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Airforce

Environmental Health Officer

Environmental Health Officers who are described as Force Health Protection Officers, plan, coordinate and implement control strategies to minimise adverse health impacts from the environment and the workplace.

Mō te tūranga

About the role

  • Specialisations

    Healthcare | Officers & Management

  • Entry type

    Officer entry

  • Specialist starting salary

    $77,181

  • Location

    Whenuapai, Ohakea

The role is a combination of environmental/public health and occupational hygiene. Occupational hygiene generally typically occupies 50% of the normal work role both in New Zealand and overseas.

You will also develop public health related training packages and programmes that will be used on deployed operations or humanitarian assistance and disaster relief duties.

Ultimately your advice and input helps to ensure the health and safety of our people and the success of operations conducted both at home and overseas.

Responsibilities

Areas of responsibility of Force Health Protection Officers include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Water safety;
  • Food safety;
  • Occupational hygiene;
  • Field hygiene and Waste management;
  • Pest and Vector control;
  • Emergency management;
  • Workplace assessments;
  • Communicable disease; and
  • Public Health assessments and investigations

Requirements

Basics

  • Must be 18 years old by the time you graduate from recruit course.
  • Eligible to meet national security clearance criteria, as stipulated by the Government's Protective Security Requirements.
  • Pass an Officer Selection Board.

Education

Candidates should have qualified or be near completion of the Grad Dip EH and/or BHlthSc (EH), or other recognised qualification under the Environmental Health Officer (Qualifications) Regulations 1993 (or overseas equivalent.) To be competitive, we recommend that at least three years of professional work as an EHO or PHO is undertaken prior to application.

 

Scholarship Entry

The Air Force offer undergraduate scholarships for candidates who demonstrate the qualities required to become an Environmental Health Officer.

The scholarships are:

  • RNZAF Undergraduate Scheme: Study at an approved university institution of your choice while the Air Force covers your fees and a living allowance on a ‘year for a year’ return of service basis.
  • Graduate Incentive Scheme: Study at the university of your choice, and on completion of your degree, you will be paid an increasing incentive over the next four years with the monetary value based on the number of full time study years successfully completed.

View our Scholarship programs.

Citizenship

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required SV security clearance for this trade.
Find out if you’re eligible here.

Period of Service

There may be a return of service period for this trade.

Please contact our 0800 number or talk to your Candidate Experience Facilitator for more information.

We offer guidance on entry requirements in our eligibility section. Apply if you're uncertain, as we’ll work through the criteria with you to determine if you can proceed.

  • Job on base

    When not overseas, you will be working as part of a multi disciplinary health and safety team conducting public health assessments, environmental health training courses and assisting with biosecurity arrangements, border health controls and occupational hygiene assessments.

  • Job on deployment

    You will conduct comprehensive health threat assessments, assist with setting up of field camps, provide specialist advice on field hygiene, waste and water management, biosecurity, pest and vector control and environmental and industrial hazards.

    You will deploy in support of New Zealand Defence military operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief both within New Zealand and overseas. Deployment time frames are normally for weeks at a time, but may on rare occasions extend to a six month period.

    In most cases Force Health Protection Officers are required to carry out their duties to support the role of Force Health Protection with minimum supervision, although they may be co-located or working with environmental health personnel from the NZ Army or other overseas military forces.

Career progression and training

01Basic Training

02Job Training

03Ongoing Training

Benefits & allowances

Earn a competitive salary while training or learning your trade, along with additional allowances for time spent in the field, at sea, overseas, or deployed on operations.

In addition to salary and allowances, other benefits of joining the New Zealand Defence Force include:

  • Access to your Service marae or tūrangawaewae
  • Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels
  • Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases
  • Opportunities to travel
  • Free and subsidised medical and dental care
  • Subsidised food and accommodation on camps and bases
  • Free and subsidised insurance cover
  • Help to buy a home and save for retirement

Salary & benefits

Careers in the Air Force are well-rewarded, as well as being diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, you will see your salary rise accordingly.

  • Specialist starting salary

    $77,181

  • Future potential earnings

    $154,956

20220909 NZDF R1055140 005

Am I fit enough?

If you want to be part of the NZ Defence Force you need to be medically and physically fit for military duties worldwide.

Medical & Fitness
Air Force Application Process 20240920

The application process

Your step-by-step guide on what to expect at various stages of the application process, specifically for military roles.

Application process
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