Data Engineer

The Civil Aviation Authority and the Aviation Security Service offer distinctively different career opportunities and embrace diverse talent. All jobs at the Authority contribute to ensuring safe and secure skies to help New Zealand fly.

The Civil Aviation Authority is the regulatory arm of our organisation and the Aviation Security Service is the nationwide provider for aviation security.

At the Civil Aviation Authority, we don't just keep New Zealand's skies safe and secure, we help shape the future of aviation.

Play a key role in building and enhancing CAA's enterprise data platform

Deliver modern data solutions that enable better decision-making across the organisation

Fixed-term opportunity to work with contemporary Azure data technologies in a purpose-driven organisation

About the role

We're looking for a skilled Data Engineer to join our Digital Transformation and Technology team on a fixed-term basis. In this role, you'll be responsible for the end-to-end management of organisational data within our enterprise data platform, helping ensure data is accessible, reliable, secure, and fit for purpose.

Working alongside digital and data specialists, business teams, and external stakeholders, you'll design and maintain robust data solutions that support reporting, analytics, and insight-driven decision-making across the Authority.

About the Business Transformation Programme

This is your opportunity to get in at the start.

We are building a team to deliver a significant transformation that will shape the future of the organisation and the aviation sector. With strong executive support and a clear mandate for change, this is an opportunity to work on genuine transformation - not simply improve existing processes or deliver business as usual.

These roles are initially offered on a one-year fixed-term basis while the business case progresses through approval. We recognise that means taking a degree of risk. But for the right person, it is also a chance to get involved at the point where the programme is being shaped, make a meaningful contribution, and work on a transformation that is genuinely important.

If you are motivated by complex change and want to help build something significant, this is the time to get involved.

Key Responsibilities

Design, build and maintain data engineering solutions, pipelines, and integrations across multiple data sources

Implement and support data warehouse and data platform capabilities that enable business intelligence and analytics

Ensure data quality, governance, security, and compliance through effective monitoring and remediation practices

Develop and maintain data models, structures, and metadata management processes

Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to support data sharing, reporting, and organisational insights

Contribute to the stability, performance, and continuous improvement of the enterprise data platform

The salary band for this role is $115,536 - $141,751. Starting salaries are based on knowledge, skills and experience the successful candidate brings to the role, as well as internal relativities.

For more information on the role please view the position description.

What You'll Bring

If you're a collaborative and technically capable data professional who enjoys solving complex problems and turning data into meaningful business value, this is an exciting opportunity to make an impact within a nationally significant organisation.

To succeed in this role you'll demonstrate:

Relevant qualifications or equivalent experience in data engineering

Experience working with database management systems and enterprise data platforms

Strong knowledge of Azure data technologies such as Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Databricks, and Azure Data Lake

Experience building and maintaining data pipelines and supporting data integration processes

An understanding of data warehousing, governance, data quality, and information management principles

Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills

The ability to build effective working relationships across technical and non-technical teams

About us

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is New Zealand's aviation safety and security regulator. We play a critical role in protecting the travelling public, supporting the aviation sector, and strengthening New Zealand's international reputation.

Our vision is simple and powerful: A safe and secure aviation system - so people are safe, and feel safe when they fly.

Our values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Transparency, and Collaboration guide everything we do. We're committed to diversity, inclusion, and creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute.

Why Join Us?

Matching KiwiSaver contributions up to 4%

Vision assistance

Flu vaccinations

Employee Assistance Programme

Ready to Apply?

If you're passionate about data engineering and want to contribute to meaningful work that helps keep New Zealand's aviation system safe and secure, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submitting your CV and cover letter. Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the skills required for this role.

We want to ensure accessibility needs are well supported, so the recruitment process is fair and equitable for all. Please let us know if there is any support we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is fully accessible to you.

If you have any questions about the role or application process, contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@caa.govt.nz.

Applications close: 31 July 2026

Please be aware that we may start shortlisting as applications come in. We encourage early applications, as the advertisement may close sooner than stated.