Software engineering ---> Signals Officer

[riverkayaker3]

Thank you for your interest in this post.

I just graduated high school this June and will be entering an accredited engineering (Software engineering) program in September. My program requires a mandatory 16 months of co-ops/internships of software work on top of the 4 year program to receive the major. I do not have enough money to pay for my schooling but can at least pay for first and second term. I have also been interested in the military for some time and see it as an opportunity to have an adventure, pay for school and cross pollinate with my post secondary education. I have a few questions about signals officers and what they do.

1) Do you ever work with software at the coding level or is it just for civilians?

2) I understand that cyber warfare capabilities are listed as one of the job descriptions. What does this mean, is it simply destroying an enemies radar dish with a missile. Or do you actually hack into their systems and ultimately leverage your software engineering education?

3) I understand there are other job descriptions including:

    1) Purpose-designed, computer-based information systems that assist with battlefield command and control, reconnaissance and    surveillance, and target acquisition
    2) The full spectrum of radio systems
    3) Electronic warfare capabilities
    4) Cryptographic and communications- security capabilities

Do any of these require skill and expertise in software engineering/programming?

4) A friend of mine who is from Israel says that the IDF has a unit known as unit 8200 that is a group of a few thousand cyber-warriors. Does Canada have anything like that, I understand there is CSIS/CSEC, but can a person from the army be moved to Canada's equivalent organization?

Thank you,

RiverKayaker1

 

[Master Corporal Steven]

Good Day,

Most software is contracted out to civilian companies for writing. Please watch the video on Signals Officer at the below link to learn more. Also note that officers are like a managers in the civilian world and it is the Non-Commissioned Members (NCM) that have the hands on with the equipment. The NCM’s associated with Signals Officer would be Army Communication And Information System Specialist (ACISS). http://www.forces.ca/en/job/signalsofficer-79

      I also recommend looking into the paid education program available through the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP). If successful in your application your schooling will be paid for and you will receive a salary to attend university. Application's for paid education begin in the fall and must be submitted by the end of January for consideration for the 2015/2016 school year.