What does a ship joiner do?

A ship joiner is responsible for handling heavy physical operations within a ship's restricted area, operating various tools and equipment, and transporting loads with different dimensions. Ship joiners maintain the efficiency and performance of the engines during operations, scheduling regular maintenance to avoid delays and hazards in the premises. They ensure the cleanliness and orderliness of the area, as well as maintaining the inventories for ship repairs and installations. A ship joiner must have excellent organizational skills, especially the ability to multitask in demanding conditions.
Ship joiner responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real ship joiner resumes:
- Certify welder GMAW, SMAW, FCAW.
- Erect ladders and scaffolding to fit together large assemblies.
- Perform MIG welding on mild steel and stainless steel including plate, pipe and screen.
- Fabricate belt guard aluminum and stainless steel coupling guards, pipe supports, pipe clamps and operate an overhead crane.
- Follow safety rules and regulations and attend bi-weekly OSHA safety meetings.
- Assemble rigging (cables, pulleys, hooks) to move materials.
- Full penetration welding with FCAW.
- Fabricate jigs to assist in job completion.
- Frame steel stud walls insulate and hang drywall.
- Attend shipyard welding school for SMAW and FCAW.
- Operate electric cordless and hammer drills and cutting torches.
- Work on the Tokitae, Sammish, and Kitsap ferries.
- Require adherence to strict OSHA safety measures and ability to act quickly and safely at all times.
- Install metal stud framing; weld exterior/interior metal beams/studs; hang, tape, and texture drywall
- Organize and keep inventory of scaffolding material.
Ship joiner skills and personality traits
We calculated that 32% of Ship Joiners are proficient in OSHA, Shop Drawings, and Plumbing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Problem-solving skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Ship Joiners that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- OSHA, 32%
Followed safety rules and regulations and attended bi-weekly OSHA safety meetings.
- Shop Drawings, 20%
Fabricate and build various parts of the ships from shop drawings as well as blueprints.
- Plumbing, 18%
Read drawings/ blue prints, Also cut, welded all penetrations for the plumbing threw the steal Bulkheads.
- Hand Tools, 10%
Tack weld deck framing Skills Used: Use of measuring tape- use of hand tools- electric tools- welding machine.
- Door Frames, 5%
Installed metal framing, drywall, partition walls, ceilings, interior systems and door frames.
- Boats, 4%
Fabricate, assemble, install, or repair wooden furnishings In ships or boats according to blueprints.
"osha," "shop drawings," and "plumbing" are among the most common skills that ship joiners use at work. You can find even more ship joiner responsibilities below, including:
Dexterity. The most essential soft skill for a ship joiner to carry out their responsibilities is dexterity. This skill is important for the role because "carpenters use many tools and need hand-eye coordination to avoid injuring themselves or damaging materials." Additionally, a ship joiner resume shows how their duties depend on dexterity: "lifted and positioned sections of scaffolding and bolt pipes together to build up scaffolding. "
Problem-solving skills. Many ship joiner duties rely on problem-solving skills. "carpenters may work independently with little guidance," so a ship joiner will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways ship joiner responsibilities rely on problem-solving skills: "analyzed worker or production problems and recommended solutions, such as improving production methods or implementing motivational plans. "
Detail oriented. ship joiners are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to ship joiner responsibilities, because "carpenters must be able to precisely cut, measure, and modify the materials they work with." A ship joiner resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "created detail design for custom changes"
Physical strength. For certain ship joiner responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "physical strength." The day-to-day duties of a ship joiner rely on this skill, as "carpenters use heavy tools and materials that weigh up to 100 pounds." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what ship joiners do: "performed physical labor related to multi-craft trade in insulation and metal work. "
The three companies that hire the most ship joiners are:
- Ascena Retail Group62 ship joiners jobs
- maurices35 ship joiners jobs
- McDonald's18 ship joiners jobs
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Ship joiner vs. Framer/carpenter
A framer is responsible for devising work plans and assembling the framework structure essential for constructing houses and other facilities. Moreover, they are also responsible for finding the appropriate materials needed for the project, setting the budget, managing the schedule, and consulting with the client for their preferences. The duties of a framer mainly involve physical work and attention to detail. There are instances when one must operate various power tools and equipment, understand blueprints, and even climb up high places.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between ship joiners and framer/carpenter. For instance, ship joiner responsibilities require skills such as "osha," "shop drawings," "plumbing," and "hand tools." Whereas a framer/carpenter is skilled in "install windows," "safety rules," "nail guns," and "tape measure." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Framer/carpenters earn the highest salaries when working in the construction industry, with an average yearly salary of $45,093. On the other hand, ship joiners are paid more in the retail industry with an average salary of $40,764.framer/carpenters tend to reach lower levels of education than ship joiners. In fact, framer/carpenters are 7.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Ship joiner vs. Framer
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that ship joiner responsibilities requires skills like "osha," "shop drawings," "plumbing," and "hand tools." But a framer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "taking care," "safety rules," and "nail guns."
On average, framers earn a lower salary than ship joiners. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, framers earn the most pay in the construction industry with an average salary of $39,620. Whereas ship joiners have higher pay in the retail industry, with an average salary of $40,764.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Framers tend to reach lower levels of education than ship joiners. In fact, they're 6.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Ship joiner vs. Pallet builder
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, ship joiners are more likely to have skills like "osha," "shop drawings," "plumbing," and "hand tools." But a pallet builder is more likely to have skills like "pallets," "electric pallet jack," "nail guns," and "build pallets."
Pallet builders make a very good living in the hospitality industry with an average annual salary of $40,282. On the other hand, ship joiners are paid the highest salary in the retail industry, with average annual pay of $40,764.When it comes to education, pallet builders tend to earn lower degree levels compared to ship joiners. In fact, they're 7.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Ship joiner vs. Carpenter assistant
Types of ship joiner
Updated January 8, 2025











