Civil Engineer
As a Civil Engineer in the Army Reserve, you’ll get to use your existing qualifications in exciting new ways, applying your specialist skills in dynamic military environments. You’ll plan, design, coordinate, control and deliver a range of infrastructure engineering projects.
If you’re looking to experience adventure and excitement outside the everyday, earn tax-free pay and work as part of a close-knit team, this is an exciting opportunity that can work around your lifestyle. You’ll have opportunities to further your knowledge in new areas, and gain skills and experiences you can take back to your full-time role.
What you'll do
Working within a multi-disciplinary team, you’ll help maintain the mobility of Army and ADF forces. You’ll work to deny freedom of movement to the enemy, improve the survivability and sustainability of friendly forces and provide general engineering support on land. This will involve using your engineering skills and capabilities to protect, project and sustain Joint Forces on military exercises and operations.
The Australian Army employs a range of personnel in engineering trades and specialisations. Both part-time and full-time Civil Engineers are allocated to the Corps of Royal Australian Engineers (RAE), which includes both combat engineering and construction (civil).
Your duties may include:
- aiding the community in humanitarian efforts
- construction of field defences and obstacles
- military and training duties
- project managing the construction, repair and maintenance of roads, airfields, sea terminals, railways, buildings and bridges
- providing terrain assessment advice
- provision of construction materials and essential services such as water, electricity, and sewerage disposal
- general soldiering duties, such as manning defensive positions, patrolling, traffic control, navigation, and camouflaging of vehicles and field equipment.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Army will provide you with leadership, management, and specialist skills training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your role-related expertise. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Army.
As an officer in the Army, you may also undertake a posting to an Any Officer role during your career, such as instructor/training roles and staff officer roles. This experience helps you broaden your skill set and prepare for more senior roles.
The Army Reserve has units located all across Australia and offers you the flexibility to serve where you live. There are training locations in cities, small towns and regional areas. Even if there isn’t a unit close to you there may be other ways to serve. You’ll have a Careers Coach who you can ask about your options.
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.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. For Reserve service, the maximum age to apply is 60 years, with a Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) of 65. Candidates who wish to enlist into the Reserves beyond the age of 61 years will need further assessment to ensure they can complete all pre-requisite training in their chosen field prior to reaching CRA.
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
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.
You must hold a Bachelor of Civil Engineering or a related discipline. The related discipline may include Structural/Construction Engineering, Construction Management or Architecture, but this will require assessment by Army prior to consideration.
You must also have had training in a branch of engineering with the practical experience required for graduate membership of the Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAust), or another chartered institution of similar status.
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.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 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.
There is no minimum number of years required in the ADF Reserve as service is voluntary. You can volunteer until the Defence Reserve retirement age of 65, subject to the requirements and your suitability for further service.
Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work responsibilities. In your first year, you can choose to serve between a minimum of 20 and up to 150 days, which includes Initial Employment and Military Training. After that, you can choose to serve 20 to 150 days each year, with the potential to extend to 200 days. On training completion, you can serve from as little as one night a week, one weekend a month, or in consecutive weeks - in a way that suits your lifestyle.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.
Course: Regimental Officer Basic Course (ROBC)
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Simpson Barracks, Melbourne, Vic
This training will follow your initial military training and will prepare you for your initial duties as a Lieutenant. ROBC is run once annually.