Engineer – Aquatics, Waterslides & Special Projects

Not your typical engineering job

How many engineering roles let you design something specifically intended to make people scream, laugh and want to do it again?

New Wave Aquatics is a small, specialist Christchurch engineering business working across New Zealand and Australia.

We design, engineer, inspect, test and commission waterslides, aquatic systems and other specialist equipment – combining serious engineering with the objective of creating safe, memorable and genuinely fun experiences.

If we get it wrong, people can get badly hurt, and the consequences can extend far beyond the physical harm.

We're looking for another engineer to join our team.

Some big shoes to fill – but bring your own shoes

One of our engineers, Hugo, has decided to return to the UK for family reasons, and we'll be very sad to see him go.

Hugo came to us with experience from an America's Cup team. He's a keen foil surfer, loves the outdoors and has brought a real zest for life, curiosity and passion for engineering to New Wave.

We're not looking for another Hugo.

But we would love to find someone who brings their own version of that enthusiasm, curiosity, energy and passion for engineering to our team.

Bring your own interests. Bring your own personality.

Most importantly, bring a desire to learn, solve problems and get things done.

Engineering from concept to something that actually works

If you're looking for an engineering role that goes well beyond an office-based design environment, this could be for you.

At New Wave, you'll have the opportunity to follow your work all the way through – from the first idea and calculations, through detailed design, manufacture and construction, to testing, commissioning and handover.

You'll work hands-on with interesting clients and projects throughout New Zealand and Australia, collaborating directly with our clients, our other engineers, specialist suppliers and trades partners to develop solutions that are functional, client-focused, practical and buildable.

But completing the design is only part of the job.

You'll see things you've designed being manufactured and installed. You'll work alongside the people building them. You'll participate in testing and commissioning and deal with the many issues – large and small – that inevitably arise when turning a design into a finished, working system.

And when something doesn't work as expected, you'll help work out why and make it work.

Sometimes that will involve a significant engineering challenge.

Sometimes it will be a tiny detail stopping an otherwise complex system from operating correctly.

Both matter.

Engineering is about understanding why things work

Many of the problems we encounter can be explained by science. That science is the foundation of engineering, and a disciplined, structured engineering approach is how we understand problems and develop solutions that work.

But finding the answer isn't always straightforward.

Real-world systems can be complex. Solving a problem may require you to think outside the square, challenge your initial assumptions and draw on all of your engineering knowledge as well as your practical experience.

A problem might appear to be mechanical but require you to consider hydraulics, dynamics, electrical systems, controls, instrumentation, pneumatics, structures, materials or construction. Sometimes several things are interacting at once.

We want an engineer who is curious enough to ask why, disciplined enough to follow the evidence, and practical enough to recognise what is actually happening in the real world.

That means measuring, testing, calculating and observing. It means talking to the operators and tradespeople who work with equipment every day. It means applying fundamental engineering principles while being prepared to look beyond the obvious explanation.

And occasionally, despite doing all of that, you may not be able to completely explain what you are seeing with the information available.

A good engineer needs to be comfortable with that too – to acknowledge uncertainty rather than invent an explanation, and then determine what further investigation, testing or practical action is appropriate, while keeping the core objectives in sight.

We don't expect you to know everything or to be an expert in every discipline.

We do expect you to bring engineering discipline, technical curiosity, practical knowledge and an open mind – and to work with our clients, engineers, trades partners and specialists to follow problems through until we have a practical solution.

That's a big part of what we mean when we say we're looking for an engineer who gets things done.

What might you actually work on?

There isn't really a typical day.

Depending on the project, you could find yourself working on:

• Waterslide design and rider dynamics
• Mechanical engineering and practical design
• Hydraulics, pumps, valves and water systems
• Structural and construction-related engineering
• Electrical and control systems, instrumentation and sensors
• CAD, modelling and engineering documentation
• Engineering analysis and calculations
• Testing and validation
• Manufacturing and construction support
• Installation, commissioning and handover
• Troubleshooting multidisciplinary systems
• Technical audits, inspections and condition assessments

You don't need to arrive knowing how to design a waterslide.

We can teach you that.

What matters much more is having sound engineering fundamentals and wanting to understand how and why things work.

Technical auditing – learning from the real world

An important part of the position will involve technical auditing, inspection and assessment of existing waterslides and aquatic facilities.

You'll get out on site and see equipment that has been operating in the real world – sometimes for decades.

You'll investigate its condition, understand how it is actually being operated, identify technical and safety issues, consider applicable standards and help our clients determine practical solutions.

This could involve condition assessments, safety and operational reviews, investigating incidents or technical problems, assessing remaining life, and helping clients plan, specify and implement repairs and improvements.

We see this work as an important part of becoming a better engineer.

Seeing how equipment performs after years of real-world use – including what worked, what didn't and what nobody anticipated – teaches you things that drawings and calculations alone never can.

And those lessons feed directly back into how we design the next project.

Good engineering is collaborative

We don't believe good design happens in isolation.

Our clients and operators understand their businesses and facilities. Our trades partners understand how things are manufactured, constructed, installed and maintained, and many have extensive real-world operating experience. Our engineers and specialist partners bring their own areas of technical expertise.

The best solutions come from bringing that knowledge together.

You'll be expected to listen, ask questions and collaborate with the people around you, while bringing the disciplined engineering thinking needed to turn that collective knowledge into practical solutions.

The objective isn't simply to produce technically correct drawings and calculations.

It's to deliver something that can be built, can be maintained, works for the client and performs safely and effectively in the real world.

AI and the changing world of engineering

We're actively exploring how AI, automation and digital tools can improve both engineering and the way we run our business.

An interest in – and ideally some practical experience with – using AI in engineering or business is a desirable skill.

That might involve engineering analysis, data processing, automation, technical reporting, research, knowledge management or simply finding smarter ways of doing repetitive work.

We're interested in someone who is curious about these technologies and wants to help us explore where they can genuinely add value.

We don't see AI as a substitute for engineering knowledge or judgement.

We see it as another potentially powerful tool in the engineer's toolbox – one that still requires critical thinking, checking and sound engineering judgement.

Who are we looking for?

You'll need an appropriate engineering qualification and sound engineering fundamentals.

Your particular engineering discipline is less important to us than your capability, curiosity and attitude.

Mechanical engineering could provide a particularly good foundation, but we're open to people from other engineering backgrounds who have the right skills and mindset.

You'll probably be someone who:

• Genuinely enjoys engineering and solving problems
• Is curious about how things work and why they sometimes don't
• Combines analytical thinking with practical common sense
• Enjoys getting out from behind a desk
• Has a strong view of the big picture
• Is comfortable moving between design work, a workshop and a construction site
• Likes seeing something you've designed actually being built
• Enjoys troubleshooting
• Is prepared to investigate problems outside your immediate area of expertise
• Knows when to ask for specialist help
• Communicates well with clients, engineers, operators and tradespeople
• Listens and collaborates
• Takes ownership rather than simply passing a problem on
• Doesn't mind getting your hands dirty occasionally
• Is comfortable saying “I don't know yet – but I'll work it out or ask.”
• Wants to continue learning and developing as an engineer
• Has an interest in new technology and ideally AI
• Has some zest for life outside engineering as well
• Gets things done

Small team. Interesting engineering. Real responsibility.

Being part of a small specialist company means you won't disappear into one narrow engineering role.

You'll work directly and hands-on with experienced engineers, clients, operators, tradespeople, specialist manufacturers and some of the world's leading companies in the aquatic and waterslide industry.

Our projects range from community aquatic centres and relatively simple slides through to major waterparks, complex waterslide systems and unusual one-off engineering challenges.

Our work takes us throughout New Zealand and Australia, so there will be opportunities to travel and work with different clients on a wide variety of sites and projects.

And because we stay involved through manufacture, construction, testing and commissioning, you'll get something that can sometimes be missing from an engineering career:

The satisfaction of standing back and seeing something you helped design actually working.

Ultimately, we're looking for an engineer who gets things done – someone who gets satisfaction not only from producing a good design, but from taking responsibility for seeing it through, solving the problems along the way, and delivering a finished product that works safely, reliably and effectively for our client – and creates fun for the people who use it.

Interested?

If this sounds more interesting than a conventional office-based engineering role, we'd like to hear from you.

Tell us about your engineering experience, but also tell us about something you've designed, built, fixed or figured out that you're proud of.

And tell us a little about yourself – what interests you, what gets you excited about engineering and what you enjoy doing when you're not at work.

We'd much rather understand the person behind the CV than receive another generic cover letter.

A quick note about timing: Gordon is personally looking after this recruitment and is currently away, returning on 1 October. So, if you apply and don't hear from us straight away, please don't think we're not interested – we simply may not be able to respond until after Gordon is back. Finding the right person to join our small team is important to us, and we'll be taking the time to get to know our applicants and find the right fit for both you and us. We're aiming to make an appointment in time for a late-October start, but we're equally happy to work around the successful candidate's notice period if a little more time is needed. We look forward to hearing from you.