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Jobs in Dunedin & Otago
New Zealand's second largest region offers a remarkable range of full time and seasonal work opportunities.
Looking for more general employment information?
With five distinct geographic areas, Otago offers employment opportunities across a wider range than perhaps any other area in New Zealand.
Dunedin and Otago University are one of the country's premier education centres. Central Otago has stone fruit, dairy, beef and annual crops, and some of New Zealand's most iconic wineries - and some of our most famous scenery and ski fields.
Home to an estimated 4.7 per cent of the national population, Otago provided 5.1 per cent of national employment and 4.4 per cent of national GDP (year ended June 2018).
[Source: Statistics New Zealand data, 2018].
Seasonal work in Otago and Central Otago
Ski lift work in Queenstown (C) NZ Ski
A highly seasonal activity calendar with both winter and summer peaks means a wide choice of seasonal work in this region.
The Otago region's stunning landscape creates a huge range of seasonal employment opportunities, from traditional pastoral farming to the adventure, snow, summer and scenic tourism experiences the region is famous for.
Travellers on a Working Holiday visa can move easily from summer to winter work, with the ability to travel and return multiple times.
Activity in the region is split between the more farming focused Otago plains and the tourism-dominated central lakes region.
Central Otago seasonal work calendar
| When | What | Jobs | Find jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr - Oct | Winter Snow Sports Staff | 150 - 1,800 | Backpacker board , NZ Ski, Cardrona & Treble Cone |
| Year round | Hospitality Staff (Hotels, F&B, Baristas, Chefs, Vineyard staff, etc)) | 5,000+ | Seek, TradeMe Jobs, Backpacker board |
| Year round | Casual Event Staff | 100 | Seek, TradeMe Jobs, Backpacker board |
| Year round | Accommodation Staff | 500 | Seek, TradeMe Jobs, Backpacker board |
| Jun - Sep | Vineyard Pruning | 250 - 500 | Pick NZ |
| Dec | Vineyard tucking/wire | 500 | Pick NZ |
| Dec - Feb | Vineyard Tucking, Wires, Canopy Management, Leaf Plucking / Thinning / Nets | 500 | Pick NZ |
| Mar - Sep | Vine Harvest / Maintenance Worker | 1,000 | Pick NZ, BackpackerBoard |
| Mar - May | Grape Picking and Nets | 1,000 - 500 | Pick NZ |
| Aug - Apr | Milk harvesting | 5,000+ | NZ Farm source , GoDairy |
| Aug - Oct | Dairy/beef farm assistant | 5,000 | NZ Farm source |
| Aug - Nov | Cherry Tree Planting / Pruning / Canopy Management | 300 - 400 | Pick NZ |
| Dec - Feb | Cherry Picking & Packing | 5,250 - 1,000 | Pick NZ |
| Apr - Jun | Cherry Tree Pruning | 400 | Pick NZ |
| Oct - Mar | Tourism Summer Activity Staff (Outdoor Guides, Biking, Attractions) | 1,000+ | Seek, TradeMe Jobs, Backpacker board, Lakes Weekly Bulletin |
| Oct - Mar | Tourism Boat Crew & Watersports | 150+ | Seek, TradeMe Jobs, Backpacker board, Lakes Weekly Bulletin |
| Aug - Sep | Apple Pruning | 250 | Pick NZ |
| Nov - Jan | Apple Thinning | 400 - 650 | Pick NZ |
| Dec | Apples - harvesting | 500 | Pick NZ |
| Feb - Apr | Apple Picking & Packing | 350 - 800 | Pick NZ |
| May - Jul | Apple Picking / Packing / Pruning | 800 - 400 | Pick NZ |
| Dec | Blueberry harvest & pack | 100 | Pick NZ |
| Dec - Mar | Blueberry Picking & Packing | 100 | Pick NZ |
| Oct - Dec | Stonefruit Thinning | 400 - 650 | Pick NZ |
| Jan - Mar | Stonefruit Picking & Packing | 1,500 - 1,000 | Pick NZ |
| May - Sep | Stonefruit Pruning & Planting | 400 - 250 | Pick NZ |
| Year round | Meatworks – processing | 3,000 | Meat Your Career |
Otago seasonal work calendar
| When | What | Jobs | Find jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr - May | Crutching | 350 | NZ Shearing |
| Jun - Aug | Pre-lamb | 175 | NZ Shearing |
| Nov - Mar | High Country Fencing | 25 | Trademe Jobs |
| Jul - Nov | Fine wool & Crossbred Shear | 300 - 175 | NZ Shearing |
| Dec - Mar | Crossbred main shear | 800 | NZ Shearing |
| Nov | Sheep -shearing hands | 200 | NZ Shearing |
| Dec | Sheep -shearing hands | 500 | NZ Shearing |
| Mar - May | Calf Rearer/Autmn Calving | 50 | NZ Farm Source |
|
Aug - Oct |
Calf Rearer | 425 | NZ Farm Source |
| Nov | Dairy – Calf rearing | 450 | NZ Farm Source |
| Nov - Feb | Milk Harvester | 100 | NZ Farm Source |
| Dec | Milk Harvesting | 450 | NZ Farm Source |
| Sep - May | Meat Processing (East Otago) | 850 - 2,000 | Silverfern Farms |
| Dec | Meatworks – processing | 2,500 | Meat Your Career |
| Sep -May | Arable Machinery Operators | 180 - 270 | Hanzon Jobs |
| Nov | Grain Harvests | 350 | Trade Me Jobs |
| Dec | Grain Harvests | 450 | Trade Me Jobs |
| Mar - Sep | Vine Harvest / Maintenance Worker | 500 | Pick NZ, BackpackerBoard |
| May - Sep | Forestry Tree Planting | 40 | forestrycareers.nz |
Job vacancies in the Otago region
Trade Me Jobs - lists a large number of jobs in Otago.
Seek - New Zealand's largest general job website.
Work and Income - jobs available in Otago for Job Seekers.
careers.govt.nz - lists recruitment companies in New Zealand.
Newspapers
Most local newspapers publish jobs available in the area in the Situations Vacant column.
Job search help
Tips for recent migrants | careers.govt.nz - a free service to assist with your job search and prepare you for employment in the local labour market.
Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) - a government department helping to find employment for residents or those with a valid work permit.
Business networking organisations
Dunedin Business Support - the economic development agency for the Dunedin City Council.
Otago Chamber of Commerce - supports local businesses by offering advice, consultancy, training and networking opportunities.
Queenstown Chamber of Commerce - the local chamber of commerce supporting Queenstown businesses and employers.
Venus Network- a business network for women
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to gain work experience, meet new people, learn about your community, and improve your English skills.
Volunteering Otago and Volunteering Central match volunteers looking for volunteering roles with organisations looking for specific skills.