Job Description
About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for a Technical Translator to join our quality team. We’re looking for someone who can bring strong bilingual communication skills, technical expertise, and a passion for accuracy to support our quality and compliance teams. This is a fixed term role for 18 months to support our SAMR renewal process.
In this role, you will provide high-quality Chinese–English translation and interpretation services across a range of technical and regulatory areas, helping ensure effective communication across Quality, R&D, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Food Safety functions. You will play a key role in supporting regulatory compliance, audits, registrations, and cross-cultural collaboration within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities Of This Role Include..
- Translating technical and compliance documents between Chinese and English, including reports, SOPs, work instructions, batch records, emails, regulatory submissions, and technical documentation.
- Reviewing translated materials to ensure technical accuracy, correct regulatory context, and consistent terminology.
- Providing interpretation support for internal and external meetings, including audits, technical reviews, registrations, and cross-functional discussions.
- Supporting effective communication in multilingual and cross-cultural settings.
- Preparing for meetings by reviewing technical materials and developing relevant terminology where required.
- Assisting with the development and maintenance of bilingual technical and regulatory glossaries.
- Supporting continuous improvement initiatives to enhance translation quality, consistency, and efficiency.
About You
You are a confident bilingual communicator with strong Chinese and English language skills and a passion for technical accuracy. You thrive in fast-paced environments, can confidently interpret complex information, and enjoy supporting collaboration across multicultural and cross-functional teams. Experience within food manufacturing, dairy, quality, or regulatory environments will set you up for success in this role.
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and attributes:
- Full professional proficiency in both Chinese and English, with excellent written translation and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to accurately interpret and convey complex technical and regulatory information.
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience within a food manufacturing environment, preferably dairy or nutritional products.
- Hands-on experience translating technical documentation, regulatory registration materials, or audit-related content.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, quality systems, food safety programmes, and regulatory requirements.
- Background in Quality, Dairy Processing, R&D, Food Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline is highly desirable.
- Experience supporting audits, registrations, or official inspections is preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to support medium to large meetings with professional and accurate interpretation in fast-paced environments.
- Strong attention to detail, organisation, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
About Us – The Synlait Spirit
Synlait is more than a global leader in milk nutrition – we’re a purpose-led team that’s Doing Milk Differently For A Healthier World. Our Synlait Spirit guides everything we do, from how we show up each day to the impact we create together. You’ll be joining an authentic, down-to-earth team that lives the three values that underpin the Synlait Spirit.
Be The Difference means we understand before we act – that means asking why, supporting each other to think differently, stay curious, and continuously look for smarter ways to deliver value. Whether it’s in the paddock, the plant or the boardroom, we’re driven by impact and inspired to make a meaningful difference every day.
We Move as One by working together with respect, trust and a shared commitment to doing what’s right. We collaborate across teams to deliver innovative solutions and create opportunity for those around us.
We feed the world’s most vulnerable, including newborn babies, so we have to be Right on the Mark. That means we take accountability seriously, act with courage and focus our energy on what matters most. We combine expert farming and state of the art processing to deliver high quality nutritional products to all over the world.
At Synlait you’ll be challenged and supported to grow. We know everyone brings something unique to the table so we’re an inclusive workplace, where diverse perspectives fuel innovation and success.
What we offer:
- Health insurance cover & partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts
- Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy
- B Corp TM certified
- Social Club membership opportunities
What’s next? Apply now!
Include your most recent CV and cover letter summarising your abilities and what you can bring to Synlait. We wish you the best of luck in your application. We encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications regularly and may close the advertisement early.
Together we will continue to create a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.
Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
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