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As a Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (MCDO), you will work both above and under the water. You will lead a team of divers in the water doing explosive ordnance disposal, maritime security and mine clearance tasks. You will also manage the overall diving function including safety management, working ashore in a headquarters providing advice about diving capabilities, and commanding a dive team. As an MCDO, you will initially be in charge of a team of up to 10 personnel, and you will be responsible for their continued training, well being, career progression, and the maintenance of dive equipment.

As your career progresses, you will move into command positions, commanding NZDF personnel overseas on operations and exercises. MCDOs are the Navy's experts in clearance diving, mine counter measures, under water engineering, explosive ordnance disposal and improvised explosive device disposal.

As an MCDO your career will commence with Warfare Officer Training. The skillsets you develop in the first few years of your career,



alongside your Warfare Officer Course mates will be developed as you progress. During breaks in your Warfare Officer training, whenever possible, you will conduct dive training and attachments to the Clearance Diving Group (HMNZS MATATAUA) and/or the diving support vessel (HMNZS MANWANUI) to begin to familiarise yourself with the equipment and operations required of an MCDO.

On achieving your Warfare Officer qualification milestones, you will undertake Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer Training as detailed below. Being an MCDO provides you with a specialised and exciting career but also provides you the option of one day becoming a Captain of your own ship.

The role of an MCDO is demanding physically and mentally. An MCDO needs to be fit and be able to work in extremely testing conditions. Once you are qualified as an MCDO you can expect various postings: to the Clearance Diving Group, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron, operational deployments to Coalition-led missions, and at sea on diving support vessels.

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📌 Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (City of Devonport)
🏢 New Zealand Defence Force
📍 City of Devonport