Combat Engineer
As a part-time Combat Engineer, you’ll conduct the complex, challenging and rewarding tasks that allow military forces to move, live and fight. You’ll undertake a broad range of tasks including bridge-building, clearing explosive hazards, creating obstacles, demolitions, and operating small boats. You’ll also conduct basic construction tasks and win resources.
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, it's an exciting opportunity that can work around your lifestyle.
What you'll do
You’ll be taught a wide range of tactical and technical skills, becoming able to wield a chainsaw, build a bridge, clear a minefield, build a road or airfield and use explosives to demolish a target. You’ll also maintain a secondary role as infantry and operate a range of equipment to achieve your tasks.
It's a great opportunity to learn new transferable skills and practical knowledge to take back to civilian life. Experience adventure, give something back, make life-long friendships and earn tax-free pay with this flexible part-time role.
Your duties may include:
- assisting in the construction of temporary roads, bypasses and fords
- conducting demolition tasks
- searching for explosive devices
- constructing field defences and obstacles
- using and maintaining power tools
- producing potable water using water purification equipment
- concreting construction tasks.
Following the completion of Initial Employment Training (IET), you may have the opportunity to progress and gain specialist skills in one of the Royal Australian Engineer (RAE) branch trades such as plant operator.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career. As you progress, the Army will provide you with development opportunities to assist you with your increasing leadership responsibility, as well as further education and specialised training to strengthen your skillset. This will help you to command and run a highly skilled team of soldiers and the employment of their equipment.
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.
Discover where the Army operates across Australia on our major base locations map.
I wanted that something that was going to challenge me as a person, both physically and psychologically.
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 Army Reserve 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.
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.
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): 45
- Push-ups: 8
- Shuttle Run Score: 7.5.
Male
- Sit-ups (feet held): 45
- Push-ups: 15
- Shuttle Run Score: 7.5.
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: Army Reserve Recruit Course
Duration: 3 weeks
Location: Kapooka, Wagga Wagga, NSW
During training, you’ll take part in physical training, weapon handling and shooting, first aid, drill and field craft. You'll be challenged both mentally and physically.
Although it can be demanding, most recruits gain a sense of achievement, purpose and confidence during basic training, and on completion of the course feel justifiably proud of what they have achieved. The priority of our instructors is to help you succeed.
You’ll need to complete this course within 6 months of enlisting.
Course: Part-time Military Engineer
Duration: 16 days
Location: School of Military Engineering, Holsworthy, NSW
This course will provide you with the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to utilise Basic Military Engineering skills under operational conditions.
Learning outcomes:
- explain RAE Corps history, organisation, trades and capabilities
- character development
- prepare to work safely in the construction industry (White Card)
- work safely at heights
- chainsaw operator
- miscellaneous tools
- chemical biological radiological and nuclear defence.
Course: Part-time Combat Engineer
Duration: 16 days
Location: School of Military Engineering, Holsworthy, NSW
You’ll develop the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours required for personnel to utilise Specialist Combat Engineering Skills in operational conditions:
- ADF explosive user
- explosive demolitions and breaching
- participate in light urban explosive breaching
- engineer search.