59 jobs to go at GNS Science

An employee who has lost his job in cuts at GNS Science says looking for a new job is a scary prospect.

Fifty-nine jobs are set to go at GNS Science as part of public sector job cuts.

It is a small reduction from the 66 net roles GNS Science proposed cutting in July.

GNS said 96 positions would be disestablished in total, of which 28 are currently vacant, and 37 new roles would be established.

It said as a result of feedback to its proposed cuts, 29 changes were made to the proposals, including retaining seven roles that were initially proposed to be disestablished.

The Public Service Association said the cuts include principal and senior scientists, geologists, geophysicists, geochemists, technicians and support staff.

It said the confirmed cuts amounted to around 10 percent of GNS's workforce.

GNS chief executive Chelydra Percy said: "Reducing the size of our workforce is necessary to help GNS become more financially sustainable in a challenging operating and economic environment. GNS needs to be in a stronger financial position to ensure we can continue to deliver the critical science that New Zealand needs."

An employee who has lost his job in the cuts said on the whole, he felt GNS had handled the process well and the feedback process had been transparent.

Employees were now able to express interest in the new roles that had been created.

But the employee - who asked to remain anonymous - was worried the wording in some of the job descriptions could preclude some staff that were losing their roles from being considered.

He said with limited options in the science sector, some people would end up having no choice but to leave New Zealand or do something different.

The work of GNS scientists includes monitoring and researching geohazards such as earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes and tsunamis, as well as research on the sustainable management of the environment and effective adaptation to climate change.

PSA national secretary Duane Leo said: "The government is wilfully blind to the damage its attack on science is wreaking on our ability to be prepared for future earthquakes or tsunamis."

But Percy said the cuts meant they would "have diverse capabilities to deliver this critical science, while also ensuring that we have sufficient funding and resources for all our staff to contribute fully".

Meanwhile, the scientific community have written an open letter to the government expressing concern for how the cuts would affect GNS's ability to provide crucial science.

The letter has been signed by 85 scientists from seven countries.

"It's extremely embarrassing that respected scientists from around the world can see the huge value GNS scientists provide to our country, but the government can't," Leo said.