Warfare Specialist (Submariner)
You’ll decide on the level of threat posed by detected vessels to make key decisions.
- £18,000 - £68,000
- No qualifications
- Submarine Service
- Warfare
- Rating level
£7,500
£23,496
Extra pay
£58,000
6 weeks
Travel

I haven’t been doing this job long, but I’m more confident than ever. I’ve just seen so much and made such a big difference when it’s mattered most. Not many people my age can say that.
Role details
What you’ll do
Being a Warfare Specialist (Submariner), means working with some of the most advanced computer systems available to identify, track and, if required, destroy potential threats. This will involve the covert monitoring of all other vessels (surface and sub-surface, friend or foe) within range of the advanced array of different sensors onboard. Every murmur will provide you with essential information that will need analysing and tracking in order to keep your crewmates safe and most highly classified missions on track. You will receive world class training and you will be part of the team responsible for keeping the submarine safe and able to fight. Operating throughout the world you‘ll need to be up for a challenge, working in some of the most demanding environments you can imagine, but if you‘re capable of that, you‘ll enjoy an exciting career within one of our most elite teams.
Your role
- You will work as in integral member of the Ship‘s Company and a proud representative of the Submarine Service. Operating the various Tactical systems assisting in all aspects of submarine warfare.
- When on the surface you will act as the Radar operator and as part of the Ship‘s Protection Force be trained in the use of weaponry, such as the 5.56mm rifle and General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), designed to protect the submarine and its Ship‘s Company in all areas around the globe.
- Using your expert knowledge gained during world class training, you will use some of our most advanced equipment to identify and track any contact (friend or foe), passing your assessments to the Warfare Officer who will use them to make key decisions.
- Whether you're at sea providing our nation‘s nuclear deterrent, hunting other submarines or on exercise in domestic waters, the work you do is vital to the navigation and warfare capabilities of your submarine.
Pay & benefits
- A starting salary of over £23,000, as soon as you finish training
- A potential salary of £68,000 as your career progresses
- A £7,500 bonus for earning your ‘Dolphins’ - the mark of the Submarine Service
- Additional Submariner pay each day at sea when fully qualified
- An excellent pension scheme
- Six weeks of paid holiday every year
- Free medical and dental care
Skills for life
Qualifications you'll gain
- We’ll make a contribution towards GCSEs, Masters degrees, and everything in between
- Gain specialist vocational qualifications
Skills you'll develop
- Hands-on experience with modern computer equipment
- The ability to work calmly under extreme pressure
Eligibility
- You need to be aged between 16-39
- There are no minimum qualification requirements
- 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
- You need to be a minimum height of 157cm
- A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18)
- Pass the Naval Swimming Test
Skills & interests
- Reliability and a willingness to learn
- First-class at working within a team
- A high level of physical and mental fitness
- An adventurous spirit
Joining process
From picking your role to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as a rating.
Submit an application
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
Interview
Candidate Preparation Course (CPC)
This four-day induction to life in the Royal Navy is a pass or fail course
Start training
Aim to get yourself as fit as possible before you arrive. You’ll be doing a lot of physical exercise, and you’ll find it much easier if you’re already in shape.
Career progression
Got a question?
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