Cyberspace Communications Infrastructure Technician CURRENTLY RECRUITING

As a Communications Infrastructure Technician you will provide communication for the RAF’s digital infrastructure ecosystem by installing and maintaining essential fibre optic and data communication cables, radome structures and antenna masts working at height or in secure operation rooms.

Learn more about this role

Pay During First Six Months £16,800+ + Benefits

Pay Until Completion Of Phase Two Training* £21,400+ + Benefits

Is this for you?

APPLICANTS MUST:

  • Be aged 16 – 47 years old (Must attest before 48th birthday)
  • Have GCSE at Grade C/4 or SCE Standard at Grade 2/Scottish National 5 (Grade A – C) in English Language and Maths
  • Must complete a specialist interview which includes a climbing aptitude test at RAF Digby, Lincolnshire
  • You must be a citizen of the United Kingdom or dual UK/Other nationality
  • Commit to minimum 3 years post Phase Two Training
  • Pass the Defence Aptitude Assessment
  • Pass a Fitness test - Details below

GREAT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN:

  • Building and Problem solving
  • Gaming & Computers
  • Travelling the world

VIEW ALL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

TYPICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Repair, maintain and recover communication equipment.
  • Investigate and fix faults with antenna systems, fibre optic and data communication cables.
  • Assemble and install communication infrastructure such as antenna masts, fibre optic cables and radome installation structures.

MY ROLE AS A CIT

MY ROLE AS A CIT

Communications Infrastructure Technicians (CIT) ensure that the RAF communicates effectively and remains at the forefront of a progressive cyber engineering industry. You will be part of a highly trained workforce responsible for planning, installing, maintaining and recovering a huge array of communications infrastructure.
Voice and data networks are a key element to the RAF’s capability and CIT’s provide the vital planning, installation, configuration and certifying of these. For example, you could be responsible for the installation, testing, and commissioning of services within external pits and ducts and trunking containment within a building. This installation could also include termination of the feeds in a wall socket, network cabinets, or internet access point providing critical communications services to personnel all over the world. CITs are the subject matter experts on Working at Height, across all three Armed Services, as such you will be required to work at heights in excess of 100 metres on support structures such as masts, towers and radomes. You will be trained in safe working practices for Working at Height using the various types of climbing, safety, fall arrest and rescue equipment. CITs can spend many months of the year on the road so there will be frequent opportunities for travel around the UK or overseas bases on operations and exercises worldwide.

WHY JOIN THE RAF?

Thanks to subsidised food, travel and accommodation and free gym you get more money in your pocket.

Salary
Benefits Salary
Civilian Role
RAF Role
  • Rent from £75p/m
  • Free gym
  • Subsidised food
  • Health care
  • World travel
  • 6 weeks holiday

See All Benefits

WAYNE ,Communication Infrastructure Technician WAYNE ,Communication Infrastructure Technician
You really feel like you’ve achieved something when someone’s got no communications, they’ve lost everything, and you go in there and repair it.

WAYNE Communication Infrastructure Technician

TRAINING AND CAREERS

TRAINING YOU'LL RECEIVE

Your career will start with 10 weeks of basic recruit training at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. The course is designed to help you adjust to military life. As well as fitness and military training, you will also learn about the RAF lifestyle.

SPECIALIST TRAINING

On graduation from Basic Recruit Training, you will move to RAF Digby and attend specialist Communication Infrastructure Technician training. This 26-week course is designed to prepare you for your first assignment by giving you necessary skill sets and knowledge across all aspects of the Communication Infrastructure Technician Trade. You will study a wide range of subjects such as Antenna Theory, Installation and Maintenance practices of Communications Components, Transmission Principles of Digital Information over Networks, Working at Height and in Confined Spaces, Rescue Procedures, Health & Safety and Basic Engineering. Your trade training also incorporates a number of non-technical elements such as sport and adventurous training activities which are designed to develop self-confidence, team work, communication skills and
leadership.

More Details +

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

As a Communication Infrastructure Technician, you will be enrolled in a Network Cable Installer Advanced Apprenticeship which includes an industry standard Level 3 Managing and Supervising Working at Height qualification. You will also be offered the opportunity to apply for professional registration as a full member of a national Engineering Institute licensed by the Engineering Council, this would provide international recognition of your qualifications.

ONGOING TRAINING/DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

As a Communication Infrastructure Technician, there are various opportunities to developing your skill sets. As you undertake new roles, you will have the chance to take courses that will help you
meet the challenges in your new posts, such as; CISCO networking, Certificate in Digital Applications and Project Management.

YOUR FUTURE CAREER PROSPECTS AND PROGRESSION

After a year, you will be eligible for promotion to Senior Aircraftman/woman when you pass the Trade Ability Test. Further promotion to the rank of Corporal and beyond is by competitive
selection and will require the completion of further periods of Command and Management Training to prepare you for the demands of your new rank. If you reach Flight Sergeant, you will then move out of the Communications Infrastructure Technician trade and become ICT Manager.

YOUR FIRST TOUR

For your first assignment, you will be posted to an RAF base in the UK with experienced Communication Infrastructure Technicians, where you will be part of small teams responsible for maintaining various RAF stations communications within the UK or overseas. You will have the opportunity to develop a range of skills which include maintenance of aircraft ground support and navigation aids communications, fibre optics and structured cabling, radome maintenance and installations and mast and tower construction.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

The skills and experience you gain throughout your career as a Communication Infrastructure Technician in the RAF will equip you for a number of civilian jobs in the public and private sector. These include: Wind turbine Technicians, Network & Data Communications Engineers, Mast & Towers Telecoms Technicians & Power Engineers.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

ALL APPLICANTS MUST:

You must be a citizen of the United Kingdom or dual UK/Other nationality.

Be aged 16 – 47 years old (Must attest before 48th birthday)

*Until at least you have completed one year of service and successfully completed Professional Workplace Assessments on first posting.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Have these minimum grades:

  GCSE GCSE 2017 SNE
Mathematics C Grade 4 Grade 5
English Language C Grade 4 Grade 5

You can see what the RAF accepts in lieu of GCSEs & A Levels here.

NATIONALITY & RESIDENCY

You must be a citizen of the United Kingdom or dual UK/Other nationality.

Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should have resided there for the 5 years immediately preceding your application. However, candidates with a minimum of 3 years will be considered.

FITNESS REQUIREMENTS

You must be physically fit to complete both initial and specialist training, and to do your role effectively. To check your fitness levels, we put every candidate through at least two separate fitness tests as part of the application process.

The first of these is the Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFT) which takes place at a fitness centre local to you. This consists of the following:

  • 2.4km (1.5m) run on a treadmill (set to zero incline)
  • Achieve the required number of press-ups - within 60 seconds
  • Achieve the required number of sit-ups - within 60 seconds

The second fitness test will take place at RAF Halton on day one of your initial training. This consists of the following:

  • Achieving the required score on the Multi-Stage Fitness Test (MSFT or Bleep test)
  • Achieve the required number of press-ups - within 60 seconds
  • Achieve the required number of sit-ups - within 60 seconds

How fit you need to be to pass these tests can vary depending on role, age and gender. The requirements are listed on the charts below (Men and Women).

MEN - 100% pass rates:
AGE 2.4 Km Run Multi-Stage Fitness Test Press-ups Sit-ups
  (Mins) (Score) (No.) (No.)
15-16 11.39 9.03 20 35
17-29 11.11 9.10 20 35
30-34 11.36 9.04 19 32
35-39 12 8.09 18 29
40-44 12.26 8.03 17 26
45-47 12.54 7.07 16 23

 

WOMEN - 100% pass rates:
AGE 2.4 Km Run Multi-Stage Fitness Test Press-ups Sit-ups
  (Mins) (Score) (No.) (No.)
15-16 13.54 6.07 10 32
17-29 13.23 7.02 10 32
30-34 13.47 6.08 9 29
35-39 14.13 6.04 8 26
40-44 14.48 5.08 7 23
45-47 15.19 5.04 6 20

You can see the protocols for Press Ups & Sit Ups here:

PJFT/PRFV Protocols

You can download an MP3 file of the Multi-Stage Fitness Test below, listen to the introduction file first:

RAF MSFT: Intro

RAF MSFT: Bleep Test

You can see a video demonstration of the PRFV Fitness Test here:

RAF PRFV Fitness Test

A 12-week fitness plan with detailed information to help you get ready for all of the fitness tests can be downloaded here.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

BEFORE YOUR APPLICATION:

There are health requirements that must be met by all applicants:

  • Body Mass Index requirements:

Age

Male and female minimum

Male and female maximum

Male maximum with additional assessment

Female maximum with additional assessment

18 +

18

28

32

30

16 to < 18

17

27

27

27

  • Eyesight requirements vary for different roles. A requirement to wear glasses or contact lenses may be allowed for aircrew.

Get in touch if you have any questions about the health criteria, or would like to find out if any additional health requirements apply to your role of interest.

BEFORE YOUR APPLICATION:

There are health requirements that must be met by all applicants:

  • Body Mass Index requirements:

Age

Men and women minimum

Men and women maximum

Men maximum with additional assessment

Women maximum with additional assessment

18 +

18

28

32

30

16 to < 18

17

27

27

27

  • Eyesight requirements vary for different roles. A requirement to wear glasses or contact lenses may be allowed for aircrew.

Get in touch if you have any questions about the health criteria, or would like to find out if any additional health requirements apply to your role of interest.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

YOU MUST:

  • Declare any previous spent and unspent convictions
  • Check if you qualify under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 through this summary
  • Have a basic background check to get Security Check level clearance

DISQUALIFYING FACTORS

YOU CAN'T APPLY FOR THE RAF IF YOU:

  • Have been or are a member of a group that stirs up racial hatred and violence
  • Are waiting to appear in court, or have unspent convictions. You may also have to declare spent convictions for certain roles
  • Misuse drugs, solvents and anabolic steroids. But each case is considered upon its own merits
  • Have tattoos, brands or bead implants that are obscene or offensive. 
    Any permanent or temporary tattoos, whether ordinarily visible or not, must not be obscene or offensive (eg, racist, anti-religion or belief, crude, overtly sexist, homophobic, drug related or of an extreme political nature). Tattoos may be worn on the side and back of the neck but tattoos on the back of the neck must not extend above the natural hairline (scalp tattoos are not permitted). In addition, tattoos must not be visible below the sleeve cuff while wearing uniform, although a single finger (not thumb) tattoo that could be covered by a ring may be permitted
  • Have body piercing which causes holes that do not close up
  • Declare yourself to be an 'undischarged' bankrupt

Beard Policy: A revised facial hair policy has been agreed by the Air Force Board which will allow serving personnel to wear a smart, neatly-trimmed, full-set beard whilst maintaining high standards of appearance. The length of acceptable beards is between Grade 1 (2.5mm) and Grade 8 (25.5mm). The wearing of beards during Phase 1 and Phase 2 training is currently under consideration and details will be advised when available

If you don’t have any of the above, you might still be able to apply. For more information contact your local AFCO.

GOT WHAT IT TAKES?

Start your application here.

Apply as a Regular