Customer Experience AI Specialist

Be the AI Wizard Behind DOC's Conservation Heroes.
Protect nature; Empower our people. Powered by ridiculously clever technology.
Permanent role; flexible location.
Our vision: Nature is thriving in Aotearoa | Te Oranga o te Ao Turoa
The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) serves to protect and restore nature across Aotearoa. When nature thrives, we all thrive.

Ko ta Te Papa Atawhai he tiaki, he whakarauora ano hoki i te taiao puta noa i Aotearoa. He oranga taiao, he oranga tangata.

Mo te turanga | About the role
While our rangers rescue kiwi chicks and biodiversity teams track kakapo, there's a behind-the-scenes hero role that makes it all work better. (Spoiler: it could be you!)

Picture this: A ranger in Fiordland needs urgent IT help. A biodiversity officer in Northland needs equipment like, yesterday. Someone in Wellington has a payroll question at 4:55pm on a Friday. Right now, these requests go to our Help Desk. Tomorrow? They could go to intelligent AI systems that YOU build.

You'll transform how our 3000+ kaimahi get support by creating tech that's so smooth, so intuitive, so ridiculously helpful that staff might actually enjoy asking for help.

What You'll Actually Do:

Be our AWS Connect and AI guru, working with digital and service teams to make magic happen.
Build conversational interfaces using Amazon Lex that feel like chatting with a helpful colleague, not interrogating a robot.
Create smart automation for everyday stuff so our support humans can tackle gnarly problems.
Design intelligent routing that connects people to the right team without phone-tag runaround.
Use sentiment analysis to spot frustration and adjust accordingly
Build self-service tools that work for field staff on dodgy wifi AND office crew on fibre.
Click here for the Role Description

Nga pukenga me nga wheako | Skills and experience

Our dream candidate will look like;

Has serious AWS Connect chops (you should geek out about it)
Speaks fluent AI - Amazon Lex, machine learning, conversational design
Designs for humans first, technology second
Loves the "aha!" moment when someone figures out your tool without instructions
Thrives on variety - supporting rangers in remote huts and accountants in Wellington
Has a continuous improvement mindset - happy to experiment, iterate, and pivot when needed
Bonus points for ServiceNow knowledge, but we care way more about your AWS Connect and AI skills.
He aha nga painga mou? | What's in it for you?
DOC is working towards being diverse, equitable and inclusive by default. We support flexible work arrangements and offer great benefits.

Here's the thing: field work is hard. If our people are stuck waiting on hold or can't find answers, that's time they're not spending on conservation. That's where you come in.

You'll absolutely Love this role if you:

Get a kick out of watching tech make people's day easier.
Think "AI for good" is genuinely exciting, not just a buzzword.
Want your code to indirectly help save species (how cool is that?).
Prefer working WITH people rather than hiding from them.
Want to be ahead of the curve with AI.
Appreciate supporting people from Stewart Island to the Kermadecs.
Tonoa inaianei | Apply now
Apply online with a CV and cover letter highlighting your relevant skills, experience and motivation for joining Te Papa Atawhai. Bonus points if you can make us smile while explaining why you're perfect for this.

P.S. If you're thinking "this sounds fun but I don't tick ALL the boxes" - apply anyway. We'd rather talk to interesting people who are keen than perfect-on-paper candidates who are meh about the role.

Due to high volume, we can't accept direct/emailed applications or provide feedback to those not shortlisted. If you need accommodations during recruitment, let us know.

Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory. We are not engaging with recruitment agencies for this role.

Ra whakakapi | Applications close at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 25 February 2026.
We may close early based on applications received, so apply ASAP.

Me he patai ano, whakapa mai | For further enquiries, please contact Aaron Evans at aaron.evans@doc.govt.nz.