Independent mariner education resource, for information only. Do your own due diligence. Not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard or National Maritime Center.
Accuracy note: Employer requirements, contact information and job openings can change. Mariners Online provides general career guidance and links to official employer resources. Always confirm current qualifications and application instructions with the employer. Mariners Online is not affiliated with any employer or government agency listed.
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DIRECT FEDERAL
Direct Federal Maritime Employment
You work directly for the U.S. government as a federal civilian mariner.
Requirements vary by vessel, contract and position. Always check the current employer posting.
FEDERAL CIVILIAN MARINER EMPLOYER
Military Sealift Command (MSC)
NEW TO MARITIMEFEDERAL EMPLOYMENTCAREER LADDERGLOBAL OPERATIONS
What they do
MSC operates civilian-crewed ships supporting U.S. military sealift and logistics missions. Its shipboard workforce are Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARs), federal civilian employees rather than active-duty service members.
Jobs you may find
Deck: Ordinary Seaman / Ordinary Seafarer · Able Seafarer / AB · Mate · Master
Engine: Wiper · QMED · Licensed Engineer
Other departments may include: Communications · Supply · Medical
Getting started
MSC offers entry-level CIVMAR routes: Ordinary Seaman (selected applicants enter the Ordinary Seaman Advancement Program, OSAP), Wiper (selected applicants enter the Wiper Advancement Program, WAP) and Supply Utilityman (food service, laundry and cleaning, assisting the Chief Steward).
MSC states that prior sea-going experience is not required, although it improves selection prospects.
OSAP and WAP candidates sign a 36-month service agreement and must obtain their program’s required endorsements. That agreement is an employment commitment, not a continuous shipboard tour.
Availability: when we checked on October 6, 2026, MSC’s “Any Entry Level” posting said the position was not currently open. These are entry-level career paths, not guaranteed current vacancies. Check MSC’s site for openings.
MSC provides on-the-job career development and advancement opportunities.
Veterans: MSC also runs a Military-to-MSC program with paid trainee positions. See our Veteran to Merchant Mariner guide.
Important employment conditions
MSC’s entry-level posting lists these requirements:
U.S. citizenship and age 18 or older
U.S. regular (tourist) passport with at least 10 months remaining before expiration
TWIC with at least 10 months remaining before expiration
Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) with at least 10 months remaining, endorsed as Ordinary Seaman, Wiper, or Steward’s Department (Food Handler)
Coast Guard Medical Certificate without limitations or restrictions
Small-arms eligibility and qualification
Other MSC positions have different requirements. Requirements are not identical for every position.
Understand the schedule before applyingMSC employment can involve substantially longer periods away from home than some commercial maritime rotation schedules. Review current MSC employment conditions carefully rather than assuming MSC operates on a commercial union-style rotation. Shipboard service is worldwide. MSC normally grants leave after a minimum four-month service tour; confirm assignment and leave arrangements with recruiting. MSC’s separate Mixed Work Schedule option has its own terms and does not apply to every job.
Credentials commonly seen
Credentials commonly associated with these positions may include: MMC, TWIC, Medical Certificate, Ordinary Seafarer, AB / Able Seafarer, RFPNW, STCW, Mate or Master endorsements, engineering endorsements, passport, and MSC-required training.
FEDERAL EMPLOYMENTRESEARCH VESSELSPROFESSIONAL MARINERS
What they do
NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) operates oceanographic research and survey ships using professional civilian mariners. Research-vessel careers in deck, engineering, steward/food service, survey, and electronics. Roles include entry-level Ordinary Seaman/General Vessel Assistant and experienced or credentialed positions.
Jobs you may find
Deck: Ordinary Seaman / General Vessel Assistant · Able Seaman · Fisherman · Skilled Fisherman · Seaman Surveyor · Boatswain and lead positions
Steward: Unlicensed steward personnel, including cooks
Survey: Survey technicians
Electronics: Electronic technicians
Getting started
Jobs depend on current vacancies.
NOAA has a dedicated Professional Mariner hiring portal. Use it to see openings and the application steps.
Openings are announced for limited periods. Check each announcement’s opening and closing dates.
Professional-mariner jobs are separate from the uniformed NOAA Corps, which is a different career path.
Credentials commonly seen
Credentials commonly associated with these positions may include: MMC, TWIC, Medical Certificate, AB / Able Seafarer, STCW, Mate or Master endorsements, and engineering endorsements, depending on the position.
You work for a private ship-management company aboard a government-owned ship.
Government ships are often commercially managed. Many Ready Reserve Force vessels are government-owned but maintained, activated, crewed and operated under contract by commercial U.S. ship managers. A mariner generally applies to the commercial ship manager for those shipboard positions rather than applying to MARAD for an individual vessel job.
Requirements vary by vessel, contract and position. Always check the current employer posting.
Patriot Maritime (Patriot Contract Services)
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTRRFLICENSED MARINER POSITIONS
What they do
Patriot manages and operates government and commercial vessels, including Ready Reserve Force ships for MARAD and Watson-class roll-on/roll-off ships for Military Sealift Command.
This is not the same kind of beginner route as MSC’s entry-level CIVMAR hiring. Jobs depend on the vessel and contract.
For its currently listed seagoing positions, Patriot states requirements including the proper Coast Guard unlimited endorsement(s) for the position, U.S. citizenship, eligibility for a Secret security clearance, membership in a Patriot-contracted union, position-specific MARAD- or MSC-required training, and applicable medical standards.
Use current job postings for exact requirements. Patriot asks applicants to review its Resume Data Sheet before applying.
Credentials commonly seen
Credentials commonly associated with these positions may include: MMC with unlimited deck or engineering endorsements for officer positions, TWIC, Medical Certificate, STCW, passport, and contract-specific training.
Main office
Headquarters 17043 El Camino Real, Suite 200 Houston, TX 77058 Main: 925-296-2000
Employment contact
Applications: Through Patriot’s official Seagoing Positions page.
TOTE Services provides ship management, vessel construction management and maritime consulting for government and commercial customers, managing more than 30 vessels. It is part of the Saltchuk family of companies.
Jobs you may find
Seagoing deck and engine positions, depending on current postings
Getting started
Seagoing opportunities are linked through My Maritime Career, with a separate section for American Maritime Officers (AMO) opportunities. Consult the linked listings for current positions and qualifications.
AMO is a union. AMO says qualified candidates seeking work on AMO-contracted vessels must complete an AMO membership application. That does not mean every TOTE position requires AMO membership.
Requirements differ by vessel and position.
Credentials commonly seen
Credentials commonly associated with these positions may include: MMC, TWIC, Medical Certificate, AB / Able Seafarer, STCW, Mate or Master endorsements, and engineering endorsements, depending on the position.
Main office
10401 Deerwood Park Boulevard Building 1, Suite 1300 Jacksonville, FL 32256 904-248-4700
Employment contact
Applications: Online, through TOTE Services’ Seagoing Positions portal, linked from its Careers page.
You work for a commercial carrier whose U.S.-flag ships support government sealift programs or contracts.
Requirements vary by vessel, contract and position. Always check the current employer posting.
Crowley Government Services
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Crowley provides commercial maritime services and government maritime and logistics solutions through Crowley Government Services. Not every Crowley maritime vacancy is a government-contract position. Crowley’s full profile, with jobs, credentials and employment contacts, is in our Tugs & Barges directory.
Maersk Line, Limited is the U.S. company that owns and operates U.S.-flag vessels and provides transportation supporting U.S. government, military and humanitarian missions. It participates in the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA). Its U.S.-flag fleet operates internationally. This is not the general international Maersk commercial fleet.
Jobs you may find
Experienced seafarer and officer positions, depending on current openings
Getting started
Use Maersk’s official career system for current seafarer vacancies. Maersk says applicants should apply through its job portal and that it does not take speculative applications.
Maersk’s portal also lists jobs with its international crewing companies. Check each posting’s employing company and vessel flag; U.S.-flag positions require Coast Guard credentials.
Maersk says it will never ask applicants for money at any point in the recruitment process.
Credentials commonly seen
Credentials commonly associated with these positions may include: MMC, TWIC, Medical Certificate, AB / Able Seafarer, RFPNW, STCW, Mate or Master endorsements, and engineering endorsements, depending on the position.
Main office
Maersk Line, Limited’s contact pages list government-customer and sales contacts. Those are not recruiting contacts, so they are not shown here.
Employment contact
Online applications only: Through Maersk’s official careers portal.
Please note: Do not send employment inquiries to MLL’s sales or government customer-service contacts.
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