Maintenance Engineer

A fantastic opportunity has presented itself for a trade-qualified Maintenance Engineer to join our leading and growing organisation and group. This is a hands-on role working with high-speed plant and complex processing equipment in our large, well-resourced dairy manufacturing site. 

A bit about the role: 

Reporting to the Mechanical Maintenance Manager, you will be part of the Maintenance & Services team responsible for keeping our high-speed Processing lines & powder processing plant running safely, reliably, and efficiently. This is a practical, on-the-tools role focused on preventative maintenance, breakdown response, and ongoing improvement of plant and equipment across site. 

You will work closely with both Mechanical and Electrical teams, as well as production, to ensure asset care standards are met and downtime is minimised. The role also involves working with contractors, contributing to maintenance planning, and ensuring all work meets Oceania Dairy’s safety, quality, and food compliance standards. 

Key responsibilities include: 

*Carrying out preventative maintenance and breakdown repairs on high-speed production and processing equipment *Fault finding and repairing mechanical systems to minimise downtime and maintain production continuity *Ensuring all maintenance work is completed safely, efficiently, and to a high standard *Supporting maintenance planning and continuous improvement initiatives *Monitoring plant condition and identifying reliability and asset care improvements  *Working effectively with contractors and service providers when required  *Completing maintenance records and documentation in line with site systems and procedures  *Complying with all health & safety, food safety, quality, and environmental requirements 

A bit about you: 

You are a trade-qualified Mechanical Engineer with hands-on experience in a manufacturing or processing environment, ideally within food or dairy. You are practical, safety-focused, and take pride in doing the job right the first time. You work well as part of a team, communicate clearly, and are comfortable managing a varied workload in a fast-paced environment. You are reliable, motivated, and committed to maintaining high standards of workmanship and asset care. 

Who are we? 

Oceania Dairy (ODL) is a dairy manufacturing plant located in Glenavy, South Canterbury, with a diverse workforce of 400 staff, who specialise in the creation of Milk Powder (adult and infant formula) and UHT milk. Owned by the Global Top 5 dairy company Yili Group, Westland Milk Products and its related companies in New Zealand, Oceania Dairy (Glenavy), Pure Nutrition Ltd (Rolleston), Canary Foods (Hamilton) and EasiYo Ltd (Auckland) form a group that we refer to as the Yili Oceania Business Division (YOBD). The combined business produces over 170,000mt of finished goods which are then exported to over 40 countries, driving annual revenue in excess of $1.3B – and growing. Our family thrives on a sense of unity and collective success and through focusing on innovation, quality and our diversity, we can successfully contribute to maintaining Yili's title of Asia’s leading dairy product provider. 

Why choose Oceania Dairy? 

*State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities *Competitive salary *Free employee bus from Timaru and Oamaru to site *Southern Cross Health Insurance. *Life + Trauma Insurance. *On-site gym, annual health checks, and on-site physiotherapy *Long-service leave and enhanced parental leave coverage *Employee Assistance Program *Free parking *Strong safety-first culture *Values-led organisation committed to training and development *Subsidised butter!!! 

Why wait – apply now? 

Please submit your application through our careers page at Search Jobs - Oceania Dairy.

Applications close on Tuesday 5th May. Please note that this advertisement may close earlier than the listed closing date if a suitable candidate is identified. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be conducted prior to the closing date. 

Applicants must have valid work rights in New Zealand to be considered.