ATS Safety Consultant (Independent Contractor)

About Airways:
Our people manage New Zealand's 30 million square kms of airspace, providing air traffic control, surveillance, communication, flight inspection, mapping, and airspace design services. We work with government, regulatory authorities, airlines, airports, and the general aviation community to ensure pilots, passengers and goods reach their destination - safely. At Airways, our values underpin all that we do. We value Safety, One Airways, Excellence and Success in all that we do.

Our organisation is made up of operational business groups that are supported by governance and corporate services functions. To learn more about our people and organisational structure, check out www.airways.co.nz/about.

About the Role:
We have a contract engagement available for an experienced Safety Consultant (independent contractor) to join us at Airways NZ. We have a preference for Christchurch based but are flexible on the role being fulfilled remotely within New Zealand, noting that we have offices at Auckland (airport) or Christchurch (Burnside) offices.

As a Safety Consultant, you will lead the development and regulatory engagement required to achieve Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) acceptance of the Milford Remote Aerodrome Flight Information Service (R-AFIS) Safety Case.

You will provide specialist safety expertise throughout the design and assurance process, taking ownership of the Safety Case development, presentation, and engagement with the CAA. This includes ensuring the Safety Case is robust, complete, and defensible; aligned with applicable regulatory requirements and industry best practice; and demonstrates effective identification and mitigation of safety risks to support CAA acceptance.

While the Milford R-AFIS Safety Case is the primary focus of the role, the successful consultant may also be required to undertake other ATS Safety assignments from time to time, aligned with their skills and experience, to support additional Airways projects. These activities will be managed and prioritised to ensure delivery of the Milford R-AFIS Safety Case, and associated regulatory commitments remain the overriding priority.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

• Lead development of Design and Operational Safety Cases (CAA-ready)
• Develop and maintain Goal Structured Notation (GSN)
• Conduct and review safety analyses (FHA, SHA, SSHA, OSHA)
• Maintain hazard registers and traceability to mitigations and evidence
• Prepare residual risk acceptance packs and ALARP arguments
• Support CAA engagement, reviews, and regulatory submissions
• Integrate Human Factors, Security, and WHS into safety assessments
• Review vendor and supplier safety artefacts.

About You:
Due to the nature of the engagement, you’ll be an independent contractor who is comfortable working in a complex, regulated environment. You will also hold exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.

Additionally, you will hold:

• Relevant tertiary qualification
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in safety-critical change and risk management
• Proven experience developing aviation (or similar) Safety Cases in regulated environments
• Strong practical experience with FHA, SHA, SSHA, OSHA, and HFA
• Demonstrated capability in GSN and safety argument structuring
• Experience supporting regulatory approval (CAA or equivalent)
• Strong written communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
  

Desirable:

• Experience with AFIS, ATM, remote or digital aviation operations
• Familiarity with ICAO, EASA, CASA or similar standards.
  

What’s on offer:

• Senior contract role on a nationally significant aviation programme
• Competitive market-aligned hourly rates (commensurate with experience).
  

To Apply:
If you’re an independent contractor with a safety-led mindset, are quality focused and enjoy interacting with a wide variety of stakeholders, please submit your application (CV and cover letter) via the Airways careers site or Seek.

Please note that you must be legally eligible to work in New Zealand to be considered.

This role will require the successful candidate to undergo pre-employment background checks including but not limited to references, drug and alcohol screening and criminal conviction.

Application closing date is Monday, 16 February 2026.