Marine Engineering Jobs

From the great clipper ships and Robert Fulton's first steamboat to today's giant supertankers and the smallest sailboats, marine engineers and naval architects have designed and built our water transportation. Opportunities in marine engineering are good. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects above-average growth in marine engineering jobs in the next few years. If you want to combine engineering with a maritime career, marine engineering may be the field for you.

Identification

Marine engineers use science and engineering techniques to design and build vessels ranging from the largest military and commercial ships to recreational boats you can put on a trailer and park in your backyard. Jobs for marine engineers involve designing the propulsion systems and other equipment a vessel needs. Those specializing in ship structure and hull design are called naval architects.

Education

Marine engineering jobs require a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited program. High school students should prepare by studying mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Courses in information technology are helpful because marine engineers make extensive use of CAD (computer-assisted design) systems. Required courses in engineering school include design methods and theory, engineering analysis, physics, and mathematics. Students specializing in propulsion systems and related areas take additional courses in mechanical and/or electrical engineering, while naval architects study hydrodynamics and structural engineering.

Employment

According to the BLS, the majority of marine engineers work for shipbuilding companies, marine architectural firms or small boat manufacturers. Some start their own businesses building custom small craft. Research and development is also important, and some marine engineers work for universities teaching and doing research, or for technology development firms. The federal government, particularly the military, is a major source of research-oriented marine engineering jobs.

Qualifications

Being qualified as a marine engineer requires several years' experience and Professional Marine Engineer certification. Provisional certification is granted to graduates of an accredited undergraduate program. The Society of Navel Architects and Marine Engineers is the national certification body (see link below). Marine engineering jobs in management usually require a master's degree. Research and development jobs require a minimum of a master's degree, and preferably a PhD.

Benefits

Engineering is among the best-paying careers right out of college, and marine engineering jobs are no exception. 2007 figures from the BLS show the lowest-paying (entry-level) jobs averaged almost $48,000. The median salary was $76,200. The highest paying 10 percent of marine engineering jobs averaged more than $114,000. The highest-paying employers were those building ocean-going and inland waterway commercial shipping, and research positions. Military-related jobs with the federal government were also among the best-paying marine engineering jobs.

Resources

• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers