Navy Jobs
Imagery Specialist Australian Defence | Apply Now Full Time
Introduction
A career as an Imagery Specialist Australian Defence is one of the most creatively rewarding paths available in the Royal Australian Navy. You do not sit behind a desk processing paperwork. You pick up a camera, step into the field, and document the Navy’s most significant operations, exercises, and stories for audiences across Australia and beyond.
The Australian Navy recruits Imagery Specialists to capture, process, and publish visual and audio content that supports national defence communication. This role sits at the intersection of professional photography, multimedia production, and military service. It gives you access to industry-leading equipment, structured career progression, and nationally recognised qualifications, all while serving your country.
If you want a creative career with real purpose, this position delivers both. You work across diverse environments, from Fleet Bases in Sydney and Perth to deployments on major warships and submarines. The Navy invests in your skills from day one through fully paid training, and your expertise grows with every posting.
For individuals who want professional development in visual media without the instability of freelance work, the Imagery Specialist role offers the best of both worlds. You build a serious, creative portfolio while earning a competitive government salary with benefits that civilian media jobs rarely match.
Job Overview
The Imagery Specialist role sits within the Royal Australian Navy under the Australian Defence Force. The Navy created this position to visually document and promote its operations, capabilities, and people through photography, film, and multimedia content.
As an Imagery Specialist, you capture and process imagery that supports the Navy’s public affairs, intelligence, and operational communication requirements. You work both independently and as part of a Military Camera Team across domestic and international locations. Your initial postings land you at Fleet Base East in Sydney, NSW or Fleet Base West in Western Australia. After three to four years of service and on-the-job experience, the Navy considers further postings to establishments including HMAS Albatross in NSW, HMAS Cerberus in Victoria, HMAS Coonawarra in the Northern Territory, and locations in the ACT region.
The Australian Navy manages all hiring for this role through the ADF Careers system, with positions available on a full-time basis through General Entry.
Key Responsibilities
As an Imagery Specialist in the Australian Navy, you photograph and film a wide range of naval exercises, operations, and capability demonstrations using professional-grade cameras and video equipment. You process raw visual material into finished content ready for public affairs, operational, and archival use.
Multimedia content creation forms a core part of the role. You edit photo and video assets to production standard, producing material that represents the Navy’s activities accurately and compellingly. You work across portrait, action, evidentiary, public affairs, and intelligence imagery categories, each requiring a different technical approach and level of precision.
Depending on your posting, you operate as a solo photographer or within a Military Camera Team. Both settings require strong self-direction, technical accuracy, and an understanding of how your content will be used within a military communications framework. Domestic exercises and international deployments are both part of the assignment scope.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the Imagery Specialist role with the Royal Australian Navy, you must be an Australian citizen or an eligible permanent resident. The minimum age to enlist is 17, though you can begin your application from 16.5 years. The maximum entry age for this role is 58.
You need to have completed Year 10 education with passes in English and Maths. No prior photography qualifications are required for General Entry applicants. The Navy provides all trade training after enlistment. If you hold a relevant photography or imaging qualification, you are eligible to apply through the General Entry Qualified pathway, which recognises prior learning.
A driver’s licence is not required for this role, but if you hold one, it must not be suspended or cancelled. You must pass a medical examination and meet the Navy’s physical fitness standards. These include an annual fitness test covering a plank, beep test or run and walk, and a swim assessment. During initial training, you must also pass the Navy swim test, which includes a safety jump from a three-metre tower, a ten-metre underwater swim, a fifty-metre swim using survival strokes, and fifteen minutes of treading water or floating.
Strong attention to detail, visual awareness, and the ability to work independently under operational conditions are the soft skills that separate strong candidates in this role.
Training & Career Development
The Australian Navy provides fully paid training from the moment you enlist. You begin with the New Entry Sailor Course at the RAN Recruit School, HMAS Cerberus in Victoria. This ten-week program covers physical fitness, the Navy swim test, general service knowledge, weapons training, workplace safety, first aid, sailing, seamanship, corrosion control, survival at sea, and fire and flood control.
After completing the New Entry Sailor Course, you move directly into the ADF Imagery Specialist Initial Employment Training. This twenty-four-week course runs at the Navy Imagery Unit East, HMAS Kuttabul in NSW. The first twelve weeks deliver a Certificate IV in Photography and Digital Imaging through Box Hill TAFE, supported by qualified military instructors. The following twelve weeks cover the Joint Imagery Specialist Course. You also earn a Civil Aviation Safety Authority-approved Remote Pilot Licence for the two-to-seven-kilogram category, qualifying you to operate drones in a professional capacity.
On graduation, you are qualified to capture and process intelligence, evidentiary, public affairs, action, and portrait imagery. Career development continues throughout your service, with further job-specific training scheduled on an as-required basis. Leadership development opportunities grow with your rank and years of service, setting you up to manage a skilled team of sailors across sea and shore postings.
Salary & Benefits
As an Imagery Specialist with the Royal Australian Navy, you earn a minimum salary of $95,741 per annum on completion of your Initial Military Training and Employment Training. This figure applies to General Entry Non-technical candidates and increases with rank and years of service. You receive pay throughout your training period, so there is no gap between enlistment and your first paycheck.
Superannuation sits at 16.4%, which is 4.4% above the Australian national standard. This alone represents a substantial long-term financial advantage over most creative industry roles, where superannuation at the standard 11% rate is the norm.
The Navy provides free medical and dental care for you personally, plus subsidised healthcare for your family. Housing assistance is available through subsidised home loans, a Help to Buy scheme, or a rent allowance. You have access to chef-prepared meals on base, fully equipped gyms, and fitness sessions run by physical training instructors. All trade training and career development courses are fully funded. Compensation and allowances vary based on rank, posting location, and operational requirements.
Who Should Apply?
This role suits people who are passionate about photography and visual storytelling but want more structure, stability, and purpose than a freelance or agency career provides. If you want to work with professional equipment across diverse and challenging environments while earning a government salary, this position fits your profile precisely.
You do not need prior photography experience to apply through General Entry. What the Navy looks for is a genuine interest in visual media, a strong eye for composition and detail, physical fitness, and the ability to perform under pressure in operational settings. Discipline, reliability, and team awareness matter as much as creative talent in this environment.
The role is especially well-suited to school leavers or early-career creatives who want nationally recognised qualifications, drone licences, and a professional portfolio built on real-world assignments rather than simulated coursework. People who want to travel, work aboard naval vessels, and document history as it happens will find this career deeply fulfilling.
How to Apply
Interested candidates apply directly through the ADF Careers website. The process follows six structured steps.
Step one: submit your online application with personal details, academic history, and up to three job preferences. Complete the Supplementary Application Form in your Candidate Hub covering education, work experience, and relevant hobbies.
Step two: complete the Job Opportunities Assessment, a multiple-choice test covering general ability and mathematical reasoning. This helps determine your suitability for your chosen role.
Step three: attend a virtual YOU (Your Opportunities Unlimited) Session across multiple days. After completing the session, finish your Medical History Questionnaire in the Candidate Hub.
Step four: attend an Assessment Session covering a medical examination, psychological interview, and ADF interview. Bring a printed and signed Informed Consent form for your criminal history check.
Step five: Navy applicants are not required to complete a Pre-entry Fitness Assessment before enlistment. This step does not apply to you.
Step six: attend your enlistment day, receive your official job offer, and collect your joining instructions.
For queries, contact ADF Careers on 13 19 01 or visit your nearest ADF Careers Centre.
Preparation Tips
Before you apply, build your baseline physical fitness. The Navy swim test is a graduation requirement for initial training. Practice swimming regularly, work on your endurance in the water, and get comfortable with breath control for the underwater component. Start at least eight weeks before your assessment.
Review your photography knowledge, even if you have no formal qualifications. Understand the basics of exposure, composition, lighting, and file processing. Familiarity with Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop shows initiative and helps you hit the ground running once training begins.
Research the Navy’s visual communication output. Browse official Royal Australian Navy social media channels and the ADF newsroom to understand the type of content Imagery Specialists produce. This gives you concrete talking points in your ADF interview and shows a genuine interest in the role.
Prepare honestly for the psychological and defence interviews. The Navy values self-awareness and commitment over polished answers. Know why you want this specific role, what you bring to a team environment, and how you handle pressure.
Gather references if you have them, and submit them early with your application. They are not mandatory but they strengthen your submission in a competitive pool.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need photography qualifications to apply?
No. The General Entry Non-technical pathway requires no prior qualifications. The Navy delivers full photography and imaging training after enlistment, including a Certificate IV through Box Hill TAFE.
Q: How long is the training for an Imagery Specialist?
Initial training totals approximately 34 weeks. The New Entry Sailor Course runs for ten weeks at HMAS Cerberus, followed by a twenty-four-week Imagery Specialist employment training course at HMAS Kuttabul in NSW.
Q: What certifications do I earn during training?
You graduate with a Certificate IV in Photography and Digital Imaging and a Civil Aviation Safety Authority-approved Remote Pilot Licence for drones in the two to seven kilogram category.
Q: Is this a permanent full-time position?
You enlist for an Initial Minimum Period of Service of two years. The Navy offers subsequent service periods based on performance and operational requirements. You can request discharge after fulfilling your IMPS obligation.
Q: Where will I be posted after training?
Your first posting goes to Fleet Base East in Sydney or Fleet Base West in Western Australia. After three to four years, further postings to other Navy establishments across Australia become available, including locations in NSW, Victoria, the Northern Territory, and the ACT.
Q: Will I deploy on ships?
Yes. After completing on-the-job training and gaining sufficient experience at a Fleet Base, you become eligible for deployment on major and minor war vessels and submarines.
Q: Is a fitness test required before joining the Navy as an Imagery Specialist?
No pre-entry fitness assessment is required for Navy applicants. Your physical conditioning is assessed and supported after enlistment through the New Entry Sailor Course at HMAS Cerberus.
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