Senior Structural Engineer — CPEng

Shade Systems is an established New Zealand designer, manufacturer and installer of commercial shade structures, tensile membrane canopies and specialist outdoor structures.

We are an ambitious, growing business with significant plans for expansion across New Zealand and international markets. We are investing in our people, products and technical capability to support that growth—and we are looking for a commercially minded Senior Structural Engineer to join our design team.

Our values are Humble, Hungry and Smart. We value people who put the team first, have the drive to make things happen, listen well, exercise sound judgement and work constructively with others.

This is an opportunity to join a practical, growth-focused team and conduct structural engineering within our in-house design environment. Your decisions will directly influence material efficiency, buildability, project cost and customer outcomes.

About the role

Reporting to the Design Team Lead, you will take responsibility for the structural engineering of supporting steelwork, connections and foundations across select New Zealand projects. Our structures combine tensioned membranes with structural steelwork, cables and foundations. Your decisions will directly influence material efficiency, buildability, project cost and customer outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Structural design and verification of steelwork, connections and foundations.
• Preparation of engineering calculations, consent documentation and PS1 Producer Statements.
• Engineering input during feasibility, estimating and tendering.
• Design optimisation focused on safety, compliance, material efficiency and buildability.
• Collaboration with design, operations, estimating, fabrication and project teams.
• Development of repeatable engineering solutions and standardised design approaches.
• Preliminary engineering support for selected international opportunities.

About you

• Current New Zealand CPEng with demonstrated structural competence relevant to steel structures and foundations.
• Strong structural steel, connection and foundation design experience.
• Sound knowledge of New Zealand structural standards and consenting requirements.
• Experience taking professional responsibility for structural designs and issuing PS1s.
• Practical and commercial judgement, with an appreciation of manufacturing and construction.
• Ability to work effectively across technical and operational teams.
• Open-minded approach and interest in developing capability in specialist tensile structures.
• Experience with tensile membrane, cable-supported, lightweight, façade, canopy or long-span structures would be advantageous but is not essential.
• Experience within a manufacturing, design-and-build or specialist-contractor environment would also be valuable.

Why Shade Systems?

This is more than an opportunity to complete engineering calculations. You will join a team with ambitious growth targets and help shape the products, systems and technical capability needed for our next stage.

You will be able to:

• Directly influence how structures are designed and built.
• Improve existing products and develop new structural solutions.
• Work closely with an experienced design and manufacturing team.
• Help develop scalable engineering systems and standard solutions.
• Contribute to projects throughout New Zealand and selected international markets.

We are open to candidates at different career stages, provided you hold current New Zealand CPEng registration and have the competence to take professional responsibility for the work.

The role may be based in Dargaville or performed remotely from elsewhere in New Zealand, subject to agreeing a suitable working arrangement.

Please apply with your CV and a brief outline of your relevant experience, current CPEng practice area, preferred working arrangement and remuneration expectations.