What Do Marine Engineers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Marine Engineers design, develop, and take responsibility for the installation of ship machinery and related equipment including propulsion machines and power supply systems. They also supervise other engineers and crew members and train them for routine and emergency duties.

Other tasks include:

• Perform monitoring activities to ensure that ships comply with international regulations and standards for life-saving equipment and pollution preventatives.
• Prepare plans, estimates, design and construction schedules, and contract specifications, including any special provisions.
• Check, test, and maintain automatic controls and alarm systems.
• Evaluate operation of marine equipment during acceptance testing and shakedown cruises.
• Act as liaisons between ships’ captains and shore personnel to ensure that schedules and budgets are maintained, and that ships are operated safely and efficiently.
• Conduct environmental, operational, or performance tests on marine machinery and equipment.

We asked Marine Engineers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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75% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 53% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Marine Engineers supervise other engineers and crew members and train them for routine and emergency duties. They maintain records of engineering department activities, including expense records and details of equipment maintenance and repairs.

• Inspect marine equipment and machinery to draw up work requests and job specifications.
• Act as liaisons between ships’ captains and shore personnel to ensure that schedules and budgets are maintained, and that ships are operated safely and efficiently.
• Prepare, or direct the preparation of, product or system layouts and detailed drawings and schematics.
• Check, test, and maintain automatic controls and alarm systems.
• Procure materials needed to repair marine equipment and machinery.

We asked some Marine Engineers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	95% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	27% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	65% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	37% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	58% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Marine Engineers also procure materials needed to repair marine equipment and machinery. They may also conduct environmental, operational, or performance tests on marine machinery and equipment.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Marine Engineers Coordinate activities with regulatory bodies to ensure repairs and alterations are at minimum cost and consistent with safety. They might also Design and oversee testing, installation, and repair of marine apparatus and equipment.

In addition, they Determine conditions under which tests are to be conducted, as well as sequences and phases of test operations.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Prepare technical reports for use by engineering, management, or sales personnel.

To some Marine Engineers, it is also their responsibility to Maintain contact with, and formulate reports for, contractors and clients to ensure completion of work at minimum cost.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Marine Engineer, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/architecture-and-engineering/marine-engineers-and-naval-architects.htm

http://mebaunion.org/MEBA/

https://www.navalengineers.org/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.asee.org/