Principal Security Specialist

• Design and strengthen enterprise security controls across NZTA
• Apply secure-by-design guardrails and control patterns at scale
• Provide specialist expertise across critical technology platforms
• Location: Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Palmerston North or Christchurch

This is an exciting opportunity to join NZ Transport Agency | Waka Kotahi (NZTA)’s Security Platforms team, helping design, deploy and mature enterprise security controls that protect critical services and support secure digital delivery across one of New Zealand's largest and most complex technology environments.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

We're looking for an experienced security engineering specialist to join as a Principal Security Specialist within NZTA. This senior technical role is responsible for designing, deploying and continuously improving security controls within an assigned security domain while ensuring enterprise guardrails and control patterns are effectively implemented across platforms and delivery teams.

As Principal Security Specialist, you'll act as the technical and business subject matter expert for your assigned security domain, ensuring enterprise security controls are implemented, operating and demonstrably effective across platforms, products and services.

Working alongside the Manager Security Platforms, security specialists, architects and engineering teams, you'll provide expert technical guidance, contribute to enterprise security standards and support the ongoing evolution of NZTA's security control environment.

You will:

• Design, deploy and maintain enterprise security controls within an assigned domain
• Review security designs, technology selections and implementation approaches
• Apply enterprise guardrails and control patterns to platform and delivery environments
• Identify control gaps, design weaknesses and emerging security risks
• Contribute domain expertise to security standards, policies and guardrail development
• Provide expert technical guidance to engineers, delivery teams and platform owners
• Document and share security patterns, domain knowledge and engineering insights
• Apply AI-assisted security engineering and advisory tooling responsibly and effectively
• Support escalated security incidents requiring specialist platform and domain expertise
• Contribute to NZTA's incident response capability, including participation in response activities where required.

You will find out more about the role here - Position Description

Ko koe tēnei | About you

You'll be an experienced security engineering professional with deep technical expertise, strong problem-solving capability and the ability to influence security decisions through credibility and trusted advice.

You'll bring hands-on experience implementing security controls and translating complex security requirements into practical solutions that can be successfully adopted by delivery and platform teams.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Extensive experience designing, deploying and operating security controls across complex cloud, hybrid and IoT environments
• Deep expertise in one or more security domains such as cloud, application, infrastructure, network or identity security
• Strong knowledge of NZISM, Protective Security Requirements (PSR) and enterprise security frameworks
• Experience applying security standards, control patterns and guardrails within delivery environments
• The ability to identify, assess and communicate security risks to technical and business audiences
• Experience contributing to enterprise security standards, patterns and reusable security artefacts
• Practical experience with security automation, infrastructure as code and control as code approaches
• Experience using or governing AI-assisted security design or advisory tooling
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and a track record of influencing outcomes through technical expertise.

Relevant tertiary qualifications and industry certifications aligned to your specialist security domain, such as CISSP, CCSP, GIAC certifications (for example GDSA, GCSA or GCED) or major cloud provider security certifications, would be advantageous.

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain a New Zealand Government security clearance up to and including SECRET.

You will demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an understanding of, Te Ao Māori and promote tikanga and Te Reo Māori. You will also have knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an appreciation of, Te Tiriti o Waitangi as it applies in the public sector.

Mō mātou | About us

Te Aukaha | Digital provides modern, fit-for-purpose digital, information and technology solutions that support decision-making and make it easier for our people, partners and customers to work with us.

Our Security team enables NZTA to safely deliver its outcomes by reducing enterprise security risk across our people, places, information and technology.

The Security Platforms function builds and operates enterprise security control platforms, guardrails and control patterns. The team works closely with delivery squads and technology teams to ensure security controls are implemented, operating effectively and continuously improving across NZTA's digital environment.

Ka whiwhi koe i te aha | What you will get in return

This is an opportunity to influence enterprise security outcomes across a nationally significant organisation and help shape the controls, guardrails and engineering practices that protect critical services and platforms.

You'll work alongside experienced security specialists, contribute to secure digital delivery and play a key role in the evolution of NZTA's security capability.

In addition, you'll benefit from:

• Five weeks' annual leave
• Income protection and critical illness insurance for permanent employees
• Flexible working arrangements, where appropriate for the role
• Opportunities for professional development and continued learning

Ready to apply your security engineering expertise in a role with national impact? We'd love to hear from you.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

Please click Apply to upload your CV and cover letter detailing your suitability for the role.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

26 December 2026

For further information, email: [email protected]

To be considered for this position you must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Waka Kotahi is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing a working environment that embraces these values. Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Please note that we may begin shortlisting as we receive applications. We encourage early applications as we may withdraw the advertising at any time.