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

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
For seasonal work in other Otago areas see the 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.

Otago Daily Times

Wanaka Sun

The News (Central Otago)

Mountain Scene

The Lakes Weekly Bulletin

Fiordland Advocate

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.

Volunteering Otago

Volunteering Central

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