By Oko Immanuel
Petroleum/Subsea Engineer | Founder, Offshore Pipeline Insight | Texas A&M Alumnus
March 12, 2026
The maritime sector remains a dynamic field for careers at sea, with opportunities on tankers, cargo ships, offshore vessels, and more. Roles like Dynamic Positioning Officers (DPO), welders, deck officers, cadets, third and second officers, and galley hands (kitchen staff) are in high demand due to global shipping growth, fleet expansions, and crew rotations. These positions offer competitive salaries, travel, and structured contracts (often 4–6 months on/ off).
Below is a curated roundup of 10 current vacancies (as of March 12, 2026) from reliable sources like OceanCrew, Maritime-Zone, VikingCrew, SealiftCommand, Faststream, Crewell, and MaritimeJobs. I’ve included salary estimates (gross monthly USD), requirements, and direct application websites.
Good luck applying — many companies hire internationally!
- DPO (Dynamic Positioning Officer)
- Company: OceanCrew
- Location: Saudi Arabian waters (DSV DP2 vessel)
- Salary: $6,000–$8,000 (estimate)
- Requirements: Experienced 2nd Mate/DPO, DP2 certification, 12+ months offshore
- Apply: https://oceancrew.org/vacancies/offshore/dpo
- Welder
- Company: OceanCrew
- Location: Offshore (various vessels)
- Salary: $3,500–$5,500
- Requirements: Certified welder, offshore experience, safety training
- Apply: https://oceancrew.org/vacancies/offshore/welder
- Deck Officer / 3rd Officer
- Company: Faststream Recruitment
- Location: At Sea (LNG vessel)
- Salary: $4,000–$6,000
- Requirements: OIC-NW license, LNG experience, 12+ months as 3rd Officer
- Apply: https://www.faststream.com/jobs/crewing-deck-jobs/crewing-jobs
- Cadet (Deck Cadet)
- Company: Maritime-Union
- Location: At Sea (Container Ship)
- Salary: $430–$630
- Requirements: Maritime academy student, STCW basic, entry-level
- Apply: https://maritime-union.com/jobs/cadets
- Third Officer
- Company: Military Sealift Command
- Location: At Sea (mixed work schedule)
- Salary: $83,344–$121,737 annual
- Requirements: USCG 3rd Officer license, offshore experience
- Apply: https://sealiftcommand.com/
- 2nd Officer
- Company: Military Sealift Command
- Location: At Sea (mixed work schedule)
- Salary: $184,629 annual + bonuses
- Requirements: USCG 2nd Officer license, navigation experience
- Apply: https://sealiftcommand.com/
- Galley Hands / Kitchen (Assistant Cook)
- Company: Military Sealift Command
- Location: At Sea
- Salary: $50,000–$70,000 annual
- Requirements: Culinary training, food safety cert, galley experience
- Apply: https://sealiftcommand.com/
- Deck Officer / 2nd Officer DPO
- Company: Maritime-Zone
- Location: At Sea (DP2 AHTS/PSV)
- Salary: $4,995+ per month
- Requirements: DPO cert, OIC-NW license, 12+ months as 2nd Officer
- Apply: https://maritime-zone.com/en/vacancy-job-deck-2nd_officer_dpo
- Third Officer Deck Department
- Company: Various (via Indeed)
- Location: US/At Sea
- Salary: $60,000–$90,000 annual
- Requirements: 3rd Officer license, deck experience
- Apply: https://www.indeed.com/q-third-officer-deck-department-jobs.html
- Galley / Cook on Container Ship
- Company: Crewell
- Location: At Sea (Container Ship)
- Salary: $1,500–$2,500 per month
- Requirements: Culinary cert, galley experience, STCW basic
- Apply: https://crewell.net/en/vacancies?positionGroup=116
These roles highlight the sector’s growth from DPO and deck officers on DP2 vessels to galley hands on cargo ships. If you’re applying, emphasize safety certs, sea time, and STCW compliance.
Which role excites you most?
Share in the comments or email
oko@offshorepipelineinsight.com.
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Oko