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Job Role
Warfare Officer
Job Role

Warfare Officer

You’ll contribute to the success of every mission, and make key strategic decisions on some of the most advanced warships in the world.

TechnologyWeaponsManagementStrategicWarfare
  • £33,000 - £117,500
  • A-Levels / college qualifications
  • Surface Fleet
  • Warfare
  • Officer level

At a glance

This job sits within the Warfare Profession and is a Warfare Officer role. You’ll be in the heart of the action, making key strategic decisions on board some of the most advanced warships on the planet. You and the team you lead provide the capabilities that are vital to protecting our nation’s interests.

£33,000

Your minimum salary from day one

£41,000

Your approximate salary after two years

6 weeks

Of paid holiday every year

Free

Medical and dental care

Management

Opportunities early on

Travel

All around the world
Officer looking through binoculars
My job is pretty intense, which is why I love it. There’s never a dull moment, and being responsible for the safety of everyone on board is so rewarding.

Sian

Warfare Officer, Warfare Branch

Role details

What you’ll do

Joining the Royal Navy as a Warfare Officer means making key strategic decisions on board some of the most advanced warships on the planet. You’ll be more operationally active than most Naval personnel as you provide the warfare capabilities that are essential to protecting our nation’s interests, all over the world. From starting as an Officer of the Watch, to becoming a Principal Warfare Officer, the Executive Officer, or the Commanding Officer, you’ll manage a team of dedicated sailors, in a range of unique and challenging environments.

Your role

  • Contribute to the success of every mission, using your skills as a seaman, and as a leader, to operate in all conditions. Keeping the crew safe is your remit, so when the unexpected happens, everyone looks to you.
  • Be a key part of some essential operations. You might be on a Type 45 Destroyer conducting anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean, or escorting a mine hunter that’s sweeping the Persian Gulf.
  • Take on real responsibility from day one, using your knowledge and experience as a professional sailor to tackle anything, from navigation, to planning boarding parties.
  • React to ever-changing situations, using your tactical skills to achieve a successful outcome, whatever the operation.

Pay & benefits

  • A starting salary of over £33,000
  • Salary rising to around £41,000 after just two years
  • An excellent pension scheme
  • Six weeks of paid holiday every year
  • Free medical and dental care
  • Extra pay for every day spent at sea

Skills for life

Qualifications you'll gain

  • We’ll make a significant contribution towards GCSEs, Masters degrees, and everything in between
  • Gain internationally recognised professional qualifications as your career progresses

Skills you'll develop

  • Gain the unique naval leadership and management skills that are highly valued by civilian employers
  • Develop an in-depth knowledge of life as a professional seaman, from navigating and manoeuvring, to more advanced war-fighting skills

Eligibility

  • You’ll need to be aged 18 to 39
  • You’ll need a minimum of 72 UCAS points. These can be accrued from either GCE A/AS levels (or equivalent) or National Diplomas (e.g., BTEC)
  • You'll need at least 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C (9-4) (or Scottish equivalent) which must include English Language and Mathematics
  • You must be a United Kingdom citizen or British Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply
  • Applicants who have resided outside the UK over the previous 5 years may require a residency waiver
  • A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18

Skills & Interests

  • An ability to thrive on responsibility and lead from the front
  • Confidence making key decisions in high-pressure situations
  • Calmness under pressure and a love of teamwork
  • A passion for life at sea

Joining Process

From picking your role to the first day of training; everything you need to know as an officer

Step 1

Submit an application

Once you’ve registered your interest in a Profession, and have satisfied some basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form.

Step 2

Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)

Depending on Profession applied for and professionally qualified status, 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.

practise the DAA
Step 3

Interview

A  Career Interview to talk through suitability of your chosen Profession and discussion of your preferred roles that are available within that Profession, including Submarine service.  It will also cover the initial stages of the Security application. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform.

Step 4

Medical and Fitness Assessments

This is conducted at one of our Candidate Preparation Centres and will include a Fitness and Medical Assessment.

Step 5

Admiralty Interview Board (AIB)

The AIB is conducted online and made up of two assessments, . A Pre-Recorded Interview (PRI) online assessment that assesses your awareness and motivation to join the Royal Navy as an officer. The Group Planning Exercise (GPE) is the second stage online competency-based assessment which will take place approximately 3 weeks after the PRI. It will be conducted in a virtual group environment, and you will be assessed on your contribution to the team based on your individual performance.

Step 6

Start training

Once you’ve passed all eligibility criteria, including a Security Check, you’ll be offered a place at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) to commence your initial training.

Career Progression

From responsibilities to pay, find out where this role can take you.
Phase one training
Initial Naval Training at Britannia Royal Naval College
Phase two training
Professional training, develop tactical and navigation skills
First year
Junior Officers Leadership Course, spend time at sea
First promotion – Lieutenant
Further develop your skills, become an Office of the Watch
Second promotion – Lieutenant Commander
Principle Warfare Officer Course, learn to fight the ship

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