They are responsible for the maintenance and engineering support of all Army equipment, and of the land-based equipment of the Navy and Air Force.

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Officers are commissioned members of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces, responsible for the maintenance and engineering support of all Army equipment, and of the land-based equipment of the Navy and Air Force. They lead the soldier technicians who keep CF equipment in top condition, and work in every equipment life-cycle phase, from design, evaluation and acquisition through in-service support to eventual disposal.

EME Officers can practice virtually any engineering discipline, as military equipment incorporates the full range of current technology, including thermal, electro-optic and radar sensing and guidance devices; fourth-generation computer hardware, firmware and software; and the most modern electronic, mechanical and hydraulic systems. As an EME Officer, your duties will involve command authority, technical staff responsibility, and specialized engineering knowledge. To ensure the combat effectiveness of the personnel under your command, you must be a good leader proficient in tactics, training and administration. Most of the personnel under your command will be the highly skilled technicians of the Vehicle, Weapon, Fire-Control Systems and Material occupations.

Personal Characteristics

Service as an EME Officer calls for selfless leadership and the highest dedication to the chain of command, to your peers and, especially, to your subordinates. EME Officers must be able to lead troops in close support to Combat Arms units, and are frequently required to perform many physical and mental tasks at once in adverse circumstances, including land combat. You must able to handle a broad range of duties, including—but not limited to—labour relations with unionized civilian employees, financial and contract administration, management of automated information systems, and reliability engineering. Moreover, you must have a detailed current knowledge of industrial safety. To succeed in this career, you will need physical and mental strength and stamina; resourcefulness, flexibility and initiative; methodical, efficient thought processes; cool, mature judgement; and the ability to perform steadily under stress.

Formal Qualifications

You must meet Canadian Forces medical standards, and successfully complete a selection process that includes interviews and a wide range of examinations. If you are not qualified for Direct Entry, you must be qualified for either the Regular Officer Training Plan or (if it is available) the Continuing Education Officer Training Plan.

Direct Entry applicants must hold either a Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited Canadian university. The preferred degree is the Bachelor of Engineering in either the Electrical or Mechanical disciplines. The annual intake of applicants with other acceptable qualifications is adjusted to maintain a wide range of professional skills in the EME Branch. A recruiting allowance may be provided to eligible applicants to this military occupation. Contact your local recruiter for details.

The Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) comprises a full undergraduate education (to the Bachelor’s degree level) at the Royal Military College of Canada or another accredited Canadian university, followed by at least four years of obligatory service in the Regular component of the Canadian Forces, commencing immediately upon graduation. To qualify for ROTP, you must have completed high school with the appropriate university-oriented credits, or be in Grade 12 in an appropriate program with full expectation of successful completion. You must also be willing to complete four years of obligatory service after graduation from university.

Your first posting will probably be to a large workshop, where you will lead a group of up to 30 technicians who maintain a wide range of equipment in operational readiness. Under the guidance and supervision of more senior officers, you will be fully responsible for the employment of your team, and for making the technical, administrative and training decisions required to ensure their full effectiveness. As you gain experience and skills, you may move on to command and staff appointments in areas such as equipment engineering and development, procurement of equipment and services, testing and evaluation of equipment, research, quality assurance, and training and professional development. You may be employed in support of land and air operations, sometimes serving outside Canada on operational missions, or in exchange or liaison positions with allied forces. To meet the requirements of certain specialized appointments, you may be given opportunities for post-graduate education.

To meet the requirement of certain specialized employments, you may be given the opportunity for further sponsored training at the post-graduate level in a number of specialized engineering disciplines.

EME Officers work in all climates, environments and circumstances, from the industry-like setting of a base or garrison to the discomforts and risks of service with an operational Army unit, both on exercise in Canada and on overseas deployments that may involve combat. The major source of stress for EME Officers, as for other Army officers, is the requirement to meet operational deadlines, supervise large numbers of personnel, and make critical decisions in circumstances where the consequences of error are abnormally high. Appropriate training, environmental clothing and equipment are provided, and Electrical and Mechanical Engineerings’ health, safety and morale are closely monitored.