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About the role
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Specialisations
Combat & Special Operations | Engineering & Technical trades | Intelligence, IT & Communications | Logistics & Administration | Officers & Management
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Entry type
Officer entry
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Under training
$68,860
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Location
Linton, Burnham, Trentham, Wellington, Papakura and Waiouru.
This role requires strategic thinking, decisive leadership, and the ability to adapt under pressure. You will develop strong problem-solving abilities and foster a commitment to service while prioritising the welfare of those under your command. Whether involved in military operations, supporting humanitarian missions or conducting preparedness training in camp, you will strive to make a positive impact both domestically and internationally, embodying the Army’s core values of courage, comradeship, commitment, and integrity. The Army Officer role offers an accelerated pathway to leadership, where candidates are selected based on potential rather than experience. It is important to note that good leadership can be delivered in different ways and with different styles - you can succeed as an Army Officer if you are genuine, authentic, and motivated to learn with a growth mind-set.
Accepting Applications
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Initial Induction Training 26/1, starts 12 Jan 2026 Apply by 14 Jul 2025
Apply Now
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.
While we accept school leavers, we would prefer people who may have a bit of life experience and possibly some tertiary education. Some scholarship opportunities exist for school leavers who have achieved a good education and are interested in tertiary study. All Officers will have the opportunity to pursue further study as you progress through your career.
Fitness & Medical
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
Upon enlistment you are given an offer of service of 15 years. This is the standard Army offer but does not oblige either yourself or the Army to complete this. It is subject to factors including your right to cease service with 3 months notice once your initial training is complete.
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.

Life as a Platoon or Troop Leader
As a Platoon or Troop Commander, you will be responsible for the training, discipline, welfare, and culture of your platoon. You will collaborate with an experienced Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) who will initially help mentor you, developing your leadership and command abilities whilst on the job. Key responsibilities include:
1. Conducting training sessions and maintaining personal competency.
2. Enforcing Army discipline and standards.
3. Designing, planning and delivering tactical and engaging training exercises.
4. Managing the welfare and administrative needs of your soldiers.
5. Mentoring soldiers and junior officers.
6. Continuing education through Army courses and leadership development programmes.
7. Commanding troops during exercises and deployments, ensuring mission success through effective planning, decision-making, and leadership.
A Real New Zealand Soldier's Story
“Training as an Officer is a 12 month course, conducted in Waiouru at Officer Cadet School. It’s a very intense course, really pushing you to your limits and beyond.”
Kimberley.
Lieutenant
Specialisation and Career Path
During your training, you will have the opportunity to explore various Corps (specialist areas within the Army). By the end of the year, you will prioritise your preferences for specialisation from the following options:
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As a New Zealand Armoured Corps Officer, you will lead highly trained crews in operating some of the most advanced and powerful vehicles within the New Zealand Defence Force. Your role will be both dynamic and demanding, requiring strategic planning, tactical decision-making, and the ability to lead in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. You will be responsible for commanding armoured fighting vehicles, such as the NZLAV (New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle), and for the coordination of As an Armoured Officer, your primary duty is to ensure the operational readiness of your crew and their vehicles while maintaining a high standard of discipline, morale, and efficiency. In addition to combat roles, you may be involved in peacekeeping missions or humanitarian operations, contributing to the safety and security of both New Zealand and international communities.'
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As a New Zealand Army Artillery Officer, you will be responsible for directing and commanding the use of heavy firepower to support military operations. Artillery Officers play a crucial role in providing indirect fire support to ground forces, engaging enemy positions, and shaping the battlefield. This role requires strategic thinking, precision, and the ability to lead soldiers in dynamic and often high-pressure environments.
Artillery Officers are experts in fire support coordination, using advanced technology and systems to calculate and execute the delivery of munitions over long distances. You will work with a variety of weapon systems, including howitzers mortars and unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring that your team delivers accurate and effective firepower to support infantry and armoured units during operations. -
As a New Zealand Army Engineering Officer, you will lead and manage teams of military engineers, responsible for providing essential engineering support in a wide variety of military and humanitarian operations/emergencies. Engineering Officers play a crucial role in enabling mobility, countering mobility, and providing vital infrastructure to support both combat and peacetime operations. You will be at the forefront of planning and executing engineering tasks such as constructing bridges, roads, fortifications, demolitions, and other critical infrastructure under challenging and dynamic conditions.
This role requires strong leadership, problem-solving skills, and the ability to think strategically, especially when operating in harsh environments or conflict zones. As an Engineering Officer, your work is key to the success of missions, whether in combat, disaster relief, or peacekeeping. -
As a New Zealand Army Infantry Officer, you will lead highly trained soldiers in combat and peacekeeping missions, often operating in diverse and challenging environments. The role demands physical resilience, mental agility, and exceptional leadership as you guide your troops through complex and dynamic military operations. You will be responsible for preparing your soldiers to be combat-ready, ensuring their well-being, and making strategic decisions on the ground.
In the Infantry, you are at the heart of the action, often operating on the front lines where critical decisions must be made under pressure. You will be trained to lead small to large groups of soldiers, ensuring that they remain focused, disciplined, and capable of succeeding in various operations—whether it’s a combat mission, a humanitarian effort, or peacekeeping. -
As a New Zealand Army Intelligence Officer, you will play a critical role in gathering, analysing, and interpreting information to support military operations. Your ability to process vast amounts of data, understand complex global situations, and anticipate threats is key to helping commanders make informed decisions on the battlefield and in broader strategic planning. This role demands analytical precision, intellectual agility, and the capacity to work under pressure in diverse operational environments.
You will lead teams of intelligence professionals, ensuring they collect and interpret vital information that could influence the success of military missions, whether in combat, peacekeeping, or humanitarian settings. The intelligence you provide helps shape strategies, counter enemy plans, and protect New Zealand’s national interests. -
As a New Zealand Army Logistics Officer, you will be responsible for ensuring that military operations run smoothly by providing essential supplies and support to soldiers. From managing the supply chain of food, fuel, and ammunition to coordinating transportation and medical supplies, your role is critical to the success of both combat and humanitarian missions. Logistics Officers plan, coordinate, and oversee the delivery of resources, enabling soldiers to focus on their missions, knowing they have the necessary support.
This role requires strategic thinking, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to lead teams in a high-pressure environment. Whether in the field or in garrison, Logistics Officers play a pivotal role in maintaining the operational readiness of the New Zealand Army. -
As a General List Medical Officer in the New Zealand Army, you will oversee the professional development of medical personnel, ensuring that your team is always mission-ready and capable of delivering high-quality medical care in diverse and challenging conditions. Your responsibilities include responding to combat injuries, providing humanitarian assistance, and supporting peacekeeping missions.
Your role includes strategic planning, logistics, and the coordination of medical resources across different units. As a general list Medical officer, you will also be responsible for the overall welfare and professional development of the specialist medical soldiers under your command, ensuring they are prepared to meet the demands of military service. -
As a New Zealand Army Military Police Officer, you will be responsible for upholding law, order, and discipline within the Army. Your role will encompass a broad range of duties, including crime prevention, law enforcement, investigations, and ensuring the security of military personnel, equipment, and facilities. You will also play a crucial role in maintaining military discipline, both in New Zealand and on overseas operations, providing essential legal and security services to safeguard the Army’s operational effectiveness.
Military Police Officers (MPs) combine traditional policing responsibilities with the challenges unique to the military environment. This role demands leadership, a strong sense of justice, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure. -
As a New Zealand Army Signals Officer, you will play a vital role in enabling effective communication across all levels of military operations. Your primary responsibility is to maintain secure and reliable communications channels between command units, troops, and other defence forces. This encompasses a wide range of tasks, from managing advanced communication systems to planning and executing communication strategies in both combat and peacetime environments.
Your role as a Signals Officer demands technical proficiency, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead teams under pressure. In this dynamic and highly specialised field, you will ensure that military units can exchange critical information swiftly and securely, a factor that is often decisive in mission success.
Training Programme
01Initial Induction Training (IIT)
Initial Induction Training (IIT)
IIT compresses the recruit ‘basic’ training package completed by soldier recruits into a more intensive 10-week period. The environment is as you would expect: living in shared accommodations with ten others, limited free time, long training days, and restricted access to personal devices. During IIT, you will be trained in a variety of essential areas, including:
- Compliance Briefs
- Sizing and issue of equipment
- Attestation and induction into Ngāti Tū and the NZ Army Marae
- Army ethos, values & Warrior Culture
- Army Combative Programme (hand-to-hand combat, disarming techniques)
- Day and night navigation
- Weapons training (MARS-L assault rifle, pistol, grenade, light support weapon)
- Field exercises (tactical operations and fieldcraft)
- Parade and drill
- Self-leadership
Upon completing IIT, you will participate in an "Onwards Day" parade, where your family may attend and witness your transition into the New Zealand Commissioning Course (NZCC).
02New Zealand Commissioning Course (NZCC)
New Zealand Commissioning Course (NZCC)
Following IIT, you will receive a leave period before moving into new barracks with enhanced facilities, including your own room, access to lounges, kitchens, and social areas and your own bar. The NZCC shifts the focus from individual technical skills to leadership development, teaching you how to command troops across various environments and scenarios. The course begins with classroom-based learning, where you will develop the ability to analyse missions, considering terrain, weather, enemy capabilities, and other factors. You will then learn to deliver detailed orders, ensuring your team knows what to do, how to do it, and why it must be done.
Leadership theory, tactics, and the delivery of orders will be put into practice through field exercises, where you will be tasked with leading troops under demanding physical and mental conditions. Early exercises are designed to be simple, where you will command a small team of around 10 soldiers, but as the year progresses, the complexity increases. By the end of training, you will command larger teams (up to 45 soldiers) and additional assets such as Light Armoured Vehicles or Engineers, in more complex missions.
Field exercises are designed to challenge you across three main lines of effort:
- Environment and Climate – Training in diverse conditions such as the subalpine terrain of Waiouru, tropical climates in Fiji, Brunei, or Papua New Guinea, and urban settings in New Zealand, each requiring unique leadership approaches.
- Team Size and Resources – As you progress, you will command larger groups and additional resources, necessitating more precise and adaptable leadership.
- Mission Complexity – Initially, missions will be simple, but as your skills grow, the complexity of your orders and the scenarios you face (e.g., sudden attacks or equipment malfunctions) will increase.
Throughout these exercises, your leadership will be assessed against key competencies from our leadership framework. You will undergo introductions, formative and summative assessments for three leadership levels: Lead Self (personal leadership), Lead Teams (small teams), and Lead Leaders (up to 40 personnel).
03Additional Training and Assessment
Additional Training and Assessment
In addition to field exercises and leadership development, you will be assessed in the following areas:
- Tactics – Classroom-based Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWT) that prepare you for field operations.
- Military Education – Training in Army administration and welfare responsibilities, including completing a university paper through Massey University.
- Regimental Skills – Evaluation of your performance in garrison, managing parades, planning training, and performing general platoon duties.
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 Army are well-rewarded, diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, your salary will rise accordingly.
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Under training
$68,860
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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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