Up to 90 jobs are on the line at Niwa, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, as part of the government's directive to pare down the public service.
Public sector bosses have been asked to find proposals to make [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/507659/the-public-service-agencies-... between 6.5 and 7.5 percent of savings] to help the government prune back annual sector spending by $1.5 billion.
On Monday, Ministry for the Environment called for voluntary redundancies, which the Public Service Association said could see hundreds of workers leave. About 30 science and engineering jobs at research organisation Callaghan Innovation could go.
The PSA said Niwa was proposing to cut 85 to 90 roles of which 30 were currently vacant. The cuts amounted to about 13 percent of its workforce.
It said Niwa maintained this would have no impact on its core work.
PSA assistant secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the union was "very concerned".
"This wasn't signalled by the government prior to the election, and they do critical research and work about the weather systems, climate change an absolutely fundamental role in our public sector."
Niwa has been approached for comment.
Earlier on Tuesday, RNZ reported dozens of jobs were to be axed at Commerce Commission.
RNZ understands 35 to 40 jobs will be cut at the commission, about 10 percent of its staff.
