Skilled Combat Engineer Job Description

The job description of a combat engineer involves tracking through dangerous and extremely rough terrain to accomplish building projects for the military. The engineer’s job calls for the use of both combat and building skills.

Position Description

A combat engineer handles building engineering, building construction and building inspection in combat situations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities of a Combat Engineer

• Constructs fighting positions for soldiers.
• Builds both fixed and floating bridges.
• Builds bunkers and airfields.
• Places and detonates explosives in strategic locations.
• Constructs obstacles to thwart enemy combatants.
• Clears obstacles constructed by the enemy.
• Facilitates the army’s advance.
• Uses mind detectors to locate mines and direct soldiers around them.
• Builds defensive positions for military camps.
• Conducts river-crossing operations with groups of soldiers.
• Executes demolition of specific targets.
• Installs entire firing systems for explosives and demolition.
• Detects mines and prepares route clearance operations for companies of soldiers.
• Constructs complex wire obstacles to stop the advancement of enemy combatants.
• Operates heavy equipment and uses power tools.
• Directs certain operations or assists the director.
• Controls fire team movements through the terrain.
• Places explosives in strategic locations to stop enemy combatants.
• Clears misfires in a safe manner.
• Constructs counter explosive hazards to protect soldiers.
• Repairs structures that are damaged or destroyed by enemy combatants or inclement weather.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must be in superior physical condition.
• Must have normal color vision.
• Must be mechanically inclined.
• Must have excellent analytical skills.
• Must have strong problem solving and decision making skills and be able to exercise sound judgment.
• Must have basic construction skills and be proficient with the use of hand and power tools.
• Must be able to follow directions exactly and perform job duties under extreme stress and pressure.
• Must have exceptional survival skills.
• Must have superior levels of endurance and stamina.
• Must have an aptitude for engineering.
• Must possess a high level of personal discipline.
• Must have excellent communication skills.
• Must have unwavering leadership skills when placed in charge of an operation.

Education and Experience

• Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test series prior to being placed in the Marine Corps Engineer School.
• Must make a score of 95 or higher on the Army’s Mechanical Maintenance or MM test.
• Basic Combat Engineer Course at the Marine Corps Engineer School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
• Advanced individual training that focuses on specific types of operations.
• Must pass challenging physical fitness tests as well as the test that follows the Basic Combat Engineer Course.
• Engineer Operations Chief Course and testing.
• Pass a criminal background check and drug test.
• Experience working in construction or engineering fields.

Work Environment

• Must be able to work outside in harsh weather conditions and in hazardous situations.
• Must be able to remain calm and work efficiently in extremely stressful situations.
• Must be able to cope with being in life threatening situations most of the time.
• Must be able to walk long distances over rough terrain wearing heavy clothing and carrying bulky equipment.

Salary

• Salaries range from entry level at around $35,000 to advanced career engineers who earn $105,000 on the high end.