Senior Spectrum Planning Analyst

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE Based in Wellington KiwiSaver employer contribution Wellbeing allowance Relocation support to help make the move to Wellington 23 days annual leave, rising to 25 with service, plus study assistance and an Employee Assistance Programme Open to Australian citizens under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, no visa or sponsorship required About the Role - Tēnei tūranga: Looking for a technically interesting job in radio spectrum engineering? Radio spectrum is the finite set of frequencies that mobile networks, satellites, Wi-Fi, radar, emergency services and broadcasters all depend on. In New Zealand, its use is regulated entirely by this team, under the Radiocommunications Act 1989. You'll build the technical models and interference analysis, from first principles, that decide who gets access to spectrum and how. That analysis becomes the regulatory rules and informs the advice ministers act on. This isn't a licensing or admin role. It's the engineering foundation underneath national spectrum policy, and it demands genuine intellectual depth: multi-technology, first-principles thinking, not simply following established rules. A recent piece of work from this team freed up satellite spectrum that lifted broadband capacity for rural New Zealand. That's the scale of outcome this role can produce. There’s also an opportunity to represent New Zealand internationally, at ITU and APT meetings and in bilateral negotiations, with a major UN-level spectrum negotiation landing at the end of 2027. As an Australian citizen, you can live and work in New Zealand without a visa, and land in Wellington: a small, vibrant capital with a good vibe, a lower cost of living, and a shorter commute than anywhere you've worked before. The work is complex requiring technical analysis that shapes national policy and earns you a seat at the table at the United Nations and access to government. Few roles offer that combination of intellectual weight and quality of life. This one does. Why is this role different? In a large telco or regulator, this kind of work gets split into narrow, siloed roles. Here, you get a hand in all of it: propagation modelling, coexistence analysis, policy development, ministerial briefings and international representation. It's a genuine chance to broaden a career rather than specialise into one corner of it. You'll work alongside a small, high-calibre, multidisciplinary team spanning policy, engineering and operations, with real scope to shape how that team's capability develops. You'll also have a direct line into government, working alongside defence, aeronautical, maritime and emergency services stakeholders on problems that matter nationally. Skills and Experience Required - Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana: Years of experience matter less than how you think. The one non-negotiable: the ability to model how radio systems behave and interact from first principles, worked out rather than looked up. If that's you, we'd also like to see: Strong technical grounding in radio engineering, propagation and interference/coexistence modelling Familiarity with radio technologies, standards and spectrum management frameworks Strong written and verbal communication, comfortable briefing senior stakeholders A collaborative approach to solving technical problems alongside others Backgrounds in academic research, spectrum or RF engineering, technical consulting, or regulatory roles are all relevant. Experience with MATLAB, HTZ, Visualyse and ARC-GIS is a plus, not a requirement. About MBIE - Ētahi kōrero mō MBIE: MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders. We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable. People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours. Mahi Tahi – Better Together Māia – Bold and brave Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future Pono Me Te Tika – Own It Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'. MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities. E mōhio ana a Hīkina Whakatutuki i puea ake te kōtuinga I waenganui i a ngāi Māori me te Karauna i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, kei te whai ia ki te whakaū ake i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mā te whai kiko o ngā kōtuinga ahunga roa o ngā iwi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, ka tutuki tēnei. He āhuatanga nui tēnei e āhei ai ngā mahi whanaketanga ā-ohanga, ā-pāpori hoki ki a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui. E whai tonu ana mātou ki te kōtui atu ki ngā iwi mō te rapu huarahi hou ki te whakaara i ngā kaupapa kua roa nei e tāmi ana i a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui, ā, e whai ana hoki ki te tautohu i ngā āheinga kōkiritanga mā ngā iwi, me te tautoko i ngā iwi kia whai mana ake ai ēnei āheinga. Life in Wellington: Wellington is compact enough to walk from your desk to the harbour, a café, or native bush, all within about twenty minutes. Wellington is renowned for its coffee and craft beer culture, theatre, gallery and live music scenes, and events like WOW and the New Zealand International Film Festival. Weta Workshop calls it home too. Add beaches, coastal walks and forest reserves just outside the office, and a cost of living well below Sydney or Melbourne, and it's a city that's easy to actually enjoy living in. Right to work: Australian citizens and permanent residents can live and work in New Zealand indefinitely under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement. No visa. No sponsorship. No immigration process to navigate. New Zealand citizens and residents are also eligible. MBIE is not an accredited employer under New Zealand's skilled migrant visa scheme, so candidates must already hold the right to work in New Zealand. How to Apply - Me pēhea te tono: Click here to view a position description. Click the Apply button to submit your CV and cover letter. Questions welcome at , quoting ref MBIE/19485.