Senior Site Civil Engineer | Te Awa Kairangi
AECOMAECOM, a global leader in infrastructure, is hiring in Wellington to join the team working on Te Awa Kairangi (RiverLink), Wellington’s largest and most complex live transport project. The Senior Site Civil Engineer will spend most of their time on construction activities at the RiverLink site, with opportunities to contribute to a broader portfolio of transport, water and civil projects around the region. This is a chance for someone who enjoys hands-on problem solving on major city-shaping infrastructure and wants exposure to project delivery as well as contracting and design coordination.
The role sits within AECOM’s Wellington unit, a place where seasoned engineers collaborate with project managers, designers and clients to deliver critical infrastructure. If you take pride in practical engineering on real-world sites, and you’d like to help shape Wellington’s future while expanding your skills across multiple project types, this could be a good fit.
Te Awa Kairangi will be the primary focus, but you’ll still gain visibility across AECOM’s transport, water and civil work in the region, which helps broaden your technical, commercial and project-delivery capabilities while building wide-ranging relationships within the business.
Turning plans into solid real-world progress on a live river link
You’ll spend your days on site leadership and oversight, making sure construction aligns with designs, quality standards and safety expectations. You’ll inspect a range of civil and structural works, including underground utilities, drainage systems, retaining walls, buildings and foundations, and you’ll review quality processes and documentation as part of ensuring everything is built to specification.
When challenges pop up or design coordination hiccups occur, you’ll work with contractors and designers to surface practical solutions that keep the project moving. You’ll also coordinate with project managers, the client, design and construction teams, and other stakeholders to maintain high delivery standards and keep everyone aligned on progress and changes.
Design changes and technical issues will land in your lap from time to time, and you’ll assess them to ensure works remain compliant with engineering requirements. You’ll mentor junior engineers and champion best-practice site inspection methods, while helping foster a culture that prioritizes safety and continuous improvement on site.
What you’ll need to bring and what would help you stand out
The impact you’ll have comes from a practical, technically capable mindset that doesn’t shy away from coordinating with the people delivering on site. Here’s what you should have in mind:
- A tertiary qualification in Civil Engineering or a related discipline
- More than ten years of hands-on site engineering, construction supervision, site inspections and quality assurance on civil infrastructure projects
- A solid grasp of construction methods, engineering drawings and models, technical specifications and QA processes
- Experience inspecting concrete, foundations, reinforcement, formwork and structural steel
- Ability to spot construction issues, assess compliance and coordinate workable solutions with contractors and design teams
- Strong communication skills and the ability to manage stakeholder expectations
- A track record of handling competing priorities in a fast-moving construction setting
- A commitment to health, safety, quality and continuous improvement
We’d particularly value experience on major infrastructure or complex civil construction projects; familiarity with reviewing ITPs, conducting pre-pour inspections and preparing site inspection documentation; close collaboration with contractors, construction superintendents and multidisciplinary design teams; mentoring junior engineers and coordinating technical inspection activities; and knowledge of New Zealand construction practices, engineering standards and compliance requirements.
Pay, benefits and practical details you should know
The role is onsite in Wellington, with Te Awa Kairangi as the primary focus. AECOM offers comprehensive benefits that may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absence, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, wellbeing resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan and an employee stock purchase plan, with specifics varying by employment status. The company emphasises a secure, trustworthy recruitment process, and note that all new hires participate in an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office as part of employment.
Advice for applicants on this journey
Highlight Te Awa Kairangi experience at the top of your resume, especially any hands-on leadership on a large live transport project and your role in site inspections and QA on civil works.
Demonstrate you’ve got the must-have capabilities by detailing concrete, foundations, reinforcement, formwork and structural steel inspections, plus your ability to identify issues and coordinate practical solutions with both contractors and design teams.
Be ready to discuss how you’ve balanced safety, quality and progress on live construction sites, including examples of mentoring junior engineers and driving best-practice site inspection processes.
Think of a good question to ask about the team’s approach to integrating design changes, coordinating across the Alliance and maintaining delivery momentum on a landmark, live project like Te Awa Kairangi.