Assessor, Investigator

At the Civil Aviation Authority, we don’t just keep New Zealand’s skies safe and secure, we help shape the future of aviation. 

• Triage and assess a wide range of aviation occurrences and incidents
• Collaborate with aviation experts in the CAA and across the sector
• Help identify emerging safety and security risks
• Fixed term opportunity till May 2027

About the role

As an Assessor, Investigator you’ll play a critical role in supporting safe and secure skies for New Zealand. Sitting within the Triage, Assessment and Coordination team, you’ll process and assess aviation incidents, accidents and Aviation Related Concerns (ARCs), helping identify emerging safety risks and ensuring timely, high‑quality regulatory responses.

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Processing and assessing aviation incidents, accidents, and ARCs in line with legislative and policy requirements and business processes
• Understanding the aviation content in the reports and seeking subject matter expertise to inform triage assessments as required
• Escalating high-priority reports and referring matters to operational units where appropriate
• Collaborating with team members to ensure robust assessments
• Engaging with participants in the aviation sector to obtain additional information or provide feedback
• Maintaining accurate records and documentation for all actions and decisions
• Providing regular updates to manager on risks and trends
• Contributing to the continuous improvement of triage processes

The salary band for this role is $115,536 to $141,751. Starting salaries are based on knowledge, skills and experience the successful candidate brings to the role, as well as internal relativities.

What You’ll Bring

If you’re an experienced aviation professional or regulator who thrives in complex environments and is motivated by public safety outcomes, this could be the role for you.

To succeed in this role, you’ll demonstrate:

• Experience conducting initial assessments within a regulatory, compliance or investigative environment
• Strong knowledge of, or ability to interpret and apply, New Zealand legislation (particularly in safety‑critical settings)
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking and problem‑solving skills
• High attention to detail and the ability to interpret technical and legal information
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to engage confidently with a wide range of stakeholders
• Sound judgement and resilience when handling sensitive or challenging material
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work to tight timeframes
• Experience in aviation is strongly preferred.

For more information on the role please view the position description.

About us

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is New Zealand’s aviation safety and security regulator. We play a critical role in protecting the travelling public, supporting the aviation sector, and strengthening New Zealand’s international reputation.

Our vision is simple and powerful: A safe and secure aviation system – so people are safe, and feel safe when they fly.

Our values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Transparency, and Collaboration guide everything we do. We’re committed to diversity, inclusion, and creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute.

Why Join Us?

• 5 weeks annual leave, with an additional 2 days after five years of continuous service
• Sick leave entitlements from day 1 and ten days Domestic leave annually
• Matching KiwiSaver contributions up to 4%
• Flu Vaccinations
• Employee Assistance Programme

Ready to Apply?

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submitting your CV and cover letter. Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the skills required for this role.

We want to ensure accessibility needs are well supported, so the recruitment process is fair and equitable for all. Please let us know if there is any support we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is fully accessible to you.

If you have any questions about the role or application process, please contact the Recruitment team at recruitment@caa.govt.nz

Applications close: Sunday 3 May 2026.

Please be aware that we may start shortlisting as applications come in. We encourage early applications, as the advertisement may close sooner than stated.