Occupational Hygienist
As an Occupational Hygienist, you’ll use your existing qualifications and skills in dynamic new ways in this exciting part-time role. You’ll protect soldiers’ health and wellbeing while safeguarding the wider community from any potential hazards.
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.
What you'll do
Your expert professional knowledge will be an essential part of the Army’s health capability. You’ll work within multidisciplinary teams alongside other ADF health professionals to anticipate, recognise, evaluate and control health hazards in the Army working environment.
You’ll work in modern and mobile operating environments, using advanced technology, equipment and materials. You could be called on to provide your specialist skills on land, aviation or maritime environments aiding in major international activities, humanitarian situations and operations.
Your duties may include:
- measuring, monitoring and reducing workplace hazards including dusts, diesel particulate, fumes, gases, vapours, noise and vibrations
- completing health and hygiene risk assessments
- performing equipment calibrations and providing monitoring reports in a barracks environment, on training exercises and in areas of operations at home and overseas.
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.
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.
You’ll most likely be posted to one of the Health Battalions in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Sydney or Townsville. Some limited opportunities exist for postings within Joint Health Command health units or headquarters providing technical and specialist advice.
Depending on rank and experience, there is scope for travel to be approved in order to allow specialists from regional areas to travel to capital cities. You may be given opportunities to travel interstate and overseas to take part in exercises, deployments and disaster relief activities.
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.
The minimum requirement for entry into this role is:
- relevant tertiary qualification, preferably including postgraduate qualifications in occupational hygiene
- current membership or eligibility for membership with the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists
- minimum 3 years’ full-time experience working as an occupational hygienist.
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.
In addition, you’ll also need to demonstrate the following:
- operates with integrity
- ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team
- provide timely and appropriate advice commensurate with specialist qualifications, skillset and experience
- demonstrate an ability to lead and mentor in a team environment
- display and promote practice reflective of the Defence values through demonstrated behaviours and interactions with patients and staff.
You must not have any restrictions to practice that would prevent work in a Defence environment.
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: Logistic Officers Basic Course (LOBC) – Health
Duration: 14 days
Location: Army Logistic Training Centre (ALTC), Bonegilla, Vic
You’ll undertake this course in the first 12 months of your appointment, where you’ll learn the fundamental skills required to operate in a deployed environment. The course includes theory, practical and simulated activities.
The LOBC aims to provide Logistic and Health Officers with corps and integrated skills and knowledge to fulfil a range of command and health specialised appointments at the rank of Lieutenant in a foundation warfighting environment.