Matt (Engineering Geologist)

Since graduating from the University of Canterbury in 2004 with an engineering Geology degree I have enjoyed a varied and busy working life. Previous jobs have included a stint in Canada as a coal exploration geologist, working in both a consulting and mining environment back in NZ before spending 2 years working for a ground investigations contractor in Ireland.

Since joining Damwatch in 2010 I have been surprised and impressed by the diversity of projects on offer. I have been involved in investigations, design and construction aspects of new and existing dams, canals and irrigation projects, monitoring and surveillance of wind farms and dams and have even undertaken a geotechnical investigation into a proposed solar energy farm in Tonga.

Damwatch is a great place to learn the ropes of this niche industry, offering a real commitment to my professional development and training. Colleagues at Damwatch are always willing to share the vast amount of skills and experiences they have and with a relaxed and friendly office, Damwatch provides a great working environment.

 

Katarina (Civil Engineer)

Prior to coming to NZ from Slovakia I worked on a variety of civil engineering projects including rail, bridge, roading infrastructure, and commercial property and services.

Damwatch is a very special company, offering me so much help to settle in as a new member of the team. After graduating with an ME specialising in Concrete Structures and Bridges I worked for 4 years in Ireland for various engineering consultancies. It was so different from where I am now. Here at Damwatch the relaxed and almost family atmosphere is a more enjoyable place to work and breaks down barriers between people. I’m lucky to be part of the team because everyone is willing to listen. I’m surrounded by a bunch of great experienced engineers, which allows me to learn from their knowledge and experiences.

What impressed me most about Damwatch is that it does not matter what accent I have, they value my differences.

 

Brian (Principal Geotechnical Engineer)

Before joining Damwatch I did a range of interesting engineering work that began in the USA, including exploration of the arctic seafloor to found bottom-supported drilling structures and subsea pipelines subject to extreme conditions. As a partner in an engineering consultancy I established overseas operations in Siberia and Eurasia and provided multidisciplinary civil support for energy exploration and development on mega-projects, before moving south from Alaska to work on dams and levees on the west coast of the USA.

After 25 years as an engineer, my work at Damwatch challenges me on nearly a daily basis. I could not be more pleased with my decision to be part of Damwatch.

At Damwatch we do challenging and exciting technical work most engineers only read about in textbooks. And it’s not just dams. Rivers, water resources, and alternative energy are also part of our expertise. But my work at Damwatch offers much more than technical stimulation. I work with diverse teams to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. I manage projects and clients, lead project teams and develop presentations.

Damwatch has a supportive, interactive team culture that promotes career development. Our staff has a world class depth of knowledge and experience to draw upon. Damwatch’s commitment to training and producing technical publications is unprecedented in my experience. I’m very impressed how employees are given broad responsibilities and encouraged to try new things.

 

Nigel (Damwatch Associate)

At Damwatch, I'm engaged in the safety, design, remediation and, occasionally, decommissioning of dams - one of the potentially most dangerous structures built by mankind.

I enjoy being a senior member of the Damwatch team, which has a “best for project” culture, appropriate for achieving world class dam engineering solutions.