Innovation Summer Intern - Biosecurity

Kō wai mātou? Who are we?

Zespri is more than simply the world’s single-largest marketer of kiwifruit. We like to think of ourselves as fruit on a mission and as rebels with a cause: to help people, communities and the environment around the world thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit. We are proudly the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit, selling kiwifruit in more than 50 countries. We work with around 2,800 New Zealand and 1,500 international growers and post-harvest companies to source the best-quality Zespri Kiwifruit which we supply through our distribution partners to wholesale and retail customers. We are one of New Zealand’s best-known international brands, dedicated to creating sustainable long-term value for growers.  

He aha te mahi? What's the role?

We are looking for a motivated summer student to join our team and contribute to a project focused on evaluating the cost-benefit of biosecurity measures across various incursion scenarios.

Starting in November 2025, this internship offers a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the kiwifruit industry in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty. You’ll apply your academic knowledge in a commercial setting, dive into a business-focused project, and develop your understanding of the kiwifruit sector, corporate R&D, and professional workplace skills.

The Project: Cost-Benefit Effectiveness of On-Orchard Biosecurity 

Key activities for this project include reviewing literature, data collection, and scenario analysis using NPV and ROI calculations for key case studies such as Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and Ceratocystis. 

By the end of the internship, you’ll be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of biosecurity economics with a dedicated focus on the cost-benefit of adopting best biosecurity practices and the value of pro-actively building biosecurity toolboxes. 

Program dates: 25 November 2025 – 13 February 2026.  

Please note: you need to be able to commit for the entire duration of the internship. 

Ko wai koe? Who are you?

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter with a methodical approach, strong critical thinking, and analytical skills in Excel and basic data mining.  You will also have background in any of these academic areas: Business, Economics, Agricultural Economics, or Environmental Economics, Biosecurity or Horticulture.

To be eligible to apply you need to meet the following selection criteria:

• Studying, or recently completed, an undergraduate or postgraduate degree or qualification at NZQA level 6-10. If study has been completed, your final semester should be less than 12 months ago. 
• Studying or has studied, science, technology, engineering, design or business studies at a New Zealand tertiary education institute.  
• Legally permitted to work in New Zealand.

He aha e tika ai a Zespri? Why Zespri?

You will be based in the beautiful Bay of Plenty, a great place to spend the summer. Beaches, Mauao (Mount Maunganui), waterfalls and the Kaimai ranges all close by for summer day adventures! You will work out of our state of the art corporate office in central Mount Maunganui, have access to daily kiwifruit, free onsite parking, and a flexible work ethos. Please note, you will need to manage your own accommodation for the duration of the internship.

To apply, please send through your CV and a one-page cover letter.

Tono mai inaianei! Apply Now! Applications close 28 September 2025.

At Zespri, we understand the importance of diverse perspectives and experiences, and a fair hiring process is the first step to getting there. We want to attract a diverse range of people and encourage everyone from all backgrounds and walks of life to apply. Please let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments to take part in the recruitment and selection process. You can reach out to our Talent Acquisition team via email at careers@zespri.com to have a chat to someone directly.