Senior Operations Engineer

Job description

About Veolia Veolia Australia & New Zealand is the only global company to provide a full range of environmental services in the fields of water, waste management and energy solutions. With the global expertise gained from serving the environment for more than 170 years, Veolia operates in more than 57 countries around the world, with well over a hundred sites and approximately 6500 employees in Australia & New Zealand. Veolia is a global leader in environmental services, committed to ecological transformation through sustainable water and waste management solutions. We're dedicated to delivering operational excellence while upholding the principles of Te Mana o Te Wai—respecting water as a taonga (treasure) for our communities and environment. The Opportunity Are you a skilled Operations Engineer ready to make a real impact on Wellington's wastewater infrastructure? Veolia is seeking an Operations Engineer (Capital Projects) to serve as the critical technical bridge between our Operations & Maintenance team and the client's Project Management Office (PMO). What's on offer Competitive salary A great team focused working environment Opportunities for professional growth and development Stable employment with a reputable, world leading, 3 waters Network focused organisation Meaningful work that contributes to the well-being of our community and keeps the cogs of society turning. Employee assistance programs (EAP) through assure which covers mental health, nutrition, financial, legal, coaching and career transition support What you'll be responsible for In this role, you'll combine deep operational expertise with strategic project coordination to deliver major renewals and complex projects at Wellington's regional wastewater treatment plants. You'll ensure that capital projects meet contractual obligations, regulatory standards, and long-term asset management goals while maintaining wastewater treatment compliance. Technical Leadership: Act as the primary technical interface between Veolia O&M and the Client's PMO, ensuring operational requirements and site constraints are fully integrated into project scopes Design & Compliance: Review capital project designs and technical specifications to ensure alignment with plant process capabilities, maintenance standards, and regulatory consents Project Assurance: Participate in project planning, risk assessments, and commissioning phases, adhering to Veolia's Assurance Delivery Framework Operational Validation: Advise project teams on operational readiness and ensure new assets are commissioned safely without disrupting wastewater treatment compliance Stakeholder Management: Represent operational interests in project meetings, communicating potential impacts on plant performance and safety to client stakeholders Commissioning Support: Collaborate with the Operational Readiness team to ensure projects are commissioned safely, meet operational benchmarks, and are ready for service What you'll need to be successful Essential Qualifications & Experience: Tertiary qualification in Engineering (Chemical/Process Engineering preferred, or significant wastewater experience) 5+ years relevant experience in the wastewater sector Sound understanding of water and wastewater treatment processes and network systems Current NZ driver's licence Demonstrable experience with wastewater treatment processes, technologies, and control systems Proven ability to bridge O&M and capital project delivery, with experience in Operational Readiness Desirable Experience: PMO (Project Management Office) environment experience Project management with proven delivery within time and budget constraints Process investigation, optimisation, and design for water/wastewater systems Knowledge of NZ water and wastewater infrastructure markets and products Familiarity with QA systems (ISO9001, ISO14001) and standard contract documentation (NZS3910, NZS3916) Proficiency in project management tools (MS Project, MS Visio) Key Personal Attributes: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Excellent diplomacy and negotiation abilities Confident communicator comfortable at all organisational levels Self-starter with high integrity and results-focused mindset Ability to adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining focus on quality and safety Commercial acumen and strategic thinking Comfortable with both office-based planning and site-based fieldwork Why Veolia? At Veolia Australia and New Zealand, you'll join a team of over 6500 passionate innovators... and good humans. Our environmental solutions help customers preserve and renew our natural resources, creating a better future for our planet. Here, you'll have the opportunity to build your career, and resource the world. If you can tick most of the boxes and are keen to contribute to Veolia's ecological transformation, then hit the apply button now! THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT To apply for this vacancy you MUST be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and therefore hold a valid visa. Fairness, Diversity & Inclusion At Veolia we value diversity, equality and inclusion, we are committed to providing working environments where everyone is included and treated fairly and with respect. We welcome applications from Maori and Pasifika, Veterans, people with disability, mature age and early careers, members of the LGBTI+ community and people from all cultural backgrounds.