30 September 2026

Fitter Welder/General Engineer

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About The Role

Anyone can swap a part. We want someone who can build one, and keep our gear running while they’re at it.

As a Fitter Welder / General Engineer in our Agricultural Workshop in Gisborne, you’ll spend real time at the fabrication bench, building custom brackets, guards, frames and attachments from raw steel, alongside new builds and modifications to a high standard.

You’ll also be a first responder when things go wrong. When a tractor, implement, trailer or piece of workshop equipment breaks down, you’ll get in, diagnose it, and get it back to safe working order with minimal fuss, because every hour of downtime costs the farm. And you’ll help stay ahead of the next breakdown too, scheduled servicing, preventative maintenance and pre-season checks that catch wear, damage and safety issues before they become a bigger problem.

No two days look the same, and that’s exactly the point. One day you’re building something from a sketch, the next you’re elbow-deep in a hydraulic fault with the clock ticking.

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About You

You’ve probably built something you’re proud of, and you want to keep doing that here. But you’re just as comfortable being the person everyone calls when something breaks down mid-harvest. You’re handy with MIG, TIG and arc welding across steel, iron and other metals, confident reading a technical drawing, and quick to spot what’s actually wrong with a machine, not just the symptom.

You’ll have worked in an engineering, mechanical or agricultural workshop before, and you’re used to switching between building something new and keeping older gear going, often in the same day.

To be successful in this role, you’ll have:

  • AA trade certificate in engineering, fabrication, fitting and welding, or equivalent hands-on experience
  • Real fabrication experience: building parts, attachments or equipment from raw materials and drawings, not just repairing them
  • Practical experience with breakdown repairs and planned maintenance on farm machinery, tractors, implements or similar equipment
  • Strong MIG, TIG and arc welding skills
  • The ability to read and interpret technical drawings and measurements
  • Good mechanical aptitude and fault-finding skills
  • A commitment to working safely and to a high standard of workmanship
  • A current Class 1 driver’s licence
  • Flexibility to support seasonal demands and occasional weekend or on-call work

If your idea of a good day includes turning a pile of steel into something that works and getting a breakdown sorted before smoko, we want to hear from you.

About LeaderBrand

At LeaderBrand, we’re passionate about evolving fresh food for a healthier world. As a proud family-owned business, our goal is to be New Zealand’s most innovative and consistent fresh food producer. We farm across three key growing regions, process and pack in state-of-the-art post-harvest facilities, and are supported by a nationwide sales team delivering fresh produce to every corner of Aotearoa. Our 400+ people are central to our success. We’re always on the lookout for new talent with energy, passion, and a drive to learn – people excited to help shape the future of fresh food.

Gisborne is the heart of our business and the place where LeaderBrand was founded more than 50 years ago. Over that time, LeaderBrand has become integral to the story of our community, with the next generations of those who started with us returning to shape the future alongside us. We also have farms in Pukekohe and Chertsey.

We have a strong vision for the future of our business, our people, and our industry. We’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Our continuous improvement mindset grounds us as one of New Zealand’s leading horticultural businesses. We seek, harness, and develop the best people, technology, land, and machinery to shape the future of food.