Intelligence Analyst (Operations)
As an Intelligence Analyst (Operations), you’ll be employed in the sensitive and highly challenging fields of operational and signals intelligence. You’ll contribute directly to the success of Air Force missions in a wide range of Information Warfare related roles.
You'll work across a wide range of Air Force and ADF environments, from fast-paced, tactical roles where you’ll provide war-fighting units with critical intelligence, to office-based, strategic intelligence roles where you'll protect Australia and its national interests. In a world that increasingly relies on intelligence to counter threats from both beyond and within our shores, this role is critical and offers a rewarding, diverse and worthwhile career to ambitious young people.
What you'll do
Drawing on your specialised skills and highly classified material, you’ll use advanced software to analyse, correlate and fuse multiple intelligence sources for the ADF and our allies. This role requires absolute discretion, flexibility, objectivity, problem-solving skills, a cool head and good attention to detail.
While most of your work will be conducted in modern offices, you may be required to deploy to remote locations in Australia and overseas in support of ADF and allied exercises and operations, where you’ll work in security-accredited cabins or tents.
Your duties may include:
- operating sophisticated surveillance equipment to intercept signals and collect information
- analysing intelligence from a variety of sources
- conducting counterintelligence activities
- preparing intelligence reports
- carrying out battlespace visualisation
- organising image capture and analysis
- preparing mission support packs for air, ground, space and cyber operations.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career. As you progress, the Air Force will provide you with development opportunities to assist you with your increasing leadership responsibility, as well as further education and specialised training within your chosen role. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and help you to lead teams of aviators in future.
As you progress in the Air Force, you’ll be given plenty of opportunities to advance your career and diversify your skillset. For example, you may apply to learn specialist techniques in areas such as:
- the translation, speaking, reading and interpretation of foreign language material, involving you in everything from highly sensitive missions to disaster-relief operations overseas
- counterintelligence activities involving surveillance detection, secondary human screening activities, threat identification and exploitation activities
- tactical ground intelligence in support of combat protection elements in both fixed and expeditionary environments.
On graduating from Initial Employment Training (IET), you could be posted to:
- Australian Signals Directorate, ACT
- Headquarters Air Command - Air and Space Operations Centre, Bungendore, NSW
- Headquarters Air Command, RAAF Base Glenbrook, NSW
- Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Bungendore, NSW
- No. 460SQN, Canberra, ACT
- No. 83SQN, RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
- No. 87SQN Headquarters, RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
- No. 87SQN Tactical Intelligence Flights located at:
- RAAF Base Amberley, Qld
- RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
- RAAF Base Richmond or Williamtown, NSW.
In time, you may be posted to:
- Defence Force School of Signals - Electronic Warfare Wing, Cabarlah, Qld (Instructor)
- Defence Intelligence Organisation, ACT
- Defence School of Intelligence - Air, RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA.
There's that real sense of unity and team that's part of being with the ADF.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent) education required with passes in English and Maths. If you haven't completed Year 10 but are interested in joining, the ADF may be able to support your application.
A strong grasp of English comprehension is highly desirable. You’ll need to perform detailed analysis of intelligence in a time-sensitive environment, and produce clear and succinct reports based on your analysis.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Female
- Sit-ups (feet held): 20
- Shuttle Run Score: 5.1.
Male
- Sit-ups (feet held): 20
- Shuttle Run Score: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
You’ll be enlisted for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 6 years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You’ll have a Careers Coach who can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation and personal situation.
You may request discharge at any time provided you do not have an outstanding IMPS obligation.
Security clearance
Intelligence Analysts are required to undertake a Top Secret Positive Vetting (PV) security clearance through the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) and for this role, you’ll need to undertake an Organisational Suitability Assessment (OSA). The OSA is a confidential psychological assessment which determines your individual suitability to work with highly classified information and you must obtain an OSA prior to being sent a letter of offer of employment for this role. The security clearance process is, by necessity, lengthy and intrusive.
Intelligence Analysts will complete Initial Employment Training (IET) training while their application for a security clearance is in progress. Often the clearance process will take longer than the IET so you may find yourself posted to the Air Force Intelligence Support Cell, RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA, to undertake work while you await your clearance.
Additional essential requirements
- Well-developed research and analytical skills
- Well-developed interpersonal skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Capable of working under pressure
- Technical aptitude to enable understanding of threat systems
Course: Air Force Recruit Training
Duration: 11 weeks
Location: RAAF Base Wagga, NSW
During this training, you'll transition from civilian to Service life, acquiring the basic knowledge, skills and physical fitness required for your role; and learning to become an effective and productive member of the Air Force.
The major elements of the course include:
- personal development and teamwork
- parade drill
- weapon handling and firing
- airfield defence
- fire fighting
- physical fitness
- Air Force history, customs and traditions
- military law.
After graduation, you'll undertake Initial Employment Training (IET) in your trade or category.
Your Initial Employment Training (IET) for Air Force Intelligence (AFINT) will focus on developing fundamental intelligence skills. The training consists of 2 phases. Phase 1 focuses on intelligence fundamentals, while Phase 2 is focused on operational intelligence.
Phase 1
Course: Introduction to Defence Intelligence Course (IDIC)
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Defence School of Intelligence - Air (DSI-Air), RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
You’ll learn the fundamentals of the role and complexity of intelligence capabilities and processes. You’ll come out of this course with an understanding of how intelligence is collected, processed and disseminated.
Duration: 2 weeks
Location: Defence School of Intelligence - Air (DSI-Air), RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
You'll learn a range of techniques to collect, analyse, integrate and synthesise operationally relevant information which describes and explains trends, threats or issues in order to enable military decision making.
Duration: 7 weeks
Location: Defence School of Intelligence - Air (DSI-Air), RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to work as an intelligence analyst. At the conclusion of the course, you’ll be prepared to conduct specialist domain intelligence training and be capable of applying common intelligence processes in future wars.
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Defence School of Intelligence - Air (DSI-Air), RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
This course will provide you with air-specific knowledge and enable you to apply intelligence skills and processes to common and air domains, whilst ensuring you’re job ready.
Course: Air Intelligence Analyst Operational Intelligence Initial Employment Training course
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: Defence School of Intelligence – Air (DSI-Air), RAAF Base Edinburgh, SA
The training you receive during this course will give you a working knowledge of:
- intelligence estimates
- joint intelligence preparation of the battle space
- counterintelligence
- ground intelligence
- target systems analysis
- specialist analysis techniques
- air intelligence roles in support of Squadrons and Task Unit Headquarters
- awareness of air intelligence roles in support of security force Squadrons and collection and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) management in a multi-dimensional battle space.
To graduate from the course, you must be capable of providing all-source intelligence analysis support to aerospace and air base operations at the operational and tactical levels.
After your IET and consolidation, you’ll be employed as an all-source intelligence analyst. Opportunities exist for qualified members in this role to undertake training in languages. If you’re required to undertake language training to meet Air Force intelligence capability requirements, it will take place at the Defence Force School of Languages at RAAF Williams, Vic.
You’ll also be afforded the opportunity to take a wide variety of specialist courses. Some courses may be provided through other Defence intelligence training institutions as well as international Defence Forces.
Some additional courses may include:
- Intermediate Operational Intelligence (OPINT) Course
- Advanced language or additional language courses
- Instructor Assessor Courses
- Ground Intelligence Course
- Training development
- Counterintelligence
- Cyber or Space Intelligence training
- Many other system, space, sensor and intelligence related courses.