Pre-joining Requirements
- Be a minimum of 17 years of age
- Have completed at least three years of secondary education
- Be a NZ citizen or have permanent residency and have lived in NZ for five years
- Be medically fit for service
- Be of good character – assessed by study of testimonials and a police record check
- Be free of any criminal convictions for the previous two years
University Operations Officers:
- Minimum of 80 credits at level three over five subjects
- Minimum of 14 credits at level one mathematics
- Minimum of 14 credits at level two or above in reading or writing
- No decreased colour perception
- A BA, BSc, or a BBIM is offered, for GLX-H a BA or a BSc is offered.
Non-University Operations Officers:
- Minimum of 60 credits at level two over five subjects
- Minimum of 12 credits at level one mathematics
- Minimum of 12 credits at level one or above in reading or writing
- No decreased colour perception
Download the 
Entry Requirements Guide to see what school subjects and credits are required.
Training
The first step in your career as a Warfare Officer is to complete the six month Junior Officer Common Training course. On completion of that you will complete the Basic Officer of the Watch (OOW(B)) course, which includes experience in the bridge simulator and culminates in assessments at sea navigating a small naval vessel. The aim of this course is to teach the basic principles and processes of navigation and good bridgemanship.
On completion of your OOW(B) course you will spend time aboard a Navy ship putting your new skills into practice, or commence your tertiary studies if you are entering on the University scheme of training. This On-Job-Training is aimed at preparing you in a practical sense for the Advanced OOW course (OOW(A)). You will also progress your OOW task book which is a written record of your progress, training and development. The OOW(A) course is 16 weeks and covers navigation, bridgemanship and basic warfare skills. On completion of that you will then return to sea. Once you have completed the task book and gained the Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate you will then post as a qualified Officer of the Watch to complete your core job on a naval ship.
Once you are a qualified Warfare Officer you may decide to choose a sub-specialisation to pursue: the options are Principal Warfare Officer (PWO), Hydrography (surveying) and Mine Clearance Diving Officer (MCDO).
Career Progression
You will spend the majority of your career at sea, and will be posted to various ships as an OOW for about three years once you are qualified. At that point, you may choose to complete additional specialised courses and progress to advanced positions, including Navigating Officer and Helicopter Approach Controller.
For about the first six years of your naval career, you are either completing courses ashore or posted to sea going ships that are away from the Devonport Naval Base for between six to nine months of the year. You will participate in operational missions, and visit ports throughout South East Asia, the Pacific, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand. On completion of several years at sea, a shore posting to Auckland or Wellington should follow for about 18 months, before returning to sea or completing advanced courses.
Each Warfare Officer’s career is unique, and the specialisation chosen will determine future courses, postings and promotion opportunities. The arrival of seven new ships with new capabilities provides a variety of roles and specialisations for Warfare Officers as well as providing the opportunity to become Commanding Officers early on in your career. Senior seagoing Commands, such as those on the ANZAC Frigates, follow periods of shore appointments and lengthy seagoing experience.
Specialisations
PRINCIPAL WARFARE OFFICER (PWO):
A PWO is required to have full knowledge of all weapon systems and sensors to ensure the ship is able to respond to any changing scenario. A PWO is also required to maintain up to date knowledge and the latest war fighting tactics so as to effectively defend the ship against attack.
Warfare Officers holding the rank of Lieutenant for a minimum of two years and holding a Bridge Watch Keeping Certificate (Advanced or Warfare) are eligible to be selected for PWO training. RNZN officers spend 13 months in the UK completing the PWO course.
HYDROGRAPHER:
Naval Hydrographers are responsible for generating and maintaining charts to ensure the safe passage of all ships. Hydrographers are also involved in surveying areas for beach landings as a part of the Advanced Force Operations team. In addition to general Officer of the Watch duties, Hydrographic Survey Officers complete survey management and data processing, including ship handling, use of specialised sounding equipment, and processing data at sea and ashore.
MINE CLEARANCE DIVING OFFICER (MCDO):
MCDOs are the Navy’s experts in Clearance Diving, Mine Counter Measures, Under Water Engineering, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal. To become an MCDO you would normally be at the rank of Lieutenant and have already completed the Defence Divers and Defence Diver Supervisor courses. On selection as an MCDO, you will attend Clearance Diving and Mine Warfare courses in Australia followed by various postings: to the Operational Diving Team (ODT), the Dive School and at sea on the RNZN’s Dive Support Vessels.
Crew
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Apply Now
To apply for this job contact us on 0800 NZ NAVY, contact a recruitment consultant in your area or download the Application Form now.
More information about the joining process can be found in our How to Join section.