Marine Engineers
Background
Ships and submarines must be designed for speed, strength, stability, and safety. Improvements in ship equipment, hull design, and deck layout can improve operations. Marine engineers oversee the construction and repair of ships and marine equipment. Marine engineers design ships, submarines, and other watercraft for military use.
What They Do
Marine engineers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Develop and test shipboard combat and salvage equipment
- Evaluate marine research data and prepare technical reports
- Manage research programs to solve naval engineering problems
- Oversee the construction, maintenance, and repair of ship hulls and equipment
- Oversee the installation, operation, and repair of marine equipment and systems
- Study new ways of designing and building ship hulls
Physical Demands
No information available.
Special Requirements
A four-year college degree in marine engineering is required to enter this career.
Helpful Attributes
Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to plan and organize research projects
- Interest in ships and shipbuilding
- Interest in technical work
Helpful School Subjects
No information available.
Helpful Fields of Study
No information available.
Work Environment
Marine engineers do much of their work outdoors at shipyards while overseeing shipbuilding and repair activities. They work in offices while directing vessel design and development activities.
Services offering this career:
- Coast Guard
- Navy
Hiring Practices
To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
This position is for officers.
Wages
The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.
Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.
Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.
There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.
Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.
Training Provided
No initial job training is provided to officers in this career.
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian marine engineers work in the shipbuilding industry. They also work for government agencies and ship machinery manufacturers. Civilian marine engineers perform duties similar to those performed in the military. They may also be called marine equipment research engineers, marine architects, marine equipment design engineers, marine surveyors, and port engineers.
Employment and Outlook
In peace time the services have about 500 marine engineers. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new marine engineers due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. Newly commissioned marine engineers may be assigned to engineering or marine research and development laboratories. They may also be assigned to work in shipyards with vessel maintenance and repair units. With experience, marine engineers may advance to senior engineering management and command positions.