Marine engineer job description

Marine engineers require a current AMSA Certificate of Competency (Marine Engineer) appropriate to the vessel and level of responsibility, along with valid STCW certification. The specific grade of certificate depends on the vessel type and engine-room role. Confirm the exact certificate class your vessel requires before recruiting.

Yes. Valid STCW basic safety training is generally mandatory, and additional STCW certificates may be required depending on the vessel and operation. Offshore roles often also call for survival, sea survival or firefighting tickets. Check the specific STCW and safety requirements for your vessel and keep certificates current using licence and certification management.

Mandatory requirements usually include a current AMSA Certificate of Competency (Marine Engineer), valid STCW certification, working rights in Australia and a current offshore or seafarer medical. Preferred qualifications include previous offshore or supply-vessel experience and additional safety tickets. Match the certificate grade to your vessel so you neither under-qualify nor over-restrict the candidate pool.

It depends on the vessel and role. The AMSA Certificate of Competency and STCW tickets are essential, but prior offshore experience is often preferred rather than strictly required for junior engineer positions. Focus on the correct certificate grade, mechanical competence, safety discipline and fitness for offshore work, and provide vessel-specific familiarisation on joining.

This depends on your vessel program. Permanent full-time or part-time engineers provide crew consistency and stronger retention across regular swings, while casual arrangements can cover relief and peak periods. Because the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award uses aggregate salaries, confirm how each employment type is treated under the applicable vessel schedule or enterprise agreement before deciding.

Under the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award (MA000086), engineer officers are paid aggregate annual salaries that already incorporate overtime and many penalties rather than paying them separately by the hour. This reflects the swing-roster nature of offshore work. Confirm the vessel schedule that applies and use award interpretation software to keep pay aligned with the correct instrument.

Offshore crews typically work swing rosters — a set period living and working on board followed by a set period off — rather than standard weekly hours. Swing patterns vary by vessel and operator. Set clear expectations in the job description about the swing length, time on and off board, watchkeeping and any mobilisation or travel, and manage them with rostering software.

Key elements include: position title and engineer grade, vessel or fleet, employment type, aggregate salary and applicable award or agreement, swing roster pattern, reporting structure, main duties and required certificates such as the AMSA Certificate of Competency and STCW tickets. Track certificate expiries with licence and certification management so crew stay compliant.

Award and agreement rostering rules vary, so confirm the notice period that applies to your vessel. As a general practice, publishing swing rosters well in advance gives engineers visibility of their time on and off board and supports travel planning. Using rostering software helps ensure compliance and reduces last-minute changes.

Assign engineers based on certificate grade, vessel requirements and swing availability, balancing time on board with mandatory rest between swings. Use rostering tools to track swings, monitor rest periods and arrange relief cover when engineers are due to come off. This keeps vessels crewed and avoids scheduling engineers beyond safe limits.

Rest and watchkeeping arrangements are set by the applicable award or agreement and by marine safety and STCW hours-of-rest rules. Because engineers stand watch and work swings offshore, set clear policies and ensure hours are recorded accurately. Use time and attendance tools to support compliance with rest requirements between watches and swings.

Collect swing availability and certificate details during onboarding and keep them up to date. Use HR software and licence and certification management to track when each engineer is available and whether their AMSA Certificate of Competency and STCW tickets are current. Set clear policies about availability and certificate renewals to simplify crewing and avoid gaps.