engineering
intelligence
Soldier
Regular

Geographic Technician

Become an expert in analysing terrain to deliver mapping products, producing vital intelligence to inform commanders on the ground.

Starting salary
£26,334
Age range
16.6 to 35.6

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Role details

Entry Requirements

Age

To apply for this position, you must be between 16 years & 6 months old and 35 years & 6 months old at the time of your application.

Fitness

Mid Thigh Pull 50kg
Medicine Ball Throw 3m (Army Reserve 2.7m)
2km run 11 min

More information about the fitness test

Education

GCSE Grade A–C/9-5 or Scottish National 5 grade A-C, in Maths and

GCSE Grade A–C/9-4, or Scottish National 5 grade A-C, in English Language and one other subject.

Security Clearance Required:

CTC (Counter Terrorist Check)
SC (Security Check) at Phase 1Training
DV (Developed Vetting) at Phase 2 Training

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Unsure about any requirements? Our recruitment team is here to help.

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About the Role

Where’s the best place to build a helicopter landing site? What’s the best route for a tank? And where would a missile do the most damage? Geographic Technicians answer all these questions and more. Trained in high-tech Geographic Information Systems, they analyse the landscape and give us vital data about it. Join us in this key role and you’ll learn to scan satellite pictures for enemy sites, make 3D models of the battlefield, plan special routes and more. Your training can take you far – within and outside the Army – plus, you’ll get to travel and do sports with mates.
Geographic Technician is a Geographic role in the Royal Engineers. All the Royal Engineer soldier job roles are divided into 5 groups. When you apply to the Engineers, you will apply to the trade group rather than the specific trade.

Key Responsibilities

Learn to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Become an expert in positional surveying
Work with geographic data and satellite imagery
Create geographic products using advanced software
Deploy all over the world and advise senior commanders

Training

Step 1
Your initial military training teaches you how to be a soldier, covering everything from fieldcraft to how to handle a rifle.

If you join as a Junior Soldier (under 17 years and 6 months), you’ll do a short military training course at Harrogate.
If you join as a Regular Soldier (over 17 years and 6 months), you’ll do the regular adult basic training.

Step 2
Then it’s off to the Royal School of Military Engineering in Minley, Surrey, for 12 weeks. Here, you learn military engineering skills, such as knots and lashings, demolition, mine warfare and bridge building. Next stop is the Defence School of Transport in Leconfield for your C+E (LGV) licence. Finally, you go to the Royal School of Military Survey in Hermitage in Berkshire. Over 42 weeks, you learn about GIS, geographic data, satellite imagery and terrain analysis.