Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits, and sounds, and on rivers, lakes, and 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.
Consult maps, charts, weather reports, and navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
Give directions to crew members who are steering ships.
Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
Prevent ships under their navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
Provide assistance to vessels approaching or leaving seacoasts, navigating harbors, and docking and undocking.
Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port and when at a berth.
Set ships' courses that avoid reefs, outlying shoals, and other hazards, utilizing navigational aids such as lighthouses and buoys.
Steer ships into and out of berths, or signal tugboat captains to berth and unberth ships.
Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures, through the use of instruction, simulators, and models.
Maintain and repair boats and equipment.
Maintain ship logs.
Oversee cargo storage on or below decks.
Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
Relieve crew members on tugs and launches.
Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
Make nautical maps.
Operate amphibious craft during troop landings.
Transportation -- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Geography -- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Telecommunications -- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Operation and Control -- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring -- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making -- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Operation Monitoring -- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Systems Evaluation -- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Systems Analysis -- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Complex Problem Solving -- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Far Vision -- The ability to see details at a distance.
Spatial Orientation -- The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Control Precision -- The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Depth Perception -- The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Rate Control -- The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
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.
Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
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.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
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.
Analyzing Data or Information -- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.