DOC’s (Department of Conservation) vision is for New Zealand to be the greatest living space on Earth – Kāore he wāhi i tua atu i a Aotearoa, hei wahi noho i te ao. This vision means ensuring that New Zealanders gain a wide range of benefits from healthy functioning ecosystems, recreation opportunities, and through living DOC’s history.

To do this, DOC organise their work around five outcomes:

• the diversity of our natural heritage is maintained and restored
• our history is protected and brought to life
• more people participate in recreation
• more people engage with conservation and value its benefits
• conservation gains from more business partnerships

The BLAKE DOC Ambassador programme started in January 2015 and provides an annual opportunity for young scientists and conservationists to work on conservation projects in New Zealand.

DOC partners with other organisations to manage New Zealand’s conservation through habitat protection and restoration programmes, biodiversity inventory and monitoring research projects.

The 2025/26 programme allows three young New Zealanders to be part of three BLAKE DOC Ambassador conservation programmes: the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust in Dunedin and the Catlins, the New Zealand Southern Dotterel Recovery on Rakiura, and the Kākāpō Supplementay Feedout Programme on Whenua Hou.

Further information about the 2025/2026 programmes are outlined below.

BLAKE DOC Ambassador – Coastal Species Ambassador, Dunedin and the Catlins
One position available – Student must be based in Dunedin/have their own accommodation in Dunedin
March 2026

The role will work alongside Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers with a focus on hoiho/ yellow-eyed penguin monitoring and management. There may be opportunities to work alongside other organisations to deliver hoiho conservation.

The focus of the hoiho program throughout March is to monitor and protect moulting penguins. You will require a high level of fitness and a willingness to roll your sleeves up and search for penguins in difficult coastal terrain amongst thick vegetation. There is an expectation to work in all weather conditions. Other tasks could include predator control, habitat management and advocacy at wildlife hotspots.

The role will be based in Dunedin with most work taking place on the Otago Peninsula. However, there will be a chance to experience the same work in the Catlins as daytrips or overnight trips.

BLAKE DOC Ambassador – Southern New Zealand Dotterel Recovery Programme, Rakiura/Stewart Island
One position available
January 2026

The Southern New Zealand Dotterel Recovery Programme has an opportunity for a BLAKE Ambassador to join the field team in January 2026 to take part in frontline conservation work to protect the critically endangered southern New Zealand dotterel. Predation by feral cats at nesting sites is the main reason that these birds are in decline.

The work to protect the dotterels mainly consists of servicing a network of traps in the remote backcountry of Rakiura / Stewart Island. There may also be the chance to assist with the monitoring of nesting dotterels, and to contribute vital dotterel sightings to a monitoring database. This presents a fantastic opportunity for the right person to gain in-depth knowledge of back-country predator control methods and learn about the management of a critically endangered species in situ.

Key Learnings: Predator (feral cat) control methods; insight into management of a critically endangered species; chance to spend time in a remote and unique part of Rakiura and learn from members of the dotterel field team.

Fitness/Skills required: High level of fitness (crucial). Experience spending time in remote backcountry areas e.g. tramping/hunting (desirable). Familiarity with using a GPS/navigation app (desirable). Trapping experience, capable of trapping feral cats (desirable).

BLAKE DOC Ambassador – Kākāpō Recovery Programme – Supplementary Feed-out, Whenua Hou
One position available
2-weeks – Exact dates TBC but will be between Nov 2025-Feb 2026

The supplementary feeding programme (generally referred to as ‘feedout’) is one of the ways we support a kākāpō breeding season. Kākāpō receive supplementary food to maximize their chances of breeding success.

You will play an important role in the supplementary feeding programme by assisting staff on the islands with the delivery of the supplementary food to kākāpō. This involves preparing food for the birds before walking set routes around the islands on steep, muddy terrain to visit each feeding station. At each site, you will clean the feeding station, download data, and refill the hopper with fresh food. Volunteers may also be asked to help with other activities and are expected to assist with chores around the hut and islands. Please also be aware that there is no guarantee that you will actually get to see a kākāpō in the flesh whilst volunteering.

All volunteers need to be good team-workers, flexible and hard-working, and comfortable living with other volunteers and staff in basic conditions.

Fitness/Skills required: Very High. You must be able to walk up steep hills and over muddy tracks carrying a heavy pack (up to 15-20kg), for approximately 8 hours a day. Some days may be hut-based, depending on the feeding schedule.

Important information: There is a $300 contribution fee required by DOC for the successful applicant to help contribute towards food and transfers to Whenua Hou from the mainland.