Marine Mechanician
Class Specifications – G.45
Principal Marine Mechanician – 8396
Senior Marine Mechanician – 8397
Marine Mechanician – 8398
Marine Mechanician Helper – 8399
May, 1973
Series Concept
Marine Mechanicians perform or supervise the maintenance, modification and repair of oceanographic research vessels and marine machinery; design, fabricate, install, modify, and repair shipboard and/or oceanographic research equipment and apparatus; and perform other related duties as required.
Marine Mechanicians use operational level skills in one or more of the crafts or trades, such as machinist, shipwright, shipfitter, welder, millwright, and marine mechanic. Incumbents work from blueprints, rough sketches, written or oral instructions; operate shop and ancillary equipment and machinery such as lathes, shapers, drill presses, planers and grinders; may also operate heavy equipment such as mobile cranes, lifts, and wire-rope spooling winches; and may perform skilled metal work, such as brazing, welding, and sheet-metal work.
Marine Mechanicians are required to possess a working knowledge of marine construction, and a familiarity with accepted maritime practices)in workmanship and safety in order to comply with the certification requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, the American Bureau of Shipping, and the ASME Code.
The Marine Mechanician series is distinguished from the Laboratory Mechanician series in that the duties are restricted to ships, oceanographic research equipment and related marine machinery.
There are four levels in the series beginning with the entry level class of Marine Mechanician Helper. This is followed by the operational class of Marine Mechanician, the working leader or advanced operational class of Senior Marine Mechanician and the administrative-supervisory class of Principal Marine Mechanician.
Class Concepts
Principal Marine Mechanician
Under direction, incumbents plan, organize, and direct the support shop complex including the supervision and training of several Marine Mechanicians.
Incumbents plan and schedule work; develop operating budgets; maintain cost controls; prepare job cost estimates; act as consultant or liaison to marine personnel and research scientists in making feasibility determinations, planning projects, and evaluating installed systems or equipment; and supervise and inspect all work in progress, making reconnnendations for changes or modifications.
Senior Marine Mechartician
Under general supervision, incumbents perform highly skilled operational work in one or more of the fields encompassed within this series. The work is frequently innovative in nature requiring original approaches to fabrication or installation in order to meet highly specialized job or project requirements. At this level, incumbents typically provide limited supervision and training for less experienced mechanicians.
Marine Mechanician
Under supervision, incumbents perform a variety of duties of average difficulty utilizing one or more operational craft or trade skills. This is the full operational level in the series. Incumbents may assist with the training of Marine Mechanician Helpers.
Marine Mechanician Helper
Under close supervision, incumbents assist Marine Mechanicians by performing semi-skilled or sub-operational tasks. This is the entry level in the series and is used when incumbents are acquiring operational skills in the mechanician duties associated with marine vessels, machinery, and equipment.
Minimum Qualifications
Principal Marine Mechanician
Graduation from high school and eight, years of experience, including a combination of marine engineering, machine shop work, welding and steel fabrication, mechanics, and wood-working, three years of which must have been in marine construction or repair work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Senior Marine Mechanician
Graduation from high school and six years of experience in machine shop work, wood-working, tool and die-making, welding and steel fabrication, or mechanics, two years of which must have been in marine construction or repair work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Marine Mechanician
Graduation from high school and four years of experience in machine shop work , wood-working, tool and die-making, welding and steel fabrication, or mechanics one year of which must have been in marine construction or repair work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Marine Mechanician Helper
Graduation from high school and two years of experience in general shop work or in a skilled trade; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.