How to hire a marine safety officer

How to hire a marine safety officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step marine safety officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a marine safety officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new marine safety officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The marine safety officer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A marine safety officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, marine safety officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents marine safety officer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Marine Safety Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Marine Safety Officer	Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. The vessels travel to and from foreign ports across the ocean and to domestic ports along the coasts, across the Great Lakes, and along the country’s many inland waterways.	$12-26
   Boat Captain	A boat captain is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing boat operations and managing staff, ensuring efficient operations for a safe and successful voyage. With their years of experience, they have the authority to develop and implement strategies, delegate responsibilities among staff, conduct safety inspections before and after every journey, direct maintenance strategies, implement solutions if issues arise, and make significant decisions... Show more	$13-31
   Port Captain	Port captains must have skills in vessel maintenance, safety programs, USCG, cargo operations, and ABS. This career requires a U.S... Show more	$16-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • CPR
   • Logistics
   • Coast Guard
   • Combat
   • Emergency Situations
   • Rescue Operations
   • Boater
   • USCG
   • Safety Program
   • USMC
   • Leadership
   • Command Element

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead a platoon that earn numerous awards for jamming opposition force artillery nets and conducting counterattacks on opposition electronic warfare platoons.
   • Supply boats transport fuel, water, crew ,
   • Help to maintain other boats and monitoring equipment as required.
   • Perform emergency marine salvage response and shipboard firefighting.
   • Gain invaluable leadership experience and ability to work well in high-intensity, fast-pace, dynamic environments.
   • Serve as mechanic on presidential support helicopters.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your marine safety officer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A marine safety officer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, marine safety officers' average salary in maine is 29% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level marine safety officers earn 52% less than senior-level marine safety officers.
   • Certifications. A marine safety officer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a marine safety officer's salary.

   Average marine safety officer salary

   $39,138yearly

   $18.82 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level marine safety officer salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a marine safety officer job description

   A marine safety officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a marine safety officer job description:

   Marine safety officer job description example

   A competent person is defined as "one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them" [29 CFR 1926.32(f)]. By way of training and/or experience, a competent person is knowledgeable of applicable standards, is capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to the specific operation, and has the authority to correct them. Some standards add additional specific requirements which must be met by the competent person. Works in the labor department coordinates all work functions in confined and enclosed spaces by performing atmospheric testing to ensure the space is safe for workers and safe for hot work. Carries out other duties as assigned by the Shop Supervisor for the following shops;

   
   

   • Labor Shop

   
   

   Duties and responsibilities

   ( Duties and responsibilities, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. This list of tasks is illustrative ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class. It does not imply that all positions within the class perform all of the duties listed, nor does it necessarily list all possible duties that may be assigned.)

   1. Conduct Atmospheric testing and space inspections to determine that the area is safe for workers and hot work.
   2. Maintain and ensure calibration of atmospheric testing equipment.
   3. Maintains records of inspections and tests.
   4. Applies gas free work scope process to production needs while ensuring compliance to NFPA 306 and associated regulatory requirements.
   5. Test hollow structures for explosive atmosphere and recommends safe work practices.
   6. Conduct training in confined and enclosed space entry.
   7. Monitor sub-contractors production activities to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and contractual safety standards.

   Must have the ability to climb vertical ladders up to 100 feet. Enter confined and enclosed spaces. Distinguish colors, kneel, stand, squat, crawl in and out of holes, walk up to 5 miles a day, climb stairs, sit and reach. All the listed physical requirements listed are classified as frequent in nature. Must be medically capable to wear a respirator.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find marine safety officers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your marine safety officer job on Zippia to find and recruit marine safety officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with marine safety officer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new marine safety officer

   Once you've found the marine safety officer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new marine safety officer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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