Marine Technician
A Marine Technician maintains, repairs, and services marine engines, propulsion systems, and onboard mechanical and electrical equipment on vessels operating in Australian waters.
What this job is
A Marine Technician maintains, repairs, and services marine engines, propulsion systems, and onboard mechanical and electrical equipment on vessels operating in Australian waters. They diagnose faults using diagnostic tools, perform preventive maintenance schedules, and ensure compliance with maritime safety standards and regulations set by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). The role spans commercial fishing vessels, cargo ships, passenger ferries, and support craft in ports and at sea.
Are employers advertising this role?
Steady, down 5.5% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Diagnose engine and propulsion system faults using diagnostic equipment, multimeters, and pressure gauges. Service and replace marine diesel and petrol engines, including fuel injection systems, cooling systems, and exhaust manifolds. Repair and maintain hydraulic systems, pumps, and actuators used in winches, cranes, and steering mechanisms. Inspect and service gearboxes, shaft couplings, and bearings on propulsion shafts and auxiliary equipment. Test and repair electrical systems including generators, alternators, switchboards, and marine batteries. Perform routine maintenance tasks such as oil changes, filter replacements, and lubrication of mechanical components. Maintain compliance with AMSA maritime safety standards and vessel classification society requirements during maintenance and repair work. Complete vessel maintenance logs and technical documentation recording work performed, parts used, and component hours.
Who does this now
About 1,500 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3)
Registration or licensing may be required.
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation had trouble finding suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Jobs and Skills Australia defines an occupation-ready qualification as:
Completing this qualification will provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this occupation. Further training and experience may be required to meet specific industry requirements including licensing and registration.
Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
You'll be working in harsh, confined spaces on moving vessels in all weather. Time at sea means weeks away from home, confined quarters, and being on-call for emergencies. The work is physically demanding and risky: saltwater corrosion, heavy machinery, and diesel fumes are constant. Pay isn't great for the conditions.
Where the jobs are
Most work is port-based maintenance, but extended contracts mean spending weeks aboard vessels. Remote work isn't an option. Commercial shipping, fishing fleets, and ferry operators are the main employers.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 3212, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Adapt to new technology used in carscore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Car controlscore
- Continuous Learning and Upskillingcore
- Incident Reportingcore
- Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
- Record Managementcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Active Listening
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Digital Literacy
- ERP and Inventory Systems
- Inventory Tracking
- Process Documentation
- Report Writing
- Supplier Communication
- Workload Self-Management
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
What Marine Technician workers move into, from ten years of tax records.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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