Hut Warden (Ranger) at Department of Conservation | Te Papa Atawhai

Tākaka, Tasman, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

17 May, 26

Salary

66911.0

Posted On

16 Feb, 26

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Outdoor Skills, Conservation, Biodiversity, Maintenance, Visitor Experience, First Aid, Communication, Problem-Solving, Physical Fitness, Health And Safety, Track Maintenance, Infrastructure Maintenance, Collaboration, Task Prioritisation, Initiative, Driving Manual

Industry

Government Administration

Description

Help care for two of Aotearoa’s most iconic Great Walks, set within world-class coastal and backcountry landscapes Use your practical outdoor skills to support conservation, biodiversity, and exceptional visitor experiences Salary range: $60,703 – $66,911 Permanent, full-time role based in Takaka Our vision: Nature is thriving in Aotearoa | Te Oranga o te Ao Tūroa The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) serves to protect and restore nature across Aotearoa. When nature thrives, we all thrive. Ko tā Te Papa Atawhai he tiaki, he whakarauora anō hoki i te taiao puta noa i Aotearoa. He oranga taiao, he oranga tangata. Mō te tūranga | About the role As a Hut Warden on the Abel Tasman Coast Track and Heaphy Track Great Walks, your role will focus on the day-to-day operation, maintenance, and care of huts, campsites, and associated tracks, while helping to ensure visitors have a safe, enjoyable, and memorable experience. Off-season / winter work: During the off-season and winter months, you will support local operations at Tōtaranui Campground and the Tākaka District Office. This schedule may vary from year to year and will be confirmed based on operational needs. Key focus areas of the role include: Maintaining Great Walk huts, campsites, toilets, and associated facilities to a high standard Carrying out routine track and structure maintenance to ensure tracks remain safe, accessible, and well presented Being the on-site point of contact for visitors, providing clear information on hut operations, etiquette, track conditions, weather, and safety Monitoring and promoting compliance with the Great Walks booking system, and collecting and reconciling hut and campsite fees where required Maintaining daily radio schedules and supporting field communications Responding to incidents, including providing first aid Assisting with conservation, recreation, heritage, and biodiversity tasks as required Working collaboratively with rangers, volunteers, contractors, iwi, and local partners to deliver maintenance and conservation outcomes Click here for the Role Description Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience This role suits someone with strong backcountry capability, practical problem-solving skills, and a collaborative approach. You’ll be comfortable working both independently and as part of a team, often in isolated environments. If you have some of following, we are keen to hear from you: Good level of physical fitness (backcountry experience) Ability to adhere to strict health, safety and well-being systems Field delivery skills such as scrub baring and track maintenance Basic infrastructure maintenance skills (solar, septic & water) Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Trapping, monitoring, predator and weed control. Planning and organisational skills. Emotional intelligence. Tech savvy skills with ability to learn new systems. Ability to work alone and within a team; task prioritisation, initiative. Comfortable sharing staff accommodation or living quarters with other team members when required. Strong health and safety focus. Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work with a range of stakeholders. Ability to work in isolated environments. Hands-on practical skillset. Comfortable engaging and working in partnership with iwi and tangata whenua Full New Zealand Driver Licence with the ability to drive a manual desired Desirable: Experience and/or qualifications with chainsaws, scrub bars and driving LUVs A current First Aid certificate. He aha ngā pāinga mōu? | What’s in it for you? DOC places importance on developing a culture where everyone can participate, thrive, and grow. We’re working towards being an organisation that is diverse, equitable and inclusive by default. You can learn more about what we offer here. Tonoa inaiānei | Apply now Apply online with a CV and cover letter that highlights your relevant skills, experience and motivation for joining Te Papa Atawhai. Please note, due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept direct or emailed applications and provide feedback to those not shortlisted. If you require any accommodations or adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. The salary range for this position is $60,703 to $66,911 with the starting salary of the successful applicant being based on their relevant skills and experience. Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory – this includes holding a valid work visa that covers the whole period of employment. Due to high volumes, we are not engaging with recruitment agencies for this role. Rā whakakapi | Applications close at 11:59 pm on Monday 2 March 2026. Depending on the volume of applications received, we may close this advertisement early, so please submit your application as soon as possible. Me he pātai anō, whakapā mai | For further enquiries, please contact Zak Gibbs, Principal Ranger, zgibbs@doc.govt.nz Please note that we have replaced our previous recruitment system with Workday, you will need to create a new Candidate Home account when applying for new roles. The Department of Conservation is a great place to work for anyone who is passionate about nature and the environment. Our people are responsible for caring for our land, water and native species. Spread throughout the country, they ensure that nature can thrive. They perform a huge range of tasks in roles from technical specialists to support staff and frontline rangers. Read more about Our role: About us

Responsibilities

The Hut Warden will focus on the daily operation, maintenance, and care of Great Walk huts, campsites, and associated facilities, while ensuring visitors have safe and enjoyable experiences. Key duties include track maintenance, visitor contact for information and fee collection, radio scheduling, incident response, and assisting with conservation tasks.