Engineer Officer

Opportunity
Are you a problem-solver looking for a challenging job that supports others? Engineer Officers in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) serve as central figures in every military mission to help the Army live, move and fight.

Overview Engineer Officers are members of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers. Together with the Armour, Infantry and Artillery, Engineer Officers are an integral part of the Combat Arms.

The primary responsibility of Engineer Officers is combat readiness. They are responsible for the following:

Constructing Habitable Camps
Breaching Minefields
Using Explosives to Destroy Roads/Bridges
Constructing Bridges/Ferries
Building Combat Roads
Disposing of Explosives
Constructing Obstacles

To be eligible to apply to the CAF, you must:

Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada;
Be at least 18 years old (17 years old with parental consent), except:

For the paid education programs you may be 16 years old (with parental consent);
For the Primary Reserve you may be 16 years old (with parental consent) and must be enrolled as a full-time student;

Have completed at least Grade 12 or Secondaire V in Quebec (some jobs need higher levels of education).

Paid Education Options
Regular Officer Training Plan
Since Regular Force CAF officers are required to obtain a university degree, the CAF will pay successful recruits to complete a bachelor's program in the Royal Military College system. Recruits will receive full-time salaries, including medical and dental benefits, and paid vacation time, in exchange for working in the CAF for a period of time. Typically, candidates enter the Canadian Military College system as officer cadets and they study subjects relevant to both their military and academic careers. In rare instances, based on the needs of the CAF, candidates may be approved to attend another Canadian University, determined on a case-by-case basis. If you want to apply for this program, you must apply to the CAF. It is highly recommended to apply to other Canadian universities of your choice should you not be accepted for the Regular Officer Training Plan.

Work Environment
Engineer Officers are employed at bases and stations across Canada and deployed on operations around the world. They experience the unique adventures and challenges that come with working in different environments and in various terrains and climates, including Arctic tundra, tropical jungles, deserts, mountains, urban complexes and more.

Basic Military Officer Qualification After enrolment, you attend Basic Training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, for 12 weeks. Topics covered include:

General Military Knowledge
The Principles of Leadership
Regulations and Customs of the Forces
Basic Weapons Handling
First Aid

Opportunities will also be provided to apply such newly acquired military skills in training exercises involving force protection, field training, navigation and leadership. A rigorous physical fitness program is a vital part of Basic Training to ensure all recruits maintain the CAF physical fitness standard; as a result, the training is physically demanding but achievable.

Following Basic Training, official second language training may be offered to you. Training could take from two to nine months to complete depending on your ability in your second language.

After Basic Training, Engineer Officers attend the Infantry School at the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown, New Brunswick. They build upon their previous training and develop the skills required of all Combat Arms soldiers, including more advanced weapons handling, field craft and section-level tactics.

Engineer Officer Training
Engineer Officers attend the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Gagetown, New Brunswick.

For the first two and a half months, training focuses on basic combat engineering skills, including topics like:

Basic Demolitions
Mine Warfare
Obstacle Construction
Field Fortifications
Dismounted Infantry Tactics at the Platoon Level
A final three-week field deployment to assess the Officer's ability to lead a troop

The final nine months of training concentrates on reconnaissance, planning and troop-level combat engineer tasks. Topics include:

Bridge Building
Minefield Construction
Booby-Trap Clearance
Route Denial
Bridge Demolition
Combat Road Repair and Construction
Defensive Works
Timber and Rope Field Machines
Destruction of Battlefield Munitions
Construction of Temporary Camps
Breaching Various Obstacles in the Face of the Enemy
A final comprehensive four-week field deployment to assess all skills

Specialty Training
Engineer Officers may be offered the opportunity to develop specialized skills through formal courses and on-the-job training for topics like:

Mapping and Geodesic Support to Joint Operations
Infrastructure Engineering to Garrison and Deployed Installations
Technical Engineering to Support the Procurement and Management of Equipment

Direct Entry Officer Plan
If you already have a university or college diploma, the CAF will decide if your academic program matches the criteria for this job and may place you directly into the necessary on-the-job training program following Basic Training. Basic Training is required before being assigned.

Join the CAF
To learn more about becoming an Engineer Officer, visit forces.ca, talk to a recruiter at a centre near you or call 1-***.

Explore over 100 different career opportunities at forces.ca/en/careers.