ship assistant engineer

Ship assistant engineers assist the ship chief engineer and the ship duty engineer in the operations of the ship's hull. They support the operation of the main engines, steering mechanism, electrical generation and other major subsystems. They communicate with maritime engineers about the performance of technical operations. They also ensure appropriate safety and regulatory standards compliance and are able to take on higher level positions if needed.

The most in-demand skills for this role include operation of different engines, electrical systems used in transportation, principles of mechanical engineering, regulation on the discharge of raw materials into the sea, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, engine components. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Our AI-durability model gives ship assistant engineer a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.