High demand role
This is a highly competitive role with a potential long lead time to join.
You may wish to consider joining the Royal Navy as a Royal Marines Commando or an Engineering Technician.
Job Role
Mine Clearance Diver
You’ll identify mines or other explosives and dispose of them, whether they’re in shallow water or out at sea.
- £18,500 - £56,000
- No qualifications
- Surface Fleet
- Warfare
- Rating level
At a glance
From the moment you join, you’ll train to become a world-class diver, travelling the world as part bomb disposal expert, part sub-aqua specialist. IIt’s physically demanding, but hugely rewarding.
£23,496
Minimum annual salary after training
£56,383
Earn in excess of this amount as your career progresses
Extra pay
Get diving pay starting at £4.62 per day when qualified
6 weeks
Of paid holiday every year
Travel
All around the world
Zero
Qualifications needed
When the unmanned systems can’t be used to dispose of a device, I’m the person everyone looks to. Knowing that I’m playing a big part in keeping people safe is a great feeling.
Role details
What you’ll do
From the moment you join, you’ll train to become a world-class diver, wherever you are in the world. Being a Royal Navy Mine Clearance Diver means you’re part bomb disposal master, part sub-aqua specialist. Because there’s only a handful of divers on any ship, you’ll form close bonds with your team and be central to their – and your crewmates’ – safety. This is one of the most physically demanding roles in the Royal Navy. And it’s hugely rewarding too.
Your role
- Play a central role in maritime counter-terror operations, whether you’re shore-based or on board a ship.
- Work collaboratively and inspire team morale, from pairing up on dives, to helping prepare your mate’s equipment.
- Embrace constant challenges, develop your skills, and have the opportunity to progress quickly to a Command role.
- Learn how to deal with a range of ordnance, from state-of-the-art mines to World War Two devices.
Pay & benefits
- A salary that rises to at least £23,496 after initial training
- Earn in excess of £56,383 as your career develops
- An excellent pension scheme
- Six weeks of paid holiday every year
- Free medical and dental care
- Additional diving pay of at least £4.62 per day when qualified
Skills for life
Qualifications you'll gain
- We’ll make a contribution towards GCSEs, Masters degrees, and everything in between
- Specialist vocational qualifications as your career progresses
Skills you'll develop
- The ability to work accurately and calmly under extreme pressure in challenging and potentially dangerous situations
- How to use hydraulic tools and hand tools to conduct basic underwater engineering
- Various search methods on air and mixed gas diving life support equipment while working to a maximum depth of 60 metres
Eligibility
- Aged 18 to 37
- You must be a United Kingdom citizen or British Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply
- You must have lived in the UK for 5 years continuously prior to application
- A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18)
- Pass the Naval Swimming Test
- A full UK Driving Licence covering manual vehicles must be held when you apply
Skills & Interests
- An ability to thrive in high-pressure situations
- A love of teamwork
- A passion for life at sea
- A sense of adventure
- A high level of physical and mental fitness
Joining Process
From picking your role to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as a rating.
Step 1
Submit an application
Once you’ve registered your interest and have satisfied the basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form
Step 2
Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)
You’ll be tested on: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension.
To prepare, you can practise the DAA
Step 3
Interview
A formal interview to talk through your suitability for the role. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform
Step 4
Diving medical test
Specific to the rigours of being a diver
Step 5
Pre-Joining Fitness Test Plus (PJFT+)
Three circuits of 20 x burpees, 30 x sit ups, 20 x press ups and a one minute plank. On completion of the three circuits you will have to perform a set of five pull ups. You will do this at a fitness centre near you
Step 6
Candidate Preparation Course (CPC)
This four-day induction to life in the Royal Navy, including a Swimming Test and a fitness assessment, is a pass or fail course
Step 7
Start training
Career Progression
From responsibilities to pay, find out where this role can take you.
Day one
our Royal Navy career begins with 10 weeks’ initial training at HMS Raleigh, a shore base in Torpoint, Cornwall. The discipline, teamwork, organisational, firefighting and weapon handling skills you learn here will stay with you right through your career.
Year one
Join a ship as part of the diving team, develop skills
First promotion
Become Leading Hand and further develop skills
Second promotion
Become Petty Officer and lead a team as Diving Supervisor
Got a question?
Our virtual recruiter is available to answer your questions 24 hours a day