All About Marine Architects

Career Description Design and oversee construction and repair of marine craft and floating structures such as ships, barges, tugs, dredges, submarines, torpedoes, floats, and buoys. May confer with marine engineers.

Marine Architect Responsibilities

• Evaluate performance of craft during dock and sea trials to determine design changes and conformance with national and international standards.
• Design layout of craft interior, including cargo space, passenger compartments, ladder wells, and elevators.
• Conduct stability analyses of ships.
• Confer with marine engineering personnel to establish arrangement of boiler room equipment and propulsion machinery, heating and ventilating systems, refrigeration equipment, piping, and other functional equipment.
• Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of craft, such as size, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft.
• Design complete hull and superstructure according to specifications and test data, in conformity with standards of safety, efficiency, and economy.

Marine Architect Needed Skills

When polled, Marine Architects say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

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.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Marine Architect

• Designer
• Engineering Technician
• Structural Designer
• Architect Specialist
• Naval Architect

Marine Architect Job Outlook

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 8,200 jobs in the United States for Marine Architect. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,000 new jobs for Marine Architect by 2026. The BLS estimates 600 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Marine Architect are Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Virginia. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, or Oregon. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Marine Architect

The average yearly salary of a Marine Architect ranges between $65,090 and $148,950.

Marine Architects who work in California, District of Columbia, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Marine Architects in different U.S. states.

What Tools & Technology do Marine Architects Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Marine Architects may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Project
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
• ANSYS FLUENT
• MSC Software Nastran
• Siemens PLM Software NX
• Autodesk Algor Simulation
• Intergraph SmartMarine 3D
• Creative System GHS
• HydroComp NavCad
• Proteus Engineering FastShip
• Strand7
• ShipConstructor

How do I Become a Marine Architect?

What kind of Marine Architect requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Marine Architects Are Employed

Marine Architects work in the following industries:

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: U.S. Navy via Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.