The ideal candidate is an individual with experience in the management of ship operations, repair, conversion, and industrial projects for assigned ships and/or projects. The ideal candidate can also apply the standards of the U.S. Coast Guard and American Bureau of Shipping for U.S. flag cargo ships, and possesses strong interpersonal skills required to work with other governments employees, government contractors, ship crews, and partners in the maritime industry.
As a Marine Surveyor, you will:
- Participate in and conduct inspections and surveys to determine the readiness of assigned ship(s), shipboard equipment, and systems, and ensure completed repairs comply with applicable regulatory standards for U.S. Flag ships.
- Serve as the primary Area Division technical and programmatic contact with Ship Managers or General Agents to provide guidance and make recommendations for programmatic-level allocation of resource related to the maintenance, repairs, and operations of assigned ships.
- Organize work, set priorities, and determine resource requirements; determine short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinate with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitor progress and evaluate outcomes.
- Serve as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) or Assistant Contracting Officer’s Representative (ACOR), for Ship Managers Contracts and General Agency Agreements (AA’s) in accordance with the terms and conditions delegated by the Point of Contact to Authorized Contracting Officer (PCO/ACO) in a Letter of Assignment.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:
- Experience conducting surveys on machinery, refrigeration, electronic, electrical equipment, hulls, hull equipment, paint, or preservation to determine condition and repairs of assigned ships required to meet specified regulatory standards.
- Experience preparing detailed technical overhaul or repair specifications, based on regulatory requirements, to identify required quality and quantity of materials and estimated man hours.
- Experience preparing cost estimates for each item in the specification and total cost of job, man hours, materials and overhead.
To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:
- Experience in inspecting vessels undergoing repair, maintenance, and modernization at commercial shipyards and marine repair facilities to ensure adherence to contract specifications and industry standards.
- Experience in monitoring work in progress to verify compliance with technical specifications while developing dry dock schedules, planning cyclic maintenance requirements, and coordinating advanced maintenance activities.
- Experience in advising operations, maintenance, and supply personnel on marine maintenance issues, including troubleshooting, repair strategies, and lifecycle support considerations.
To qualify for the GS-13 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12 it must include:
- Experience in maintaining and repairing ocean-going vessels, and surveying and inspecting such vessels to support classification appraisal, determination of general condition, and assessment of fitness for operations.
- Experience in commercial marine surveying, shipboard engineering officer services, or shipyard management, including providing guidance on vessel maintenance and repair functions, as well as related policies and procedures.
- Experience in ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, instructions, and established standards governing the conduct of condition surveys, inspections, dry dockings, dock trials, and sea trials.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs):
- Technical Competence – Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one’s job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.
- Manages and Organizes Information – Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.
Basic Requirements
This series covers technical positions supervising, leading, or performing work involving surveying Government-owned and/or operated vessels, or privately-owned and operated merchant vessels, to determine their condition and the extent of work necessary for the vessels and their components to meet specified requirements. The work requires applying a practical knowledge of:
- preparing specifications, including estimates of labor and material costs, to cover work determined to be necessary as a result of surveys; and
- inspecting and accepting the work accomplished to place the vessel in the condition specified.
Specialized Experience (for all positions):
Applicants must have had 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression. Specialized experience is responsible work in the maintenance and repair of ocean-going vessels that demonstrated the ability to survey and inspect such vessels for the purposes of classification, appraisal, determination of general conditions and fitness for operation, and determination of the extent of damage sustained and type and cost of repairs and reconditioning required. This experience may have been gained in marine surveying or other work such as:
- Seagoing experience as a U.S. Coast Guard licensed marine engineer in the merchant marine.
- For GS-11 (or equivalent), applicants must have sailed under a 2nd Assistant license for at least 1 year.
- For GS-12 (or equivalent), applicants must have sailed under a 1st Assistant license for at least 1 year.
- For GS-13 (or equivalent), applicants must have sailed under a Chief’s license for at least 1 year.
- Experience in a ship repair yard or in the engineering department of a steamship company serving in positions such as marine superintendent or port engineer.
Salary range: $80,465 – $172,980 per year
Application deadline: June 30, 2026
