marine Biosecurity

Salt Ecology provides a one-stop shop for marine biosecurity, ranging from high end advice to on the ground operational services.

Data Science

Salt Ecology provides comprehensive services in data analysis, biostatistics, web-based reporting and GIS visualisation tools to help turn data into knowledge.

Oil spill Planning and response

Salt Ecology is recognised internationally for its oil spill planning, response and monitoring expertise and has worked extensively alongside oil companies and governmental bodies from local to national level - both in New Zealand and overseas.

RESTORATION and Enhancement

Salt Ecology provides specialist services for the restoration and enhancement of wetland, freshwater, estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Our focus is on using natural processes to increase resilience, enhance biodiversity and improve water quality. We have successfully used soft engineering techniques to reduce coastal erosion, to meet consent requirements for offset mitigation, reinstate lost habitat, and provide planning guidance on projects in Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Tasman and Southland.

Field-Based RESEARCH

Salt Ecology designs science programmes and undertakes a wide range of targeted field-based research to ensure technical advice is backed by robust, defensible science.

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