How to become an airfield operations specialist
Official title: Airfield operations specialist
Also called: Airfield safety and compliance officer, Airfield operations officer, Airfield operations coordinator, Airport operations operator, Integrated operations controller, Airport operations specialist
Airfield operations specialists make sure ground support operations on an airfield operate correctly to ensure safety of aircraft, ground movements and staff.
Main tasks
- Manage activities and airport workers
- Plan and record flight and travel operations
- Coordinate and monitor aircraft movement
- Inspect aircraft and work sites
- Ensure security and safety of aircraft
- Identify environmental and safety hazards
- Plan for and communicate work to staff
- Coordinate maintenance and cleaning
How to become one
You need experience and training to become an airfield operations specialist and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Required: experience in similar work; a driver licence; to pass a security check and get an Airport Identity Card (AIC). Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Airport Operations (Level 4); a New Zealand Diploma in Airport Operations (Level 5); to do intermediate or advanced training in air traffic control; an advanced certificate or diploma in aircraft operation or air traffic control; an Airside Driving Permit (ADP); to pass a medical assessment and drug test; a firearms licence; a First Aid Certificate.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in aircraft operation. TEC links this job to study in aerospace engineering and technology. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Aviation (General Aviation), NZ Dip in Aviation, NZ Dip in Aviation (Aeroplane Airline Preparation). Usually 1.5 to 2 years. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $51,000 a year one year after study and $71,000 five years after; 73% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay
- Most common pay: $72,840 to $120,307 a year (median $88,401), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $57,278 a year · Upper: $152,213 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
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Questions people ask
How do I become an airfield operations specialist?
You need experience and training to become an airfield operations specialist and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Required: experience in similar work; a driver licence; to pass a security check and get an Airport Identity Card (AIC). Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Airport Operations (Level 4); a New Zealand Diploma in Airport Operations (Level 5); to do intermediate or advanced training in air traffic control; an advanced certificate or diploma in aircraft operation or air traffic control; an Airside Driving Permit (ADP); to pass a medical assessment and drug test; a firearms licence; a First Aid Certificate.
How much does an airfield operations specialist earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $88,401 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $72,840 to $120,307 a year.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026