Defence Forces Motor Technician Fitters

IMPORTANT A person applying for enlistment as a Direct Entry Motor Technician (MT) Fitter in the Defence Forces should read these terms and conditions carefully prior to completing the application form. An application form should only be submitted if the applicant is satisfied that they fulfil all of these conditions as detailed. Exceptions to the conditions governing the competition cannot be made in individual circumstances.

1. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS A candidate must be: (i) a citizen of the State or (ii) be any other person who has a lawful entitlement to reside and work within the State for the period of time that is required for the purpose of any such appointment AND (iii) be of good character and satisfy any security clearance required AND (iv) meet the required minimum standards of medical and physical fitness. (Annex C)

2. AGE REQUIREMENTS Applicants must be 18 years of age and less than 29 years of age on date of application. Please note that the upper age limit may be the subject of review in advance of future competitions. 3. MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS Candidates must have attained the required minimum educational qualifications at the time of entry into the Permanent Defence Force. For enlistment as a Motor Technician Fitter (Technician Class Group 3), one of the following or equivalent qualification is acceptable at the time of entry into the Defence Forces: • FAS /SOLAS standard Based Craft of Heavy Vehicle Mechanic. • FAS /SOLAS standard Based Craft of Motor Mechanics. • FAS /SOLAS standard Based Craft of Construction Plant Fitter. • FAS /SOLAS standard Based Craft of Agricultural Mechanics. • HETAC Level 7 Agricultural Mechanisation Course.

Applicants who do not fulfil the qualifying criteria outlined for the advertised position but who retain significant relevant qualifications in this area will be considered on a case-by-case basis for inclusion in the competition. The consideration of any unqualified applicants in the competition will be at the discretion of the nominated board reviewing each prospective candidate. Where a Candidate has successfully completed an equivalent qualification the candidate must provide a full syllabus of course as well as relevant certificates.

The following are some of the desirable additional qualifications; • Auto Electrician • Vehicle Diagnostics (proof of level) • EV course • Hybrid Course • CVRT or equivalent course. • Full Driving Licence • Air Conditioning • Recovery • Motor Cycle Mechanic • 2 Stroke Qualification 4. MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL STANDARDS Candidates must be in good mental and bodily health and free from any physical defect, abnormality, physiological condition or past history of serious illness likely to interfere with the efficient performance of their duties. The following are the minimum physical requirements:

Height: The minimum height requirement is 157.48 cm. Physical standards and weight must be in keeping with height and age. a. Vision: Colour vision must be normal. Not less than 6/36 in each eye, corrected to not less than 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other. Both eyes must be free from disfiguring or incapacitating abnormality and free from acute or chronic disease. There must be no evidence of squint or latent squint. The eligibility or not of applicants who have had previous incisional or laser treatment to correct visual acuity will be determined at the Medical Examination. See Annex B for further information. b. Dental: Candidates must be free from any serious periodontal disease and possess teeth to a specific standard, which is not less than the equivalent of eleven over eleven natural teeth functionally opposed. In certain circumstances, artificial teeth may be acceptable. c. Hearing: A good standard of unaided hearing is essential. Candidates will be required to undergo audiometric examination at which: (1) The sum of the hearing threshold at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 kHz should not exceed the age and gender related warning levels contained in the "Guidelines on Hearing Checks and Audiometry Regulations 2007", issued by the Health and Safety Authority. (2) Candidates under 25 years of age must be able to hear all measured pure tones up to and including 8kHz at 20dB in each ear. Candidates aged 25 and older must be able to hear all measured pure tones up to and including 8kHz at 25dB in each ear. Candidates must also be free from acute or chronic ear disorders. Candidates are advised to avoid all sources of loud noise and music for a period of 48 hours prior to this examination as exposure to such noise may adversely affect the results of the examination. 5. APPLICATION FORM Candidates must apply online to www.military.ie Applications for Direct Entry MT Fitter must be made on the official electronic application form available at www.military.ie. Candidates wishing to undertake the assessment process through Irish must highlight this request in their on-line application. All correspondence with candidates will be done by email for the duration of the competition. Candidates should ensure the email address given is accurate and correct. Each application will be acknowledged automatically within 24 hours. If an acknowledgement is not received within 48 hours of applying, candidates should immediately contact the Defence Forces Recruitment Section at: 045 492553 at recruitment@defenceforces.ie Likewise, if an applicant’s email address should change, the onus is on the applicant to make contact with the Defence Forces Recruitment Section immediately advising them of the change of email address.

APPLICANTS CHECKLIST: Before submitting an application for the Direct Entry Motor Technician Fitter competition, candidates should ensure that they satisfy the eligibility criteria and have read and accept the governing conditions of this Competition.

6. SELECTION PROCEDURE Candidates, if eligible, will be required to attend for the various stages of the selection procedure on the dates and times as notified. Applicants who fail to attend for any stage of the selection procedure will be disqualified from participation in any further stages of the competition. Stage 1: Physical Fitness Test Candidates will be required to undergo a physical fitness test, which is designed to assess their potential to undergo the rigours of military training. Candidates must attain the minimum standard laid down in order to proceed in the competition. A candidate must complete this test as part of their Direct Entry Motor Technician Fitter application. (See Annex ‘C’ for details of the test and suggested training programme). Stage 2: Interview Successful candidates called for interview will be required to produce the following original documents to the Interview Board: a) Certificate/s in respect of the relevant courses, mentioned in Paragraph 3 above, which the candidate has completed. b) Testimonials from present and/or previous employers. c) Proof of experience. d) Long form Birth Certificate. e) Candidates with additional relevant qualifications should present all certs to the board. Those selected for interview will be invited to attend a skills and work experienced based interview where they will be required to demonstrate a competency in the following areas: ▪ Planning and Organising ▪ Ability to work under pressure ▪ Motivation ▪ Technical capability ▪ Knowledge of DF roles and responsibility of MT Fitter In the competency based interview, candidates will be asked to give examples from their own experiences of life, school, university, hobbies, work, pastimes, etc., to demonstrate evidence in several of the above areas. Candidates who fail any of the competencies at interview will be deemed unsuccessful in the competition. The Chief of Staff (COS) will deploy Motor Technician Fitters, as appropriate, where vacancies occur throughout the Defence Forces.

Motor Technician Fitters can be posted to the following locations:

Air Corps applicants Baldonnel Aerodrome, Co. Dublin Naval Service applicants Naval Base Haulbowline, Cork

Army applicants Defence Force Training Centre – the Curragh, Co. Kildare Custume Barracks – Athlone, Co. Westmeath Collins Barracks – Cork Cathal Brugha Barracks– Dublin

Stage 3: Medical and physical examinations Candidates who are successful at the interview stage will be required to undergo a detailed medical examination, including audiometric test. The medical examination will include the provision of urine and blood samples. This detailed medical examination is part of the selection process and does not imply that a candidate has qualified for enlistment as a Direct Entry Motor Technician Fitter. As part of the medical examination a candidate will also be required to give full and accurate information on their family medical history as requested by the examining Doctor. Following interview, medical and physical examinations and security clearance being obtained, candidates will be placed on a panel for selection in order of merit. A candidate placement on the panel does not imply an offer of enlistment. Successful candidates high enough on the order of merit will be offered enlistment as a Direct Entry Motor Technician Fitter. A candidate who is offered a placement must report for enlistment at the required time and place. Failure to report for duty will result in the offer of enlistment as a Direct Entry Motor Technician Fitter being forfeited. 7. EXPENSES Candidates are liable for all expenses incurred in connection with their participation in the competition. 8. EMPLOYEE VETTING BY AN GARDA SIOCHANA Candidates who are invited to attend before an Interview Board will be required to complete and sign a Garda Vetting Application Form. This will, pursuant to the Data Protection Act 2018, authorise An Garda Síochána to furnish to the Military Authorities, a statement that there are no convictions recorded against the candidate, or if applicable, a statement of convictions. 9. RANK ON ENLISTMENT A successful candidate will be enlisted in the rank of Private 3 Star or equivalent. The location of their posting will be determined by the assignment awarded. 10. CONDITIONS ON ENLISTMENT a. A successful candidate will initially be enlisted for five (5) years permanent service and seven (7) years reserve service. On completion of five years permanent service, a member may be permitted to extend the terms of their permanent service to nine (9) years and then to twelve (12) years, should they fulfil such criteria as may be laid down by the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) in regards to such matters as conduct rating, physical fitness and medical category. b. They may then be re-engaged for such a period as will make up a continuous period of twenty-one (21) years’ service should they fulfil such criteria as laid down by the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) in regards to such matters as conduct rating, physical fitness and medical category. A currently serving member who enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 Jan 1994 may, subject to Defence Force Regulations and to meeting certain criteria and conditions, be permitted to continue in service up to the age of 50 years up to the rank of Sergeant and to the age of 56 years in all higher enlisted ranks c. A Motor Technician Fitter enlisted as a result of this competition, will be required to undergo Basic Defence Force Training. Successful candidates, although posted to a particular unit and location may be required to serve anywhere within the State, will, from time to time, be required to complete courses in other locations, deploy overseas or where serving with the Naval Service, go to sea. Under the terms of the Defence Amendment Act 2006, all Defence Forces personnel, if selected, are expected to serve overseas from time to time. d. In the event of an enlisted person leaving the Permanent Defence Force voluntarily at any time, they will be required to pay such cost for discharge as is specified in Defence Forces Regulations A. 10 (rates may be subject to review and adjustment). If an enlisted person inducted as result of this competition has completed less than 12 months service in the Permanent Defence Force the cost of discharge by purchase will be €300. 11. PAY OF MOTOR TECHNICIAN FITTER Enlisted personnel pay PRSI contributions under Class H which insures them for the range of benefits under the Social Insurance code, including the State Pension (Contributory). €577.86 - €796.37 per weekIn line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform instructions, starting pay will be at the minimum point of the scale. In addition to basic pay personnel will be entitled to the following additional allowances • MILITARY SERVICE ALLOWANCE (MSA): Military Service Allowance (as shown above). • TECHNICAL PAY: Technical Pay (Group 3) at a rate of €45.69 per week paid on completion of induction training. Other additional allowances such as Naval Pay, Patrol Duty allowance and Security Duty allowance may be paid subject to the various assignments.

Note: It should be noted that the rate of remuneration and payment of the allowances outlined above are subject to review and adjustment on an ongoing basis in accordance with changes applicable across the public service generally as per Government policy. Method of Payment Currently a Motor Technician Fitter is paid on a weekly basis by means of electronic funds transfer to a designated financial institution.

12. OCCUPATIONAL PENSION ARRANGEMENTS Members of the Permanent Defence Force may qualify for occupational pension and retirement gratuity (collectively called superannuation benefits) subject to meeting certain terms and conditions. A person’s date of first joining the Permanent Defence Force and whether they have any previous Public Service employment will generally decide their specific occupational pension terms. Successful candidates appointed from this competition will be required to pay appropriate employee pension contributions from weekly pay, as well as the ‘additional superannuation contribution’ (ASC). In general, anyone joining pensionable public service employment on or after 1 January 2013 is a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. 13. CLOTHING Items of Uniform are provided to successful candidates. It should be noted that the current provisions regarding the issue of a uniform may be subject to change in accordance with Government policy. 14. ANNUAL LEAVE Subject to the exigencies of the service, annual leave not exceeding twenty eight days may be granted in any one leave year. It should be noted that this annual leave provision is currently calculated on a 7 day basis. Leave entitlements may be subject to review and adjustment. 15. SICK LEAVE

Sick Leave may be granted in accordance with the provisions of Defence Force Regulation A.12 (Medical Treatment) and Defence Forces Regulation S.3 (Pay and Allowances). Sick leave entitlements may be subject to review and adjustment. 16. HEALTH AND WELFARE Medical attendance, hospital and dental treatment are provided free subject to the limitations as required by law. Personnel in the Defence Forces are subject to compulsory random drug testing and personnel failing a drug test are liable to be discharged from the Defence Forces. 17. COURSES In order to ensure that a candidate will be competent to carry out the duties of higher rank to which they may be promoted, personnel will be required to undergo such courses as may be laid down from time to time. Such courses undertaken will be subject to the provisions of any educational undertakings as may be required and/or Defence Forces Regulations governing military education and training. Personnel will be required to subscribe to an undertaking that in the event of his/her leaving the Permanent Defence Force within a specified time of completing such training, they will be required to refund the cost of the training to the Minister for Defence. CLICK THE APPLY BUTTON TO GO TO THEIR CAREERS PAGE WHERE YOU CAN CHECK THIS JOB AND ALL OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE.