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MST Marine Science Technician

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

A Marine Science Technician observes, records, and analyzes environmental and scientific data, then performs field monitoring and laboratory analysis to identify chemicals and oil. The technician responds to oil and hazardous materials, inspects vessels, waterfront facilities, and shipping containers for safety, security, and regulatory compliance, and provides environmental information for Coast Guard operations.

Core Skills

  • Vessel and waterfront facility inspections
  • Marine pollution incident response
  • Environmental and marine safety enforcement
  • Port security requirements enforcement

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

MST pollution response and environmental law enforcement experience transfers to investigating spills and identifying environmental hazards.

How to prepare: Take a practical environmental sampling course that includes water sampling, sample handling, and pollutant test reporting.

What the civilian work involves
  • Collect samples of gases, soils, water, industrial wastewater, or asbestos products to conduct tests on pollutant levels or identify sources of pollution.
  • Investigate hazardous conditions or spills or outbreaks of disease or food poisoning, collecting samples for analysis.
  • Record test data and prepare reports, summaries, or charts that interpret test results.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Adobe Acrobat

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

MST vessel and facility inspections and marine safety enforcement transfer to evaluating workplace compliance with safety standards.

How to prepare: Complete a workplace safety standards course and practice translating a marine facility inspection into a civilian hazard assessment with recommended corrective measures.

What the civilian work involves
  • Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
  • Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word

Training & Development

Choose credentials for your target role. COOL funding markers describe program listings, not a guarantee of eligibility or funding.

Career Growth

  • Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

    Support progression in professional occupational safety practice after building qualifying safety experience.

    Eligibility and preparation: A bachelor's degree, four years of safety, health, and environment experience with at least 50% preventive professional-level work demonstrating breadth and depth of safety duties, and a BCSP Qualified Credential such as ASP, GSP, or TSP are required; candidates must also pass the CSP examination.

    For: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. USCG authority snapshot: MST Marine Science Technician

    [1] data/authority/coast_guard-codes.json entry MST (COOL USCG MOC Feed (uscg.json) + Go Coast Guard - Enlisted Careers (gocoastguard.com)); fetched 2026-07-25

    Supports: Vessel and waterfront facility inspections, Marine pollution incident response, Environmental and marine safety enforcement, Port security requirements enforcement, Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health (O*NET 19-4042.00), Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (O*NET 19-5011.00)

  2. O*NET: Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health (O*NET 19-4042.00)

  3. O*NET: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

    [3] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (O*NET 19-5011.00)

  4. COOL credential mapping: Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

    [4] MST cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

    [5]BCSP: Certified Safety Professional requirements · Certification requirements 1-5; retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

Defense contractor jobs for MST

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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