100% free maritime & offshore job description templates
Complete job description templates for Australian maritime and offshore oil & gas operations. Covering deckhands, marine engineers, vessel masters, roustabouts and offshore production operators — across both the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award (MA000086) and the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award (MA000062). 100% free, fully editable and ready to download.
Browse templatesThese templates are designed to reflect Australian workplace standards and offshore oil & gas practices at the time of publication. They are a general guide only and do not constitute legal advice. Review and tailor each template to your operation, tickets and certifications, modern award, enterprise agreement and specific requirements. Offshore work is split across two awards — vessel crew under the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award (MA000086) and rig/production roles under the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award (MA000062) — so confirm coverage first. For complex situations, seek independent legal or HR advice. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Maritime & offshore job descriptions for Australian employers
Offshore oil and gas runs on remote, shift-based, swing-roster work across vessels and platforms. From deckhands to production operators, clear role definitions help employers hire well, roster fairly and stay compliant and safe.
Coverage is split across two awards: vessel crew — masters, mates, marine engineers and integrated ratings — are covered by the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award 2020 (MA000086), while the rig, drilling and production workforce is covered by the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award 2020 (MA000062). Most offshore roles also require tickets and certifications — AMSA certificates of competency, offshore survival (BOSIET/HUET) and medicals.
These templates provide compliant, industry-standard job descriptions you can customise. Each includes duties, required skills, certifications and award-classification guidance — then pair them with award-aware rostering software and our guide on how to roster maritime and offshore staff once your team is hired.
Browse maritime & offshore job description templates
Click any role to view the full template and download as a PDF
Deckhand
Vessel crew member handling mooring, deck maintenance, cargo and equipment, and assisting deck operations on offshore support vessels.
Read moreMarine engineer
Vessel engineer officer operating and maintaining propulsion, power and machinery, and running engine-room watches offshore.
Read moreVessel master
Skipper in overall command of an offshore support vessel — safe navigation, crew management and compliance with maritime law.
Read moreRoustabout
Entry-level rig and platform hand — labouring, moving equipment and supplies, and assisting the drilling crew offshore.
Read moreOffshore production operator
Operates and monitors oil & gas production and process plant on platforms and FPSOs, maintaining output, quality and safety.
Read moreWhat's included in these templates?
Every maritime & offshore job description template includes
All templates are fully editable and designed for Australian maritime and offshore compliance.
Who should use these templates?
These job descriptions are designed for Australian maritime and offshore employers
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Award coverage for maritime & offshore workers
Offshore oil & gas coverage turns on whether the work is done on a vessel or on the rig/production side.
Vessel crew — masters, mates, marine engineers, integrated ratings and catering crew on supply, support, standby, seismic and drilling vessels — are covered by the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award 2020 (MA000086). It is structurally complex, spanning eight vessel schedules and expressing pay through aggregate annual salaries with overtime rolled in.
Rig, drilling and production roles — roustabouts, drillers, offshore production operators, technicians and processing staff — are covered by the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award 2020 (MA000062), which uses an Entry–Level 7 ladder with shift loadings, weekend/public-holiday penalties and overtime.
Professional engineers, geologists and scientists sit outside both (the Professional Employees Award), and many large operators run enterprise agreements above the award. Confirm coverage with Fair Work’s Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) before setting pay, and use award interpretation software to calculate rates accurately.
Simplify maritime & offshore rostering and payroll
Once you've hired your crew, manage them with RosterElf. Build swing and even-time rosters, apply award rates and loadings automatically, track tickets and certifications, and simplify timesheets across remote sites — all in one platform built for Australian shift-based operations.
Maritime & offshore job description FAQ
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We provide 5 free templates: deckhand, marine engineer, vessel master, roustabout and offshore production operator. Each includes duties, skills, tickets/certifications and award-classification guidance across the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award (MA000086) and the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award (MA000062).
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It depends on the work. Vessel crew (deckhands, marine engineers, masters) are covered by the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award 2020 (MA000086). The rig, drilling and production workforce (roustabouts, production operators) is covered by the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award 2020 (MA000062). Confirm coverage before setting pay.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.