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Airforce

Engineering Officer

As an Air Force Engineering Officer you will lead teams of highly skilled technicians operating in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

Mō te tūranga

About the role

  • Specialisations

    Engineering & Technical trades | Officers & Management

  • Entry type

    Officer entry

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • 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.

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.

View our Scholarship programmes.

Citizenship

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required SV 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.

We offer guidance on entry requirements in our eligibility section. Apply if you're uncertain, as we’ll work through the criteria with you to determine if you can proceed.

“The biggest misconception about Engineers is that it's all crunching numbers. There's so much more than that.”

Hamish Nicoll

Flight Lieutenant

  • 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.

  • 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

02Job Training

03Ongoing Training

04Specialist Training

05Career Progression

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.

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Future potential earnings

    $140,000

20220909 NZDF R1055140 005

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
Air Force Application Process 20240920

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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Ready to start your Air Force career?

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