Project Engineer

BESIX Watpac is actively growing its New Zealand operations and is looking for a hands-on Project Engineer to join a Christchurch project team. The company has a long heritage as a builder with a footprint across Australia and New Zealand, delivering a range of facilities from stadiums and venues to hospitals, industrial sites and secure infrastructure. They emphasise people and teamwork as the engine of success, aiming to deliver high-quality outcomes that communities can rely on for years to come. This role will suit someone who enjoys solving practical problems on site, builds strong relationships, and wants to contribute to major commercial builds in a supportive, safety‑conscious environment.

Based in Christchurch and working onsite, the Project Engineer reports to the Project Manager and will be part of a team focused on delivering a commercial building project. It’s a role for someone who wants steady, hands-on involvement across resource coordination, quality control and project planning, with clear opportunities to influence outcomes from early startup through to completion.

In this position you’ll be helping to keep the project moving smoothly by ensuring resources are available when needed, coordinating with design consultants and subcontractors to keep work aligned with specifications, and maintaining the systems that govern how the project is run day to day. It’s a practical, problem-solving role that rewards proactive planning and clear communication, and it’s well-suited to someone who thrives on visible impact and collaboration with a diverse team.

What You’ll Do On The Christchurch Project Engineer

You’ll help identify and manage project resources, including materials handling equipment, to keep productivity high and assist the Project Manager during startup to secure what’s needed. You’ll also act as a conduit between design consultants and the subcontractor network to maintain momentum, quality and efficiency across trades and interfaces. Day to day you’ll prepare and monitor the project management plans, systems and registers that orchestrate work on site, and you’ll establish and track quality controls to ensure work aligns with specifications and the project management plan.

As the project unfolds, you’ll contribute to cost management and reporting, including the preparation of project reports that keep stakeholders informed. You’ll support the Site Manager with medium-term planning and programming, helping to smooth out sequencing and resource loading. Finally, you’ll assist with health and safety incident and compliance reporting, following contractual requirements, government legislation and BESIX Watpac policies and procedures so the site remains a safe place to work.

Who Is The Right Candidate For The Christchurch Project Engineer

• A degree in Engineering or Construction Management or a recognised equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience in a similar role on commercial building projects.
• Ability to communicate, influence and build effective relationships at all levels of the business.
• Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously using initiative, sound reasoning, listening and decision making skills.

Pay And Practical Details For The Christchurch Project Engineer

The role offers a competitive remuneration package and long-term career development opportunities. In addition, employees gain access to a range of benefits, including Wellbeing Days, three additional leave days per year, and an Awards and Recognition Program that rewards living the company values. There is also a wellbeing program that includes annual skin checks and flu vaccinations, plus Social events and Family Days to support team connection outside of work. The position is onsite in Christchurch, New Zealand, and supports ongoing development within a structured project environment. The company is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where people are valued and supported, and they encourage applicants with transferable skills to apply even if they don’t tick every box exactly.

Advice For Applicants For The Christchurch Project Engineer

Your resume should lead with your engineering or construction management degree and immediately highlight a relevant commercial building project where you helped manage resources and coordination between design teams and subcontractors.

Show concrete proof of the must-have skills by describing a project where you identified and allocated materials handling equipment, contributed to plan preparation, and implemented quality controls that kept work aligned with specs and schedules. Include metrics where possible, such as on-time delivery of critical milestones or improvements in quality outcomes.

For interview preparation, be ready to discuss how you approach medium-term planning and programming on site, how you handle cost reporting, and how you’ve dealt with health and safety compliance on past projects. Think of a concise example that demonstrates autonomous decision making and how you built relationships with stakeholders at different levels.

When you’re asking a question in the interview, focus on how the team plans resource allocation across trades in Christchurch, what success looks like for this project, or how they measure quality and safety outcomes day to day. A thoughtful question about upcoming local projects and how the team balances short-term pressures with long-term planning will show you’re prepared to contribute from day one.