Electronics and Communication Engineering

The work
As a Merchant Navy engineering officer, you would operate and maintain the machinery and support systems on a ship, both above and below deck. You would work with the engines, ventilation systems, navigation and communications equipment, and deck fittings such as cranes, hoists and landing craft.
Your job would be graded according to your experience and qualifications, with each grade having slightly different responsibilities:
Chief Engineer – overall authority for planning engineering tasks and allocating staff
Second Engineer – supervising the day-to-day duties of staff and engine crew
Third Engineer – assisting the second officer and looking after electrical systems and machinery
Junior/Fourth Engineer – carrying out general machinery maintenance. This is often the first posting for an officer trainee.
Whatever your engineering grade, your duties would include:
running scheduled maintenance checks on machinery and systems
responding to equipment failure alerts and repairing faults
maintaining fuel levels and stocks of spare parts
updating record management systems
mentoring and supporting trainees.
In the Merchant Navy, you could work on passenger ferries, cruise liners, container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, and salvage and supply vessels. In the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (civilian-crewed ships that support the Royal Navy), you could have responsibility for weapons maintenance.
Hours
You would work shifts, known as 'watches', which would vary according to the size of the ship. On a large vessel, you might work four hours on duty followed by eight hours off.
The amount of time you would spend at sea could last from a few days or weeks to several months. Your shore leave between voyages would also vary in length. You would spend most of your shift in the engine control room and the engine room. You may also have to work in uncomfortable conditions, like confined spaces in the vessel's hull or refrigerated areas.
If you are with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, you may be required to work in conflict zones.
Income
Sponsored trainee salaries are usually around £8,000 a year. Newly qualified engineering officers earn around £25,000 a year. Experienced officers earn from £26,000 to £50,000. Chief engineering officers can earn between £32,000 and £65,000.
The employer will pay for food and accommodation at sea, and some travel costs when ashore.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.