Walk on Walk off Engine room wiper | painter

Published: 06/05/2026
Job Location: Wellington / New Zealand
Engine Room Wiper / Painter (Fixed Term – 6 to 12 Months)
Location: Onboard Bluebridge vessels | StraitNZ (Wellington-based)

Looking to get your hands dirty (in a good way) and be part of a tight, hardworking crew keeping ships moving across Cook Strait?

We’re after a practical, motivated Wiper/Painter to join the engine room team onboard our Bluebridge ferries. This is a fixed-term role (6–12 months), ideal if you want real marine experience, steady work, and a foot in the door of the maritime industry.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll be part of the engine room team, supporting day-to-day operations and helping keep everything clean, safe, and running smoothly.

Cleaning machinery spaces and assisting engineers with basic tasks
Surface prep and painting (steelwork, bilges, machinery areas)
General maintenance support and housekeeping
Spotting leaks, wear, and anything that doesn’t look right
Helping maintain a safe and tidy engine room
What we’re looking for

No fluff here. You’re someone who shows up, gets stuck in, and takes pride in doing the job properly.

Physically fit and comfortable working in a hands-on environment
Good attitude and willingness to learn
Reliable and able to work as part of a team
Basic mechanical understanding is a bonus (but not essential)
Maritime experience is required

Mandatory requirements

To be considered for this role, you must have:

Current valid STCW certificates
A valid maritime medical
Be able to work in New Zealand

This is a walk-on, walk-off role. Ideally, you must live within approximately 30 minutes of Wellington CBD to ensure safe attendance for rostered shifts.

Roster
1 week on / 1 week off rotation
During your week on, you’ll be fully engaged onboard supporting operations

What you’ll get:
Real experience onboard working vessels
Exposure to marine engineering and operations
A supportive crew who will teach you the ropes
A solid stepping stone if you’re looking to build a maritime career

Keen to jump onboard?

Send us a short CV and a few lines about yourself. No need for a novel — just tell us why you’re keen and what you bring.
How to Apply:
Fill out the application form below.
Click green button - Apply Now - to submit application.
If the green button says - Continue Application Next Page - please ensure you complete the form on the next screen to complete your application.

Important:
Double check your email is entered correctly.
Application updates are sent from Chilli Factor recruitment software.
Please check your inbox (and junkmail) for application updates.
Recruitment team may text message your mobile number to update you on your job application. Text response to us costs your normal text price. Option to use Txt Free Reply.
About Us

Welcome to StraitNZ's job board! We are a group of companies made up of StraitNZ Freight Forwarding, Linehaul and Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries.

StraitNZ is a unique, nationwide end-to-end transport service connecting New Zealand across both road and sea. Our fleet of two ships and over 200 trucks are supported by a nationwide network of depots and agents and a 450+ strong team to deliver hundreds of thousands of tonnes of freight throughout the country and carry thousands of passengers across the Cook Strait every week.

If you would like to get in contact with us, feel free to email us at askhr@straitnz.co.nz

Contact

Website:
www.straitnz.co.nz

Address:
Multiple sites throughout NZ, refer to our website.,

Postal:

Phone: