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Navy

Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer

As a Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer you will lead a team of divers in the water doing explosive ordnance disposal, maritime security and mine clearance tasks.

Mō te tūranga

About the role

  • Specialisations

    Combat & Special Operations | Navigation | Officers & Management

  • Entry type

    Officer entry

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Location

    Devonport

As a Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (MCDO), you will work both above and under the water. You will lead a team of divers in the water doing explosive ordnance disposal, maritime security and mine clearance tasks. You will also manage the overall diving function including safety management, working ashore in a headquarters providing advice about diving capabilities, and commanding a dive team. As an MCDO, you will initially be in charge of a team of up to 10 personnel, and you will be responsible for their continued training, well being, career progression, and the maintenance of dive equipment.

As your career progresses, you will move into command positions, commanding NZDF personnel overseas on operations and exercises. MCDOs are the Navy's experts in clearance diving, mine counter measures, under water engineering, explosive ordnance disposal and improvised explosive device disposal.

As an MCDO your career will commence with Warfare Officer Training. The skillsets you develop in the first few years of your career, alongside your Warfare Officer Course mates will be developed as you progress. During breaks in your Warfare Officer training, whenever possible, you will conduct dive training and attachments to the Clearance Diving Group (HMNZS MATATAUA) and/or the diving support vessel (HMNZS MANWANUI) to begin to familiarise yourself with the equipment and operations required of an MCDO.


On achieving your Warfare Officer qualification milestones, you will undertake Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer Training as detailed below. Being an MCDO provides you with a specialised and exciting career but also provides you the option of one day becoming a Captain of your own ship.

The role of an MCDO is demanding physically and mentally. An MCDO needs to be fit and be able to work in extremely testing conditions. Once you are qualified as an MCDO you can expect various postings: to the Clearance Diving Group, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron, operational deployments to Coalition-led missions, and at sea on diving support vessels. 

Requirements

Basics

  • Be a minimum of 18 years of age upon entry.
  • Be free of any criminal conviction for the previous two years.
  • Pass an Officer Selection Board.
  • Pass the RNZN Diver Selection Board.

RNZN Diver Selection Board

The selection board helps to determine your aptitude and suitability for a career in the RNZN as a Diver or General List Executive Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (GLX MCDO). This is also an opportunity for you to gain insight into life as a RNZN Diver or GLX MCDO. The selection board takes place in Devonport, Auckland over 3 days.

Fitness & Medical

  • You must be medically fit for service.
  • You must meet the minimum entry fitness standards.
  • Once enlisted, and at time time you commence your first dive course you must pass the Diver trade Multi-Stage Fitness Test, with a minimum of:
    • Level 9.5 on the beep test
    • 30 press ups,
    • 30 abdominal curls,
    • 6 pull ups, and
    • 400m fin-swim in no more than 8mins, 30 secs.
  • Colour perception requirements may apply. 

 

Citizenship

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required TSV security clearance for this trade. You must be free of any criminal convictions for the previous two years.

Find out if you’re eligible here.

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.

“I’ve lead a team to the Solomon Islands to do some EOD work clearing all the explosive remnants of WWII... To go out and get rid of all that danger for them was pretty cool.”

  • Job on base

    While on base, you will be posted to the Clearance Diving Group as a Team Leader. You will have an important part to play in the planning of future operations and exercises.

     

    Your experience and professional ability will be tested as many other Defence Force organisations will come to you for diving assistance and expert advice. Likewise, you will need to assist your team who have equipment issues or organisational matters to resolve. In addition, you can expect to carry out weekly diving to maintain underwater skills, conduct morning physical training as a unit and complete reports, planning and projects.

     

    As an MCDO, you will be in charge of a team and be responsible for their continued training, well being and career progression.

Career progression and training

01Career Progression

02Basic Training

03Job Training

04Ongoing 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 Navy 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.

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Future potential earnings

    $142,000

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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
20210621 NZDF C1033116 003 v22

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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Ready to start your Navy career?

Medical & Fitness

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