How to hire captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or 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. • Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks. • Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations. • Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations. • Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth. • Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way. • Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong monitoring, speaking, active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension and active learning skills • Working knowledge of transportation and public safety and security • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $44.45 an hour ($92,460 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels do
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or 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.
- Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
- Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
- Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Job outlook: +4% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 3,800 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | $132,710 |
| Louisiana | $117,160 |
| Texas | $111,390 |
| California | $110,090 |
| New York | $104,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,420 |
| South Carolina | $57,660 |
| Michigan | $53,590 |
See captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Sailors and Marine Oilers
- Motorboat Operators
- Ship Engineers
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
- Commercial Pilots
- Transportation Inspectors
- Bridge and Lock Tenders
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Locomotive Engineers
- Dredge Operators
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.