As an Avionics Technician you’ll have the opportunity to work with the modern avionics systems fitted to our fleet of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, including the recently upgraded Orion P-3K2 maritime and reconnaissance aircraft and the new medium lift NH-90 helicopter; both at bases within New Zealand and in support of overseas operations and deployments.

As a highly trained Technician, you will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of a wide range of aircraft electronic and electrical systems and components. Working in a tightly knit maintenance team, your ability to ensure the serviceability and availability of key systems including the computer based Data Management Systems that forms the heart of the P-3K2; complex radar systems, radio and navigation equipment and multi-function digital displays, will be critical to providing aircraft capable of fulfilling a huge range of roles and tasks to support the New Zealand Defence Force.

Your ability to carry out all aspects of equipment installation, testing, trouble shooting, maintenance and repair will be tested to the full, whether it’s to find a system fault on an aircraft deployed in the Middle East or operating off a Naval vessel in the Pacific, or within a component in one of the maintenance facilities in New Zealand. All areas require the utmost dedication and professionalism in using your wide knowledge of electronics to meet our operational needs.

Job on Base

On a busy and highly fosused operational squadron, as an Avionics Technician you’ll be part of a multi-disciplined team, working closely will other technical trades to deliver aircraft suitable for tasking at home and overseas. You will be required to fulfill both technically challenging and safety critical tasks as well as the more routine requirements of keeping a busy flight line organized and efficient.

After completing training specific to the aircraft you’ll be employed on, you’ll gain experience working with other Avionics Technicians before becoming qualified to service and maintain the wide range of components and technologies fitted to the systems on board. You will be required to use your technical knowledge, a wide range of electronic test equipment, and system information to carry out day-to-day servicing, trouble shooting and fault finding of the aircraft systems and components. This could be within an onboard computer system or network, a complex radar system, safety critical communications systems or mission critical self protection systems. All will be required to ensure the full range of operational tasks can be fulfilled, and all to the exacting safety and airworthiness standards expected of Technicians in the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

Away from the busy flight line, the components removed from the aircraft will require repair and overhaul. We maintain our own repair facilities where you could delve deeply into both the new technologies found in computer systems and digital displays, or test your hand-skills in component replacement and repair of electro-mechanical items. With the opportunity to receive training from the equipment manufacturers, usually overseas, you’ll become the system specialist, able to provide serviceable items for aircraft on the flight line or for deployment in support of overseas flying operations; or maybe to provide specialist advice and called upon to assist the technicians on the flight line at any time.

As with any demanding role in the military, you’ll be required to meet and maintain a minimum fitness level; but with many sporting facilities available on the Bases and also sports represented to a high level, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the proud sporting tradition of a military organisation.

Job on Deployment

The opportunity to work away from Base in support of a continuously changing range of tasks can be one of the most challenging and fulfilling in your service career. Whether it is disaster relief, humanitarian aid,  assisting coalition partners, or an Exercise in New Zealand, those selected for providing the engineering support on a deployment will work within small, highly capable teams to keep the aircraft flying. The demands of working in these differing operating environments, sometimes with much longer working hours, but usually with a greater responsibilty, all serve to make this element of employment on an operating squadron very rewarding and highly satisfying.

Career Progression

As your career progresses, you’ll move on from being an Avionics Mechanic to being a fully qualified Avionics Technician. Later you will be given greater responsibilities in managing and maintaining aircraft and associated equipment. There is also the potential to move onto being a Senior Avionics Technician , where you’ll be required to perform military command and leadership duties supervising a small team of personnel. You may also be appointed as an instructor. Training to further develop leadership and personnel management skills will enable you to become more effective within the wider organisation

The is the minimum remuneration you will be paid from day one is $33,256. Your remuneration will increase upon graduation of your recruit course to $40,869 and will continue to increase on promotion and seniority.

• You must be at least 17 years of age.

• You must be a NZ citizen (some exceptions apply).

• You must be of good character – assessed by a study of testimonials and a police record check.

• Minimum of 12 NCEA Level 2 credits in English, Mathematics and a Science subject.

• You will need to complete the full-time 17 week Aeronautical Engineering Course with NMIT. This is undertaken privately and is a prerequisite to joining the RNZAF. Your NMIT Course fees will be reimbursed to you when you commence your RNZAF Avionics Mechanic Training Course. 

• Eyesight/colour perception restrictions apply.

• Woodbourne, near Blenheim

• Ohakea