Junior Engineer (Trainee Engineer) Jobs
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- Third Engineer1 vacancy
About the role
Junior Engineer (Trainee Engineer) is an entry-level engine officer rank. They work in the engine room under the Second Engineer and Fourth Engineer. They help with watchkeeping, maintenance, and repairs on pumps, purifiers, air compressors, boilers, and auxiliary engines. They take rounds, read gauges, and record pressures, temperatures, and tank levels. They assist with fuel and lube oil transfers, bunkering, and bilge management. They do not take charge of a watch. Junior Engineers work on container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, LNG carriers, and offshore vessels. They work with engine ratings such as Motorman, Oiler, and Wiper. This rank builds experience before a Fourth Engineer CoC.
Duties on board
- Assist the Fourth Engineer with planned maintenance on purifiers, air compressors, and fresh water generator.
- Take engine room rounds and record pressures, temperatures, tank levels, and flow meter readings in the engine room log.
- Help start, stop, and monitor pumps, blowers, and compressors under the duty engineer's supervision.
- Prepare tools, spares, and isolation tags for maintenance jobs.
- Sound fuel oil, diesel oil, and lube oil tanks and report levels to the duty engineer.
- Assist with bunkering preparations and watch fuel and oil transfer operations.
- Clean bilges, filters, and strainers; help engine ratings with routine tasks.
- Follow permit-to-work, tagout, and PPE rules during all engine room work.
Requirements
| Document | Convention | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Safety Training (STCW VI/1) | STCW VI/1 | Seafarers must receive safety familiarization and basic training or instruction in line with section A-VI/1 of the STCW Code. |
| Security Awareness (STCW VI/6) | STCW VI/6 | Seafarers must receive security-related familiarization and security-awareness training or instruction (section A-VI/6 of the STCW Code). |
Sea service
A Junior Engineer does not hold an STCW CoC for watchkeeping. Seagoing service as a Junior Engineer counts towards the approved seagoing service needed for STCW III/1: not less than 12 months in an approved training programme documented in a training record book, or otherwise not less than 36 months.
Medical fitness
Hold a valid medical certificate before beginning work on a ship. The certificate states that hearing and sight, and colour vision where relevant to the work, are satisfactory. A medical certificate is valid for a maximum of two years, or one year if the seafarer is under the age of 18.
Documents
- Valid national passport
- Seaman's book (CDC)
- Valid medical certificate (MLC 2006 Reg. 1.2)
- Basic Safety Training certificate (STCW VI/1)
- Security Awareness certificate (STCW VI/6)
- Visas when the voyage needs them
Career path
Comes from: Engine Cadet
Next step: Fourth Engineer
Junior Engineer (Trainee Engineer): questions and answers
Do I need a Certificate of Competency (CoC) to work as a Junior Engineer?
No. A Junior Engineer works under engineer officers and does not take charge of an engineering watch. You still need STCW VI/1 basic training and STCW VI/6 security-awareness training, plus a valid medical certificate before sign-on.
What is the difference between a Junior Engineer and a Fourth Engineer?
A Fourth Engineer holds a certificate of competency for an engineering watch on ships of 750 kW or more (STCW III/1). A Junior Engineer assists the watch engineer and cannot take charge of the watch.
Does my sea service as Junior Engineer count towards a Fourth Engineer CoC?
Yes. Approved seagoing service as a Junior Engineer counts towards STCW III/1: not less than 12 months in an approved training programme with a training record book, or otherwise not less than 36 months.
What safety training do I need before joining as a Junior Engineer?
You need STCW basic training under STCW VI/1 and security-awareness training under STCW VI/6. If you have designated security duties, you also need the training for designated security duties.
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Sources
- ILO, Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006)
- IMO, STCW/CONF.2/33 (1 July 2010), Resolution 1: The Manila Amendments to the annex to the STCW Convention
Checked against the official texts on 26 Oct 2026.