Ship Engineers

Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.

Also Known As:

Barge Engineer Engineer Ferry Engineer Harbor Engineer Port Engineer Ship Engineer Towboat Engineer Tug Boat Engineer Vessel Engineer

Wages

Hourly

Annual wages for Ship Engineers in United States

Job Outlook Below Average

New job opportunities are less likely in the future

United States 2034 Projected Employment

9,000

2% Change From 2024

Explore Sailors and Marine Oilers video

Tasks you might complete in a day.

Fabricate engine replacement parts, such as valves, stay rods, or bolts, using metalworking machinery.
Perform general marine vessel maintenance or repair work, such as repairing leaks, finishing interiors, refueling, or maintaining decks.
Monitor the availability, use, or condition of lifesaving equipment or pollution preventatives to ensure that international regulations are followed.
Maintain electrical power, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, water, or sewerage systems.
Order and receive engine room stores, such as oil or spare parts, maintain inventories, and record usage of supplies.
Order and receive engine room stores, such as oil or spare parts, maintain inventories, and record usage of supplies.
Act as a liaison between a ship's captain and shore personnel to ensure that schedules and budgets are maintained and that the ship is operated safely and efficiently.
Supervise marine engine technicians engaged in the maintenance or repair of mechanical or electrical marine vessels, and inspect their work to ensure that it is performed properly.
Monitor and test operations of engines or other equipment so that malfunctions and their causes can be identified.
Operate or maintain off-loading liquid pumps or valves.
Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.
Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.
Record orders for changes in ship speed or direction, and note gauge readings or test data, such as revolutions per minute or voltage output, in engineering logs or bellbooks.
Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
Monitor engine, machinery, or equipment indicators when vessels are underway, and report abnormalities to appropriate shipboard staff.
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.
Maintain or repair engines, electric motors, pumps, winches, or other mechanical or electrical equipment, or assist other crew members with maintenance or repair duties.
Maintain complete records of engineering department activities, including machine operations.
Install engine controls, propeller shafts, or propellers.

Subject areas you may need to master.

Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Strengths you may need in this role.

Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Speaking - Talking to others.
Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Programming - Writing computer programs.
Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
Sound Localization - Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Dynamic Flexibility - Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.