Defence Force Member
Defence force members serve in the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army or Royal Australian Air Force, in roles that run from frontline combat to engineering, trades, health, logistics and intelligence.
- Median salary*
- $87,400
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 17,000
1.2%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +9.4%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 47/wk
+7h vs all jobs
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
Defence force members work from bases and ships around Australia and overseas, and most are posted to a new location every few years. Everyone begins with initial military training before moving into trade or corps training, and the working year splits between base routine, exercises and deployments. The role differs from police work in that members serve under military law and a chain of command rather than civilian law, and from a defence force officer role, which carries a commission and formal command responsibility.
How much do defence force members earn?
The median full-time salary for a defence force member is $87,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,500 since 2018.
Pay rises with rank and with years of service, and allowances often make up a large share of what a member takes home: seagoing, deployment, hardship and rent assistance all sit on top of the base rate. Trade and specialist qualifications can lift it further, and some periods of service in designated areas are tax-free. Where you are posted changes your allowances more than your base pay.
What does a defence force member do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Training on and maintaining equipment, vehicles or weapons systems, then requalifying on them regularly to stay current
- Standing watch, guard or duty rosters, which run around the clock on ships, bases and deployed units
- Deploying on exercises or operations, often away from home for weeks or months at a time
- Keeping fitness, medical and security clearance standards current, since a lapse in any of them can narrow what you are cleared to do
- Handling personal administration such as postings, leave and allowances, which members manage themselves rather than through a civilian HR team
What skills do defence force members need?
Employers look for emergency response, regulatory compliance, risk and internal controls, backed by Military communication systems fluency and strong problem solving.
Specialist skills
- Emergency response
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk and internal controls
- Project management
Software and tools
- Military communication systems
- GPS and navigation equipment
- Tactical planning software
- Equipment operation manuals
- Training simulation systems
General skills
- Problem solving
- People leadership
- Written communication
- Attention to detail
Is the job growing?
About 17,000 people work as defence force members in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 9.4% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a defence force member?
Here's the path most defence force members take, step by step.
- 1Check that you meet the entry requirements
You generally need to be an Australian citizen or eligible for citizenship, pass medical and fitness standards, and be able to obtain a security clearance. Individual roles add their own prerequisites, such as eyesight standards, aptitude scores or a swimming test.
- 2Sit aptitude testing and an assessment day
Defence recruiting uses aptitude tests to match you to roles, followed by interviews, medical checks and a physical fitness assessment. The role you choose here sets your training path, so it pays to research a few before you commit.
- 3Complete recruit training
Initial training runs for around three months, is paid, and covers drill, fitness, weapons handling and military law. It is residential, and for many people it is the most demanding part of the whole process.
- 4Move into employment or trade training
Corps or trade training then runs from a few months to more than a year depending on the role, and technical trades come with nationally recognised qualifications. This is where the job you will actually do day to day takes shape.
- 5Apply for a commission if you want to lead
Officer entry goes through the Australian Defence Force Academy, which combines a degree at UNSW Canberra with military training and is paid for in return for a service obligation, or through direct entry for people who already hold a degree.
Ready to apply as a defence force member?
Whether you're working toward becoming a defence force member or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a defence force member move to?
Moving into Defence Force Officer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $96,800 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defence Force Officer Military training and leadership carry into the commissioned officer pathway, which formalises command and management skills.Known move | +$96,800 | 48% | reskill |
| Supply Chain Manager Logistics, inventory and deployment planning experience transfers into managing supply chains in civilian organisations.Known move | +$60,000 | 24% | reskill |
| Police Officer Discipline, fitness and operational experience suit policing, though recruits still complete police training and probation.Known move | +$45,700 | 32% | requalify |
| Intelligence Analyst Security clearance and operational experience in intelligence roles carry across to analytical work in government agencies.Known move | +$25,600 | 39% | reskill |
| Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Hands-on aviation trade experience carries across, but civilian licensing requires an apprenticeship pathway for recognition.Known move | +$15,600 | 16% | requalify |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a defence force member?
The typical defence force member is 27 years old; 82% are men, 92% work full-time, and full-timers average 47 hours a week.
- 27
- Median age
- 18%
- Female share
- 92%
- Full-time
- +7h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a defence force member?
Life as a defence force member follows a rhythm of base routine, training and deployment, and the work rarely stays in one place or one skill for long. Postings move you around the country every few years, which suits people who want variety and can handle being away, and complicates partners' careers and children's schooling in ways that are hard to plan around. Fitness, medical and clearance standards are ongoing requirements rather than hurdles you clear once.
What people like
- The path is structured from day one. Training, rank and progression are mapped out, and you are paid while you learn rather than funding your own qualification first.
- Skills that carry across to civilian work. Trades, licences and leadership experience are recognised outside Defence, and the security clearance many roles require is valued by government agencies and contractors.
- Small teams where the work depends on each other. Members work in units where one person's job rests on the next, and that shared reliance is the part many people say they miss after leaving.
- Variety and travel. Postings, exercises and deployments move you between locations, roles and countries, so few years look alike.
What people find hard
- Time away from home. Deployments and exercises can take you away for weeks or months, and the timing is set by the service rather than by you or your family.
- Postings reshape family life. A posting can mean a new city, a new school and a partner starting over in their own career, often with limited say in when it happens.
- Rank and rules follow you off base. Defence law, grooming standards and rules about online conduct and social media apply whether you are on duty or not, and they are stricter than most civilian workplaces.
- Personal admin is yours to manage. Postings, allowances, leave and medical paperwork land on the member, and sorting them out late costs time and money.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ defence force members?
Public Administration and Safety employs the largest share of defence force members.
Top employing industries
- 1Public Administration and Safety
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 50% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 25.6% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 11% | |
| Bachelor degree | 7.7% | |
| Postgraduate | 2.9% |
Will AI replace defence force members?
This is a low-exposure role. The core of the job is physical, situational and accountable in ways software cannot take on: patrolling, operating equipment, treating casualties or holding a position. Simulation systems, GPS and sensor feeds, and logistics software already shape training and planning, but they change how decisions are prepared rather than who carries them out.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Physical training, drill and weapons handlingFitness, drill and weapons drills are taught and assessed in person, and simulation only supplements range and field practice.30%low
- Operating and maintaining equipment on exercise or deploymentDiagnosing a fault on a vehicle, radio or weapons system in the field depends on hands, conditions and judgement that sensors do not replace.30%low
- Planning, briefing and reporting within the chain of commandPlanning software and shared maps speed up orders and briefings, but a commander still sets the intent and answers for the plan.25%moderate
- Administrative paperwork, records and returnsPay, leave, allowance and maintenance records are largely digital already, and routine data entry keeps shifting to automated systems.15%high
Common questions about becoming a defence force member
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do defence force members get paid?
The median full-time defence force member earns $87,400 per year before tax, though what you take home depends on rank, years of service and allowances. Seagoing, deployment, hardship and rent assistance can add substantially to the base rate, and some deployments are served in tax-free areas.
How do you become a defence force member?
You apply through Defence recruiting, pass aptitude testing plus medical and fitness assessments, then complete about three months of paid recruit training before your trade or corps training. You need to be an Australian citizen or eligible for citizenship, and most roles require a security clearance that takes time to obtain.
Are defence force members in demand?
Defence force members are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 9.4% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. Defence recruits across a wide range of roles throughout the year, so entry depends more on your fitness, medical results and clearance than on a single competitive intake.
Will AI replace defence force members?
AI does not replace the core of this work, which is physical, situational and accountable in ways software cannot take on. Simulation systems, GPS and sensor feeds, and logistics software already shape how training and planning are done, but they change how decisions are prepared rather than who carries them out under a chain of command.
What can a defence force member move into?
Commissioned ranks are a regular step, and moving into a defence force officer role formalises the command work you already do, which typically pays $96,800 more. Intelligence analyst and supply chain manager roles both draw on clearance, planning and logistics experience, though each needs some retraining. Aircraft maintenance engineering and policing value the trade and discipline as well, but both require a civilian licence or police training before you can practise.
Do you get to choose where you are posted?
You can list preferences and postings take them into account, but the needs of the service come first. Members who want more control often look at roles based at a fixed location, or transfer to the reserves once their initial period of service is complete.
Related roles
- Defence Force Officer
- Intelligence Analyst
- Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
- Supply Chain Manager
- Police Officer
- Deckhand
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