Officer Subspecialty
CG-OAP16
Marine Safety Engineering
An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.
Description
Marine Safety Engineering Subspecialty Officers are the Coast Guard’s (CG) technical experts in commercial vessel and offshore safety and design. First-tour Marine Safety Engineering Subspecialty Officers perform key functions in the CG’s Prevention Operations by reviewing vessel plans for compliance with CG standards, providing technical advice to the field during casualties, and developing new standards to improve safety. Marine Safety Engineering Subspecialty Officers payback billets are located at the Marine Safety Center (MSC), the Office of Design and Engineering Standards (CG-ENG), the Office of Operating and Environmental Standards (CG-OES), and at the Liquified Gas Carrier, Cruise Ship, and Outer Continental Shelf National Centers of Expertise (NCOE).
Core Skills
- marine engineering analysis
- vessel plan review
- offshore facility safety
- regulatory compliance
- naval architecture
- casualty technical support
- engineering standards development
- risk assessment
- technical writing
Common Certifications
- Professional Engineer (PE) License
- Certified Marine Surveyor (CMS)
- American Bureau of Shipping Surveyor Certification
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- NEBOSH International General Certificate
Civilian Career Paths
- MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
- CIVIL ENGINEERING
- ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
- PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Training & Development
Getting Started
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry
- AutoCAD Certified User
- NFPA 101 Life Safety Code Training
- FEMA Incident Command System ICS 100 and 200
Career Growth
- Professional Engineer (PE) License
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Certified Marine Surveyor (CMS)
Equivalent Roles in Other Branches
Data sourced from official Coast Guard publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.