Engineer Officer

As a member of the military, Engineer Officers help the army live, move and fight. They are members of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers. Together with the Armour, Infantry and Artillery, Engineer Officers are an integral part of the Combat Arms.

The primary responsibility of Engineer Officers is combat readiness. Either working within Canada during an emergency or on international missions, Engineer Officers are responsible for:

• Constructing habitable camps
• Breaching minefields
• Using explosives to destroy a road or bridge
• Constructing a bridge or ferry
• Building a combat road
• Disposing explosives
• Constructing obstacles

Work environment

Engineer Officers are employed at bases and stations across Canada and on deployed operations around the world. They experience the unique adventures and challenges that come with working in different environments and various terrains – Arctic tundra, tropical jungle, desert, mountains, urban complex – and various climates.

If you chose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part-time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

Once they’ve completed their occupational training, Engineer Officers are assigned to a unit within one of several Engineer regiments across Canada. A busy schedule consists of planning for training exercises, leading troops, and administrative work common to all officers.

Engineer officers can specialize in an operations career stream that includes things like combat diving, explosives, and heavy equipment operations or choose a career path in geomatics or infrastructure management.

If you already have a university degree, the Forces will decide if your academic program matches the criteria for this job and may place you directly into the required on-the-job training program following basic training. Basic training and military officer qualification training are required before being assigned.