Description
Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
- Enterprising
Work Values
- Independence
- Support
- Relationships
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Self-Control
Tasks
- Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
- Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.
- Monitor and test operations of engines or other equipment so that malfunctions and their causes can be identified.
- Start engines to propel ships, and regulate engines and power transmissions to control speeds of ships, according to directions from captains or bridge computers.
- Perform or participate in emergency drills, as required.
Work Activities
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Getting Information
Detailed Work Activities
- Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Technology Skills
- Data base user interface and query software
- Presentation software
- Facilities management software
- Spreadsheet software
- Helpdesk or call center software
Abilities
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Control Precision
Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Equipment Maintenance
- Repairing
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
- Public Safety and Security
- Transportation
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Unlicensed Refrigeration EngineerCertifying Organization
United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Chief Engineer (Unlimited)Certifying Organization
United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
National Chief Engineer/Assistant Engineer UFIVCertifying Organization
United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
National Chief Engineer OSVCertifying Organization
United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Chief Engineer (OSV) - Near Coastal DomesticCertifying Organization
United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center
Type
Advanced
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $65,282 |
| Median (50%) | $89,007 |
| High (90%) | $128,270 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | N/A |
| Mid Level | N/A |
| Senior Level | N/A |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 9,500 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 9,800 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 3%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 3%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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