"I had just finished a full ski season at Mount Hutt ski area and had decided not to head overseas for a back to back season. I had initially thought I would get a temporary summer job to take me through to the next winter.  After looking for positions I came across a vacancy ad for a Design Engineer with Richards Consulting Engineers (RCE). I thought it wouldn’t hurt to have an interview.  After talking with Sam I knew that it was time to brush the dust off my degree and take on the new position. I also had in the back of my mind that it would be good to do my part in helping Christchurch get through the recent earthquakes.

My first few months at RCE were interesting. I was surprised how fast the learnings from university came back to me. Within my first weeks I attended an inspection of a well-known pub in Canterbury and walked through the abandoned, damaged building. I remember thinking this would take a lot of T.L.C. to bring this back to normal.  I found that Sam was friendly and encouraged me to progress and up skill.  At RCE I had plenty of opportunity for internal and external training with one-on-one discussion to full day conferences.  More recently I have enjoyed the ever growing team and the environment in the office.  I like that we can have a joke with the other staff members and look forward to our monthly social events.  

RCE has allowed me to grow in my profession and has opened up many opportunities within the company.  I have been challenged, encouraged and rewarded and enjoy coming to work."

Chris Burrell-Smith
Chartered engineer

"I have been working with Richards Consulting Engineers for over a year now, and have developed a wide caliber of Engineering, and Management related skills. Having just graduated from University, RCE has given me invaluable opportunities early on in my career, which I would not have been able to get at another Consultancy. What sets RCE apart is that an Engineer is able to see a project through the full design process, rather than designing a small component of a much larger puzzle. RCE will also inspect the design work once it has been constructed, which allows you to see the design up close and in person, and teaches quick on-site problem solving. Nothing beats being able to stand in front of a building and say you designed it!

Another large part of RCE is the social environment. We are a diverse team, that meshes well both inside and outside of the office. So, if you are looking to be a part of a fun, easy going team, and are passionate about Engineering – Look no further!"

Zane Quensell

"Within 3 months of leaving University I am looking after my own jobs and am out of the office every week on inspections. At Richards Consulting, I am designing new structures every week which vary in size and complexity, so I never have a dull moment at work. From foundations to roofs, pools to luxury homes, there is always something new and exciting going on.

Going straight from University to a professional job was daunting at first, but Richards consulting had great procedures, learning modules and mentoring to help me transition smoothly into designing structures in the real world. With a friendly and open atmosphere, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far with the company."

Matthew Beddow

"I started with Richards Consulting Engineers (RCE) after university and have been with them for over a year now. Having previously worked in the geotechnical engineering discipline, RCE has provided an excellent environment to assist with my transition under the guidance of experienced engineers. Every day I work on a variety of projects across New Zealand, ranging from foundation designs and earthquake strengthening to new houses and commercial developments. I am involved with project management from start to finish and co-ordinate with architects and builders to ensure an economical and practical solution is provided. RCE also gives me the opportunity to get out the office and inspect design work during construction, complete building assessments or conduct site soil investigations. There is never a dull day and I have enjoyed every moment of it so far

Wiaan Botha

"Richards Consulting has made the development from being a university student to graduate structural designer a smooth and effective transition. The company provides a wide variety of work; from the process of performing a complete structural design to construction monitoring on site for a project you have completed. You are given responsibility and flexibility to manage your own projects from the get-go. Working closely with contractors and professionals has helped me develop skills essential to the residential building industry.

Working with the team at Richards Consulting has been very enjoyable. As a graduate, you will often stumble on new things and will be a constant learning process. Everyone here is always happy to help out and go the extra mile to ensure you’re on the right track. The company has a heavy emphasis on team-bonding with monthly social events and activities. I definitely look forward to continuing working with the team!"

Emery Ning

"I applied for a job at Richards around 2 months after finishing university after a recommendation from a friend who worked there. I hadn’t lined up an engineering job during uni, as I had done an internship for a larger company as part of the degree requirement and didn’t find it as interesting as I was expecting. I was then unsure if I wanted to do structural engineering as a career. After starting I haven’t looked back, it was a steep learning curve at the start with responsibility put on early. Now I am comfortable with managing jobs, dealing with clients, sorting construction changes and managing drafting; I am thriving. The projects are varied and interesting, I enjoy coming to work and getting to complete my own designs.

An enjoyable part of the job is completing site inspections, getting to see your designs being built is an awesome experience, it also gives you the chance to learn about structures and grow in your understanding, as you complete inspections for not just your jobs but other peoples in the office. One day of inspections was in Cromwell and Wanaka, myself and Sam flew down in a small Cessna and I got to fly for a bit of it! With a good proportion of younger engineers, the office has some good banter, I plan to stay with Richards for the foreseeable future."

Andrew Steel