Of the 67 roles being cut, 44 are from Callaghan Innovation's applied technologies group. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Callaghan Innovation has confirmed dozens more jobs are on the chopping block as the organisation disestablishes.
The crown-owned entity is being dissolved in the government's overhaul of the science sector, which will also see Crown Research Institutes merge into new Public Research Organisations (PROs) - expected to be up-and-running by October this year.
Parts of Callaghan Innovation will be transferred to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment or a PRO, with the Science Minister Shane Reti last month announcing a funding extension for some teams within the applied technologies and biotechnologies groups - originally signalled to be axed by 30 June.
On Wednesday, Callaghan Innovation confirmed consultation had begun to disestablish about 67 roles that would not be transferred into a new entity, including 44 from its applied technologies group.
If the proposal went ahead, those roles would be gone in stages over the coming months, a spokesperson said.
Those facing redundancy in Wednesday's announcement were in addition to the 40 roles already confirmed to be going, they said, taking the total number of roles that could be axed to 107.
The spokesperson said a number of people had left in recent months, which included resignations and contracts ending, and the organisation was looking to support staff into redeployment opportunities and those whose functions were being transferred.
A senior Callaghan research scientist and union delegate Ben Wylie-van Eerd said anyone who was not part of the future interim organisations was now formally facing redundancy, and the process of looking for a job was taking its toll.
"It has been pretty exhausting, because it's taken such a long time as well.
"We first got the news around the end of January, we're now halfway through April and it will be May or June depending on which group you're in before it all comes to pass.
"It's been a very drawn out process."
He said the timing of the disestablishment did not make sense in the context of the overall science system shake-up and those whose jobs were not being transferred would be "scattered to the four winds".
"We have been left in the lurch here.
"I understand there was an intention to shut down Callaghan Innovation, but to not have any scientific organisation that would be capable of taking on scientists that work there just seems absolutely mad to me.
"It's not an easy resource to maintain and build up, and we're just letting it fall on the ground," Wylie-van Eerd said.
Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said among the 67 possible redundancies announced on Wednesday were scientists working in the medical technology, artificial intelligence and robotics fields.
She said the scientists could have found a home in a new PRO, but the speed of Callaghan's dissolution meant the country now risked losing their skills.
"People with valuable skills are being cast aside, even though their skills are important for the future science system.
"We call on the minister to intervene urgently and make sure we retain these staff in our science system."
In a statement, Science Minister Shane Reti reiterated that Callaghan Innovation was spread too thin, and the science sector shake-up would focus government investment on areas that "better support and incentivise innovation for economic growth".
He said while some Callaghan functions would be retained, others would not and an in-principle decision had been made to reallocate funding.
"I acknowledge that these changes will be challenging for staff involved, I am confident that the science reforms will strengthen our science system and create more opportunities for economic growth over time."
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