Pūkenga/Pūkenga Matua | Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science - Wellington
Are you motivated to solve challenges in Environmental Science and teach in ways that engage and inspire students?
Do you have experience conducting interdisciplinary research projects in environmental science?
Do you have a PhD in Environmental Science and experience in community-based research?
Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Pūkenga/Pūkenga Matua | Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science to join Te Kura Tātai Aro Whenua - School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences on a permanent, full-time contract.
We are seeking applicants with a strong background in Environmental Science and strengths in community-grounded work, environmental monitoring, and sustainable land management. We are especially interested in applicants who bring experience working with Māori partners and/or other Indigenous communities. Areas we are seeking to strengthen across the School include remote sensing and environmental modelling; experience connecting environmental science to policy and environmental law would be an advantage.
You will join a collegial School whose teaching and research run from social justice to geophysics, where staff are used to working across those disciplinary boundaries rather than in silos. We are looking for someone to develop a research programme that builds on these strengths and to contribute to teaching across our undergraduate and postgraduate Environmental Science programmes and the Bachelor of Environment and Society. Our teaching is research-led, our academics teach from their own research and the questions the field is grappling with.
The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to honouring the University’s obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and be interested in growing relationships with iwi. They will have familiarity, or possess the desire to become familiar, with tikanga, mātauranga Māori and data sovereignty in relation to environmental science. We value candidates who have established, or aim to develop, cross-disciplinary collaborations that incorporate our unique place in Aotearoa and the Pacific.
Key responsibilities:
Deliver and coordinate undergraduate and postgraduate Environmental Science courses through research-led, field-based, and community-engaged teaching.
Build or grow a research programme, including community-based science that produces knowledge with and for the communities it serves, attract external funding, supervise postgraduate students, and share your findings with academic and public audiences.
Grow and sustain relationships with iwi and community and uphold the University’s obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in your teaching, research and service.
Contribute to the strategic goals of Te Kura Tātai Aro Whenua, the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, including improving the student experience and the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students.
Contribute to service and leadership within the School, Faculty, University and wider profession.
Ō pūmanawa - About you
You are motivated to solve Environmental Science challenges, drawing from a large toolkit.
Key requirements:
A PhD in Environmental Science or a related field.
A track record of published research or impactful professional practice.
The ability to teach in ways that engage and inspire students.
Experience building and sustaining relationships with iwi, hapū, and communities, and with partners such as government or industry.
The ability or demonstrated potential to attract research funding and lead research projects.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and with academic, technical, and professional colleagues.
You don’t need all of the following; we're interested in the mix of the skills you bring such as:
Expertise in remote sensing or environmental modelling.
Experience with community-based research.
Experience connecting environmental science to policy or environmental law.
For appointment at the Pūkenga Matua - Senior Lecturer level, experience in teaching, research, and engagement commensurate with the role will be required.
Role Description: If the below links are not available, click 'apply' to view this on the University careers page.
Pūkenga - Lecturer Role Description - Click here to see further information, including salary.
Pūkenga Matua - Senior Lecturer - Click here to see further information, including salary.
Close date for vacancy: 08 July 2026.
Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role, please get in touch with Anne Gold (anne.gold@vuw.ac.nz).
How to apply: Please ensure you are applying for this role directly on our careers page and not via email. Candidates must submit supporting documents along with their resume, such as a cover letter.
Applicants who do not have residency or citizenship and require a visa to work at the University must clearly indicate their visa status in their application and understand that if they do not have a current, relevant visa, they will need to secure this independently.
We can only consider applicants who are citizens or residents of New Zealand or Australia or on a current working visa. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we may progress with suitable applicants prior to the application closing date. Applications from recruitment agencies are not accepted.
Mō Te Herenga Waka - About Our University
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is renowned for its high-quality research and exceptional teaching. We attract people from around the world. Our university campus spans Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington - the creative, scientific and political centre of Aotearoa New Zealand - and our students thrive on the connections we have made here.
Explore the many benefits of working at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Find out where you fit in our strategic direction and learn more about our research expertise.
Ētahi kōrero hai āwhina i a koe - Why you should join our team
Discover Te Kura Tātai Aro Whenua - School of Geography, Environment & Earth Sciences, where critical global issues are tackled through innovative research and teaching. Home to the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute, our school offers collaboration with leading experts. Contribute to groundbreaking discoveries in a dynamic and supportive environment!
