The first of Canada’s new military ‘cyber operators’ are now in position — but members of the public who want to apply will have to wait until 2019.

In June, the government released a new defence policy that focused on building up cyber capabilities that will let the Canadian Forces move from defensive to offensive cyber operations against enemies who might try to use such technologies against them. As part of that effort, the government announced it would create a new role — ‘cyber operator’ — to be specially trained to conduct more assertive military cyber operations.

Now, a spokesperson for the Department of National Defence tells iPolitics an internal selection process took place over the summer and the first cyber operator positions have been filled. The spokesperson did not say how many people have been transferred into the roles.

The military will hold an internal inauguration ceremony on November 3 to mark the milestone while it continues with a second wave of internal recruitment.

“We are currently undergoing a second Canadian Armed Forces-wide selection process, with a view to transferring additional suitably skilled and qualified members to the Cyber Force as Cyber Operators by February 2018,” wrote Louise Marin in an email. “Minimum entry standards will soon be available to the public.”

Marin said that the Canadian Forces plans to open up applications to members of the public who already have completed a program at a college endorsed by the military, or who expect to complete one by May 2018.

The goal would be to have those individuals employed as cyber operators by summer 2018. Marin says the military began the process for endorsing such college programs on October 12.

“Also, planning is underway to commence the hiring, no later than summer of 2019, of candidates without a CAF-endorsed college program but who meet the minimum entry standards for the occupation,” she said.

Exactly what the responsibilities will be for those in the new roles is not entirely clear at this point; no public job postings are listed and no specific set of criteria for technical expertise is available.

A posting on the military’s medical standards page, which lists core physical requirements individuals must meet to hold a specific role, suggests the cyber operator position involves sitting or standing for up to four hours at a time, using small tools, coping with stress from managing personnel in operations and emergency conditions and dealing with “demanding individuals.”

It also says they normally will work eight-hour rotating shifts “with occasional periods of up to 16 hours in operations or emergencies.”

The maximum yearly salary for the role, which is classed in the same Specialist 1 category as military police, will be $94,320 for someone with a rank of master warrant officer.

Individuals starting out with a rank of corporal will make $67,392.