Originally employed at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Wise began working with the Bishop Museum in the early 1960s, coordinating field programmes for United States visits to Antarctica and Subantarctic islands.

[3][2][4] While living in Invercargill, Wise joined the Jellicoe Sea Scouts, which was led by Geoffrey Orbell, who would later be known for rediscovering the takahē in 1948.

[5] After the end of World War II, Wise began working at a fire insurance office in Invercargill due to the advice of his father.

[3] In late 1960, Wise took leave from the DSIR to work with the Bishop Museum, performing field research in Antarctica over the 1960–1961 Antarctic summer.

[5][9] Wise was a part of the Royal Society of New Zealand South Pacific Expedition in 1977, which documented the biodiversity of the Lau Islands of Fiji.

[2][3] Wise published extensively on entomology-related topics, including works on caddis flies, lacewings, tiger beetles and monarch butterflies.

[3] In 1987 Wise co-edited a third edition of Powell's Native Animals of New Zealand, alongside Brian Gill, Walter Cernohorsky and Brett Stephenson.

[3] Wise became an Associate Emeritus of the Auckland War Memorial Museum in 1999, which recognised his commitment to scientific research and scholarship.