Graduate Development Programme (Feb 2026)

Pre-Register now to join the award-winning Contact Energy Graduate Development Programme in 2026.

Applications officially open April 2025

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

At Contact, we believe in creating opportunities for the next generation to help us in leading the decarbonisation of Aotearoa. Our Graduate Programmes is designed to provide you with meaningful experience, mentorship from industry experts, and opportunities to work on impactful projects that will help create a renewable energy future for Aotearoa. You will work with passionate members of the Contact Energy team who are excited to share their knowledge of the energy industry with you, we can guarantee no two days will be the same!

Our Graduate Programme commences in February 2026 and is an 18-month rotational programme. Graduates will complete various rotations across areas of the business unit they’ll be working in. At the conclusion of the programme, you will transition into a permanent role within the business.

We will be hiring graduates for the following roles:

• Electrical Engineer Graduate, Taupo - Electrical engineering students who have a passion for distributed control systems (DCS) and Operational Technology (OT). Joining our engineering team, you will be challenged to creatively problem solve and troubleshoot any problems that may arise with our plant. Provide engineering support to asset managers and project teams. You may get opportunities to lead small upgrade projects and assist with the commission of new power stations.
• Trading Graduate, Wellington - Joining the Market & Portfolio Analytics team based in Wellington. This role is ideal for individuals with a STEM background in mathematics, engineering, physics, or statistics. You will develop and enhance your quantitative skills to support the broader Generation & Trading (G&T) business. Throughout the program, you will provide analytical support for development projects and trading activities, including tool and algorithm development, and modelling of the energy markets.
• Technology Graduate – Data Developer, Wellington/Auckland – Studying computer science, information systems, data engineering, or data science? Join Contact and be part of our team as we expand our data science and machine learning capabilities! As a graduate, you will gain hands-on experience working on a variety of projects, from data platform development to integration and change management activities.
• Technology Graduate – UX / UI Design, Wellington/Auckland – Are you looking to express your creative side by transforming the way we deliver customer and employee experiences? Using tools such as Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, JIRA and Confluence to create digital products that improve the experience for our customers and employees alike.
• Finance Graduate, Wellington – Exciting opportunity to learn from some of the best, as a Finance graduate you will spend time working with our technical accounting and financial risk and services teams. You will be exposed to a range of development opportunities including financial analysis, group and financial reporting, tax and treasury compliance, most importantly you will contribute to our business ambitions of reaching net zero by 2035. 
• Corporate Affairs Graduate, Wellington – If you are interested in communications, policy, regulatory affairs, and government relations this could be the role for you! Joining our Corporate Affairs team, you will work with our Regulatory Affairs and Communications and Reputation teams. A unique opportunity to gain exposure to a variety of disciplines including, research, regulatory change, government engagements, and execution of communication strategies including news media, press releases, and speech writing.

What types of degrees are we looking for?

• Engineering - Electrical, Data.
• Science - Data, Computer, Physics
• Mathematics - Modelling, Statistics.
• ICT - Programming, Networks, Systems, Development.
• Commerce - Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Analytics, Change, Organisational Behaviour.
• Arts – Communications, Politics, Psychology, Organisation Studies.

We look for

Diversity of thought is vital to our success along with the right behaviours, so it is important to just be yourself. We can teach you the skills, it is more about attitude and team fit for us. 

• Have a keen interest in the energy sector and our strategy to decarbonise Aotearoa
• Demonstrate resilience and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in
• Bring excellent communication skills, including verbal, written and listening
• Be able to build effective relationships and collaborate well with others
• Have a curious nature, analytical mindset and explore possibilities to solve problems

What Contact will offer you

Check out our employer profile for a full rundown of our company benefits and programme details!

Next Steps

So, have we got your attention? If you like the sound of what we’re offering and want to play a role in Contact’s commitment to renewable energy, register your interest now and we will touch base in July with the next steps!

Ko wai mātou | About us

Ko tō mātou kaupapa nui ko te tuku atu i tō mātou pūngao ki te wāhi e tika ana, kia whakahaukino kore ai i te rāngai pūngao o Aotearoa me te whakatairanga atu i te #changematters. E kaingākau ana mātou mō tō mātou whāinga matua, ā, e whakahīhī ana anō mātou i te iwi tangata kei muri i a mātou e whaiwhai ana i te whāinga kotahi.  Nā runga i tēnei whāinga teitei, tērā pea ka ui ake koe ki a koe anō--

Our purpose is to put our energy where it matters, to decarbonise the New Zealand energy sector.  We are passionate about our mission and proud to have a tribe of people behind us working towards a common purpose. 

Contact Energy is committed to being an inclusive employer. We want people to be themselves, after all, they can't be anyone else!

Please note, only candidates with the right to live and work in New Zealand will be considered for this role.