📍 Upper Hutt, Wellington Region | 🕒 Full Time, Permanent | 📁 Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance
🏗️ Start your engineering career delivering infrastructure that matters
📋 Build practical skills in contract management, project delivery and site-based engineering
🎓 Develop through varied experience and a pathway towards Chartered Professional Engineer status
Are you a recent engineering graduate ready to build practical experience and help deliver essential infrastructure for a growing city?
Upper Hutt City Council is looking for a motivated Graduate Engineer - Contract Management and Delivery to join our Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance team.
This is a supported early-career opportunity where you will gain broad exposure to infrastructure contract administration, programme delivery, site inspections, technical work and stakeholder relationships. The role is structured to progressively build your technical, contract and stakeholder capability and support your pathway towards Chartered Professional Engineer status.
About the role:
As Graduate Engineer - Contract Management and Delivery, you’ll work alongside experienced colleagues to:
Support the administration and delivery of Council infrastructure maintenance, renewal and improvement contracts.
Assist with preparing contract documentation, procurement activities, tender evaluation and recommendations.
Monitor works on site, check progress and quality, and help ensure delivery meets contract, safety and Council requirements.
Help assess contractor claims, variations, programmes and performance, maintaining accurate records and escalating issues when needed.
Contribute to forward works planning, cost tracking, reporting and the management of programme risks and priorities.
Undertake technical investigations, analysis and design support under the guidance of experienced engineers.
Build constructive relationships with contractors, consultants, Council teams, customers and other stakeholders.
You’ll be encouraged to ask questions, take increasing responsibility as your capability grows, and develop a strong foundation in practical engineering, contract management and public infrastructure delivery.
What you’ll bring:
We’re looking for an enthusiastic graduate who is keen to learn, enjoys solving practical problems and can communicate confidently with a wide range of people.
A strong interest in civil infrastructure, construction, contract management and project delivery.
Sound analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to apply engineering knowledge to practical situations.
A willingness to learn contract administration, procurement, cost control, quality assurance and programme management.
Good written and verbal communication skills and the confidence to ask questions and seek guidance.
A collaborative, customer-focused approach and the ability to build positive working relationships.
Initiative, accountability and the ability to organise your work and follow tasks through.
You’ll have:
A recognised tertiary qualification in civil engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
Eligibility to work towards professional membership and Chartered Professional Engineer status.
A current full Class 1 driver’s licence or the ability to obtain one within an agreed timeframe.
Competence using Microsoft Office and the ability to learn Council, contract and project systems.
The ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Any relevant work experience, internship, summer placement or exposure to construction sites, local government, transport, three waters or civil works would be advantageous but is not essential.
Why join us?
At Upper Hutt City Council, we’re all about working together to enhance the quality of life in our city. We live by our values: approachable, courageous, respectful and people-first.
We offer:
A supportive team environment with coaching from experienced infrastructure professionals
Varied, practical experience across contract management, engineering and project delivery
A structured opportunity to develop the competencies needed for your professional engineering pathway
Flexible work options, ongoing learning and professional development
A chance to contribute to infrastructure that supports the Upper Hutt community
Sound like you?
We’d love to hear from you! Apply now and start building your engineering career while helping deliver reliable, high-quality infrastructure for Upper Hutt.
If you would like to be considered for this role, please apply online: www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Council/Work-with-us/Current-vacancies.
All applications must include a cover letter, CV and a completed online Upper Hutt City Council application form.
📅 Applications close: 5pm, 6 November 2026.
We reserve the right to interview and select a candidate prior to the closing date.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK IN NEW ZEALAND TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ROLE.