Many military careers start with a contractual soldier’s post 

Contractual soldier’s posts tend to be one’s first experience of a military career. This kind of fixed-term public-service employment relationship usually lasts 6-12 months. The tasks during this period include various instructor tasks in brigade-level units that provide conscript training.

One starts to serve in a contractual soldier’s fixed-term public-service employment relationship often right after conscript service serving in the task in their military rank in the reserve. Reserve officers and non-commissioned officers are the ones primarily hired as contractual soldiers.

Contractual readiness soldiers are contractual soldiers whose main task is to practise readiness-related tasks.   These tasks are related to the use of the most demanding weapon systems, for example, for which regular conscript service does not provide sufficiently deep know-how.  Reserve officers, non-commissioned officers and rank-and-file are hired as contractual readiness soldiers.  A person selected may be appointed to a fixed-term public-service post for a maximum of three years.

The tasks of contractual and contractual readiness soldiers offer an excellent opportunity to learn about the everyday life of military personnel and prepare one for applying to the Military Academy, for example.  

What is expected of contractual readiness soldiers and contractual soldiers?

• Completed upper secondary education 
• Good physical condition (12-minute running test)
• Finnish citizenship
• General qualifications required for a government post
• General qualifications required for a military post

Salary?
The salary paid for contractual soldier posts corresponds to NCO competence category 1. The personal salary component is 17 % all through the time the person is serving as a contractual soldier. The salary of contractual readiness soldiers corresponds to NCO competence category 1, too, but the personal salary component increases corresponding to the years of professional experience gained (1st year 17 %, 2nd year 27 %, and 3rd year 37 %).  In all posts, possible compensations and extras for work performed in exceptional hours are paid on top of the basic salary. 

How to apply?
The Defence Forces hires contractual military personnel on the basis of ongoing recruitment. You can apply for a contractual readiness and contractual soldier’s post in any brigade-level unit via the Defence Forces E-service logging in using strong authentication. Application forms are available by selecting “Other services” and “Application to become a contractual soldier”. Your application will remain active to be considered the entire period of time stated by you in the E-service.