Mō te tūranga
About the role
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Specialisations
Engineering & Technical trades | Officers & Management
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Entry type
Officer entry
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Under training
$68,103
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Location
Varied
As an Air Force Engineering Officer you will lead teams of highly skilled technicians operating in a fast paced and dynamic environment.
Engineering Officers are responsible for the acquisition, maintenance and through-life support of all NZDF aircraft and aeronautical equipment, so you will need to be prepared to develop and apply a broad knowledge of aeronautical engineering. To complement your engineering skills, your success as an Engineering Officer will rely on your great people skills, leadership potential and the motivation to take on real responsibility early in your career.
Applications
This role may not be recruited for 6-12 months but we'd encourage you to apply early. You can check in-demand trades for our next intakes
Requirements
Basics
- Must be 18 years old by the time you graduate from recruit course.
- Eligible to meet national security clearance criteria, as stipulated by the Government's Protective Security Requirements.
- Pass an Officer Selection Board.
Education
Direct entry
Direct Entry applicants need to hold, or be in their final year of, a BE(Hons) or BEng(Tech) specialising in mechanical, electrical, electronics, mechatronics, or aeronautical engineering.
Specialisations outside those mentioned will also be considered on a case by case basis please contact specialists@defencecareers.mil.nz to check your suitability.
Scholarship entry
The Airforce offer graduate and undergraduate scholarships for engineering students who demonstrate the qualities required to become an Engineering Officer.
The minimum educational requirement to apply for a scholarship is NCEA Level 3 with 18 credits in Level 3 Mathematics (preferably Calculus) and Physics and University Entrance.
The scholarships are:
- RNZAF Undergraduate Scheme: Study at an approved university institution of your choice while the Air Force covers your fees and a living allowance on a ‘year for a year’ return of service basis.
- Graduate Incentive Scheme: Study at the university of your choice, and on completion of your degree, you will be paid an increasing incentive over the next four years with the monetary value based on the number of full time study years successfully completed. This scholarship does not incur a return of service.
Fitness & Medical
- You must be medically fit for service.
- You must meet the minimum entry fitness standards.
Citizenship
There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required CV security clearance for this trade.
Find out if you’re eligible here.
Period of Service
Your training is some of the most thorough and advanced in the world. Once you have graduated as an Engineering Officer, you’ll be contractually obliged to spend another 24 months in the Air Force.
“The biggest misconception about Engineers is that it's all crunching numbers. There's so much more than that.”
Hamish Nicoll
Flight Lieutenant
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Job on base
Air Force Engineering Officers are employed in a wide variety of roles across the Air Force Bases and Headquarters. Your diverse career path may see you managing engineering projects, designing repairs or modifications, investigating component failures or leading maintenance teams on an operational squadron.
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Job on deployment
When working on an operational squadron, Engineering Officers often deploy with our aircraft as part of the maintenance crew. In this role you will provide leadership and direction to a team of technical personnel to ensure the aircraft are available and safe to operate.
This is a challenging role that can be carried out in trying conditions, however, it is also a unique test of the technical expertise and leadership skills you will have developed with the Air Force.
Career progression and training
01Basic Training
Basic Training
RNZAF Officer Commissioning Course (ROC)
(26 weeks) Location: RNZAF Base Woodbourne
All individuals selected to become Commissioned Officers in the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) are required to complete this course. It is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and experience necessary for commissioned service and the beginning of a career in leadership. This course will cover various subjects including:
- RNZAF Customs and Protocol
- Drill and Parades
- Military Law
- Military Field Skills and Weapons Training
- Defence and Strategic Studies
- Personnel Administration
- Communication Skills
- Command, Leadership and Management
- First Aid
02Job Training
Job Training
After successful completion of the RNZAF Officer Commisioning Course, you will be posted to an RNZAF Base for 6-12 months as a Junior Engineering Officer to develop a basic understanding of the Engineering Officer role. You will then undertake the General Engineering Officer Training (GEOT) Course. The GEOT Course provides a common foundation understanding of RNZAF aeronautical engineering for all Junior Engineering Officers, regardless of background or entry path. Topics covered include aircraft materials, aircraft design and construction, aerodynamics, propulsion, fuel, hydraulics, weapons, instruments, navigation, radar, communications and electrical power distribution. It also covers Air Force technical airworthiness regulation, administration and procedures, and includes visits to Defence and civilian aerospace organisations in NZ and Australia.
03Ongoing Training
Ongoing Training
As you continue through your career there will be regular opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD), and you will be expected to complete CPD to remain at the top of your game as a professional engineer. Many roles have specific training and development opportunities both in NZ and overseas, and Masters level post-graduate training forms the foundation of our specialist engineering streams.
The Air Force is committed to professional development and fully supports our Engineering Officers to become members of Engineering New Zealand, or other equivalent professional body. Options exist to also become a Chartered Engineer, providing valuable external recognition of the engineering skills and experience you gain in the Air Force.
Your development as a military officer will also continue throughout your career, and you will complete further military training at both the NZDF Command and Staff College at Trentham Military Camp (Wellington) and RNZAF Base Woodbourne. This training will help you to hone your leadership and management skills, while also providing an insight into international relations and the role that the NZDF plays in national, regional and global security.
04Specialist Training
Specialist Training
To complement your general development there are also opportunities to develop an engineering speciality. The foundation of specialist development is a Masters level qualification from a United Kingdom university, with options including Thermal Power and Propulsion, Aerospace Vehicle Design (structures or avionics design streams), Software Engineering, and Airworthiness. As a specialist you will still have the opportunity to complete general engineering roles, but will be carefully managed through key specialist roles that ensure you are suitably qualified and experienced in your specialist field.
05Career Progression
Career Progression
Your introduction to the Air Force will be the RNZAF Commissioning Course (ROC) at RNZAF Base Woodbourne. This course will teach you the core skills required to be an Officer in the military – personal drive, teamwork and leadership.
On completion of ROC you will be posted to an RNZAF Base for 6-12 months as a Junior Engineering Officer to develop a basic understanding of the Engineering Officer role. You will then undertake the General Engineering Officer Training (GEOT) Course. This course covers various aspects of aircraft engineering and maintenance, including aerodynamics, principles of flight, structures, avionics systems and the fundamentals of airworthiness.
Following the GEOT Course you will get the opportunity to continue building your knowledge and experience as you progress through your initial career. You will change to a new role every 2 to 3 years to ensure you gain the breadth of experience required to be a suitably qualified and experienced senior engineering leader. Roles will include leading aircraft and component maintenance teams, as well as jobs that more generally support the acquisition, sustainment, airworthiness and safety of our aircraft. To complement your general development there are also opportunities to develop an engineering specialty such as structural design, software engineering, avionics system design, and propulsion system management.
Benefits & allowances
Earn a competitive salary while training or learning your trade, along with additional allowances for time spent in the field, at sea, overseas, or deployed on operations.
In addition to salary and allowances, other benefits of joining the New Zealand Defence Force include:
- Access to your Service marae or tūrangawaewae
- Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels
- Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases
- Opportunities to travel
- Free and subsidised medical and dental care
- Subsidised food and accommodation on camps and bases
- Free and subsidised insurance cover
- Help to buy a home and save for retirement
Salary & benefits
Careers in the Air Force are well-rewarded, as well as being diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, you will see your salary rise accordingly.
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Under training
$68,103
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Future potential earnings
$140,000
Am I fit enough?
If you want to be part of the NZ Defence Force you need to be medically and physically fit for military duties worldwide.
Medical & Fitness
The application process
Your step-by-step guide on what to expect at various stages of the application process, specifically for military roles.
Application process
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