Pilots, Ship :: Job Description

ExistingUsers

User Name:

Password:

Forgot your password?
Click here

NewUsers

FeaturedResources

Pilots, Ship

Careers / Pilots, Ship

Summary Description


	Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits, or sounds, or on rivers, lakes, or bays. Must be licensed by U.S. Coast Guard with limitations indicating class and tonnage of vessels for which license is valid and route and waters that may be piloted.

Sample Job Titles

1.	Area Relief Pilot

2.	Bar Pilot

3.	Barge Pilot

4.	Boat Pilot

5.	Canal Driver

6.	Docking Pilot

7.	Ferry Pilot

8.	Ferryboat Pilot

9.	Harbor Pilot

10.	Marine Pilot

11.	Maritime Pilot

12.	Master Pilot

13.	Package Line Relief Operator

14.	Pilot

15.	Relief Docking Master

16.	Relief Pilot

17.	River Pilot

18.	School Boat Driver

19.	Ship Pilot

20.	Speedboat Driver

21.	State Pilot

22.	Steamboat Pilot

23.	Towboat Pilot

24.	Towing Pilot

Job Tasks

	Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards. Choose optimal transportation routes or speeds.

	Steer ships into or out of berths or signal tugboat captains to berth or unberth ships. Operate ships or other watercraft.

	Set ships' courses that avoid reefs, outlying shoals, or other hazards, using navigational aids, such as lighthouses or buoys. Choose optimal transportation routes or speeds.

	Prevent ships under their navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations. Direct passenger or freight transport activities.

	Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or when at a berth. Direct passenger or freight transport activities.

	Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements. Read maps to determine routes.

	Give directions to crew members who are steering ships. Direct passenger or freight transport activities.

	Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations. Operate communications equipment or systems.

	Provide assistance to vessels approaching or leaving seacoasts, navigating harbors, or docking and undocking. Communicate with others to coordinate vehicle movement.

	Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws. Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.

	Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations. Assist others during emergencies.

	Maintain ship logs. Record operational details of travel.

	Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures. Explain regulations, policies, or procedures.

	Relieve crew members on tugs or launches. Operate ships or other watercraft.

	Maintain or repair boats or equipment. Maintain watercraft engines or machinery.

	Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures, through the use of instruction, simulators, or models. Maintain professional knowledge or certifications.

	Oversee cargo storage on or below decks. Monitor cargo area conditions.

	Make nautical maps.

Work Activities

Importance	Work Activity

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Nature of the Work


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Water Transportation Workers
	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.

	Read More >>

Working Conditions


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Water Transportation Workers
	Water transportation workers usually work for long periods and can be exposed to all kinds of weather.

	Read More >>

<< Previous Page

Next Page >>

Interesting Fact

Washington, D.C. has by far the lowest unemployment rate of any major city in the U.S. at 3.5%.

Did you know...

The MyPlan.com Career College Database provides detailed profiles on more than 4,200 different vocational schools in the U.S.