Writing a Marine Engineer Resume (With Template and Example)

If you're interested in pursuing a career as an engineer, you might consider the specialised area of marine engineering. Applying for a job in this field typically requires you to submit a resume customised to the specific job. Knowing how to write a resume for a marine engineer position can give you the best chance of succeeding with your application. In this article, we look at what a marine engineer does, outline how to write a marine engineer resume, provide a template you can use to write your own and offer an example you can follow as a guide.

What is a marine engineer resume?

A marine engineer resume is a formal, single-page document that plainly outlines a candidate's skills, experience and education to demonstrate their suitability for a position. A marine engineer works on diverse ocean-bound vehicles and stations, such as various sea-going vessels, oil rigs and drilling platforms. These professionals manage the propulsion plants and equipment the ship uses to operate its systems. They perform routine maintenance and inspection of all electronic, mechanical and hydraulic systems. An important element of their role includes bookkeeping, lodging faults, recording inspections and ordering parts and equipment.

Related: 9 Types of Jobs on Yachts: Salaries, FAQ and Helpful Tips

How to write a resume for a marine engineer role

Your resume is the first and sometimes most important element to finding employment as a marine engineer, so making sure you meet the criteria is imperative to your success. Here are steps you can follow to craft a powerful resume:

1. Choose relevant keywords from the job description

In the job description, read the language and look for keywords the hiring manager uses to highlight the specific skills or experience they want from an employee. For example, if a job requires over 5000 hours at sea, ensure you include this in your resume if applicable. You can write these keywords in your professional summary, skills and work history sections.

Related: How to Write a Mechanical Engineer Resume (A Helpful Guide)

2. Choose the correct format

Before you begin writing your resume, review the formatting options available. These options depend on experience as a marine engineer, which ranges from entry-level to experienced. You can choose from the following options:

• Functional format: This format option is preferable for a candidate with little or no experience as a marine engineer. Without experience, you can highlight your soft skills relating to the role, such as communication, mathematics or problem-solving.

• Chronological format: You might choose this format option if you have experience as a marine engineer. You can use this layout to list where you worked and your responsibilities in each role, such as preparing safety checks while at sea, especially if it appears in the job description.

• Hybrid format: This resume style combines the functional and chronological format and is ideal for candidates with moderate experience. You can list your experiences and mention any specific skills that might help you succeed over other candidates, such as 2D and 3D design skills.

3. Include your current contact information

Write your name in bold or a larger font at the top of your resume, so the hiring manager immediately knows who you are. Then, add your phone number, professional email address and the city and state where you currently live. This information helps the hiring manager easily identify and contact you if they want to speak further about the role.

4. Write a professional summary

Your professional summary is a brief, clear paragraph between two and three sentences long describing how your experience and skills match those in the job description. This section is an overview of the detailed information in the rest of the resume. For example, if the job description asks a candidate to have proven experience designing and introducing preventative maintenance systems, describe your experience with this skill here.

Related: 10 Careers in Oceanography: Definitions, Duties and Salaries

5. Detail your work history

Your work history section gives a detailed overview of where you learned the skills beneficial to marine engineers. Include the name of the companies you worked for, the dates you worked there and the responsibilities you held. List your experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent or current position. For your first example, list five duties and with all other examples, provide three.

You can refer to the keywords from the job description in this section. For example, if the job advertisement asks for a candidate with experience in training recruits while at sea, mention the specifics of your experience in that role.

6. List your skills

List all the relevant skills that make you an ideal candidate for a marine engineer position. Include soft or transferable skills from other jobs, which may not relate directly to marine engineering, such as communication and teamwork. You can also include hard or role-specific skills, such as operating industry tools or performing specialised maintenance.

Related: 13 Jobs in Marine Biology (With Salaries and Duties)

7. Add your education history

List all the relevant education you have that applies to the marine engineer role. Becoming a marine engineer requires some formal education, which can come in the form of an engineer traineeship or an engineer cadetship. You can also study for various undergraduate degrees, such as a Bachelor of Applied Science in nautical science. List the title of your certificate or degree, the institution you graduated from and the year you graduated.

8. Proofread your resume

Before you submit your resume, make sure you proofread it multiple times to catch any mistakes. Your resume represents you as a professional, and spelling and grammar mistakes can affect the way the hiring manager perceives you. You can download free spellchecker applications or ask friends or family to look at the document for you.

Related:

• How to Write a Marine Technician Resume (With Example)

• How to Write a Marine Mechanic Resume (With Example)

• What Does an Engineer Do? (Plus 12 Types of Engineers)

Resume template for a marine engineer

Here's a template resume for a marine engineer you can use to help structure your own:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]

[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State]

Professional Summary

[Two to three sentences that highlight years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]

Experience

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State]

• (Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State]

• (Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

Skills

[Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill]

Education

[Degree and major], [Name of university]

[City], [State]

[Certification name], [Host organisation], [Year completed or expiration date]

Related: What Does a Marine Engineer Do? The Ultimate Guide

Resume example for a marine engineer

Here's an example of a marine engineer resume you can follow as a guide to create your own:

Martin Ryan, Bachelor of Applied Science (Nautical Science)

08 8363 7363 | m.ryan@email.com | Sydney, NSW

Professional Summary

Marine engineer with over five years of experience working on sea-going cargo vessels, running routine maintenance and coordinating a cadet staff of ten people while at sea. During my previous employment, I was responsible for introducing a maintenance prevention scheme that saved the company over $500,000 in parts replacement and labour. I'm excited to bring my experience to Sentinel Shipping and advance my career as a marine engineer.

Experience

Senior Marine Engineer | May 2019–Current
Bastion Shipping | Newcastle, NSW

• Update a maintenance system I created to see an 8% reduction in materials expenditure

• Coordinate and manage a trainee corps of ten people

• Remain onboard consecutively for over 5000 hours of the year

• Serve as the ship maintenance manager

• Run training drills and coordinate emergency repair efforts

Marine Engineer | June 2015–May 2019
Albatross | Newcastle, NSW

• Performed routine maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems

• Organised water and oil testing

• Performed safety checks to meet regulations

Skills

Communication | 2D and 3D Design | Multi-Systems Maintenance | Control Systems | Leadership

Education

Bachelor of Applied Science (Nautical Science), University of Marigold