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Profession
Engineering Officer
Profession

Engineering Officer

Lead the day-to-day maintenance of the cutting-edge kit that powers our vital operations every day.

  • GCSEs
  • Engineering
  • Officer level

At a glance

You’ll manage the technicians who keep our fleet powerful. Without you, vital operations wouldn’t happen. You’ll report to the Commanding Officer when there’s a problem and be relied upon to make key decisions when it matters most.

We run the team who run the ship, keeping her moving and fit for the challenge. It’s my role to manage the people who make that happen.

Steve

Engineering Officer Professional

Profession details

What you could do

Joining as an Engineering Officer in the Royal Navy is the engineering career that takes you far away from any office desk. Everyone looks to the engineering technicians to keep the Royal Navy moving, but the engineering technicians look to you for crucial guidance. From ships to submarines, aircraft to electrical equipment, Engineering Officers can specialise in several areas, including marine engineering, weapons engineering, air engineering, or training management. Whatever your skill, you’ll be the one keeping us moving.

Your role

  • Lead and manage a team of specialist Engineering Technicians who will rely on your support, guidance, advice and understanding.
  • Solve complex problems using the most sophisticated equipment on the planet. You might need to work alone, or rely on the expertise of your team.
  • Keep our kit functioning correctly. You might be ensuring the hull, engines and power generation of the new Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier are up to scratch. Or overseeing work on the water, cooling and hydraulics systems of a Type 45 Destroyer.
  • Look after the welfare, morale, training and development of a team of skilled men and women, using your expertise to make decisions about complex engineering problems quickly while under pressure.

Pay & benefits

  • Most roles receive a starting salary of over £33,000, rising to around £41,000 after just two years 
  • A £27,000 joining bonus
  • Submariner roles receive an initial pay over £33,000, £5000 lump sum for earning your 'Dolphins' plus additional pay starting at £2199.88 per month at sea once qualified as a Submariner and Nuclear Watchkeeper. Potential earning as a Head of Department on a Submarine is £99,535.83 per year and will increase with rank progression beyond Lt Cdr (Calculation does not include Longer Separation Allowance (LSA)).  
  • An excellent non-contributory pension scheme – we pay into it for you, so you don’t have to sacrifice any salary
  • Free medical and dental care
  • Amazing opportunities, including world travel and adventurous training for two weeks every year
  • Free gym and sports, from football to kayaking to kite-surfing
  • Forces Help to Buy scheme – a 0% loan to get you on, or further up, the housing ladder
  • Subsidised travel, accommodation and food

Skills for life

Qualifications you'll gain

  • Become an internationally recognised Chartered Engineer – we’ll support your professional registration.

Opportunities open to you 

  • Take advantage of opportunities for post graduate study, and work towards qualifications like the MSc in Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Programme and Project Management.

Skills you'll develop

  • Learn how to lead and manage people in a highly pressurised environment as part of the management team.
  • Gain an in-depth knowledge of your specialist field of engineering - be that marine, weaponry, submarines, aircraft or electronics.
  • Get support and training to hone your management and leadership skills.
 

Eligibility

  • You’ll need to be aged 18 to 39
  • All Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degrees with be considered
  • You’ll need a minimum of 96 UCAS points (or Scottish equivalent). At least 64 points should be in maths and an engineering-based science. These can be accrued from either GCE A/AS levels (or equivalent) or National Diplomas (e.g., BTEC).
  • You must be a United Kingdom national, or Commonwealth citizen, or Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply. Submariner roles are restricted to United Kingdom nationals only.
  • Minimum height of 145cm for General Service, 157cm for Submarine Service
  • A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18). Submariner roles require a minimum height of 157cm. 

Skills & interests

  • A quick thinker, with a passion for working with the latest equipment and technology
  • A problem-solver who can work well as part of a team
  • A real sense of adventure, with a high level of physical and mental fitness
  • Enthusiasm for fixing and maintaining electronic and mechanical systems

Joining process

From picking your profession to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as an officer.

Got a question?

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