Ship Engineers
On the Job
Ship Engineers supervise crew members who operate and maintain machinery on ships, such as engines, boilers, and electrical equipment.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Maintain watercraft engines or machinery.
- Control pumps or pumping equipment.
- Monitor engine operation or functioning.
- Communicate with others to coordinate vehicle movement.
- Report vehicle or equipment malfunctions.
- Install parts, assemblies, or attachments in transportation or material handling equipment.
- Operate ships or other watercraft.
- Clean facilities or work areas.
- Clean machinery or equipment.
- Record operational details of travel.
Typical Working Conditions
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- Exposure to sounds or noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Frequent contact with others.
- Exposure to hazardous equipment.
- The freedom to determine tasks, priorities, and goals.
- Working outdoors exposed to weather.
- Working with a group or team.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.