Royal Australian Air Force careers

Air Force offers hundreds of rewarding careers for men and women within 60 different trades, specialisations and professions.

All Air Force recruitment is handled by Defence Force Recruiting. You can visit their comprehensive website or call them on 13 19 01.

Air Force offers careers in:

You can join the:

Men and women aged 17–51 can apply for most jobs (up to 56 for the Air Force Reserve). Some careers have narrower age limits, eg, firefighters, and some have wider limits, eg, chaplains. Women cannot be Airfield Defence Guards.

Citizenship: Air Force personnel must be Australian citizens or permanent residents. Air Force occasionally recruits personnel from allied defence forces to fill specific vacancies in our ranks; any such vacancies are advertised on the Overseas Candidates page of the Defence Force Recruiting website. This is quite separate to any exchange postings, which are coordinated by the allied defence force posting their member into the exchange position.

Aptitude: you must demonstrate enthusiasm for a career in the Air Force and a willingness and capability to learn. Some careers have further requirements, eg, officers need to show leadership potential.

Education: there are more options for the more educated but there are careers for anyone who has completed at least Year 9 English and maths. If you are currently studying at university, you may be elibigible for sponsorship by the RAAF Undergraduate Scheme.

Health: your health will be assessed as part of the normal recruitment medical process described on Defence Force Recruiting Medical Requirements. Some careers have further requirements, eg, aircrew need to be fit to fly.

Fitness: you will need to be reasonably fit to complete both recruitment and training, as described below. Some careers have further requirements, eg, Airfield Defence Guards need to maintain a high standard of fitness.

Minimum period of service: varies depending upon your Air Force career but is generally at least four years for airmen and airwomen and six years for officers to repay our investment in your training.

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