1803 Career Guide
1803: Oceanography Officer
Career transition guide for Navy Oceanography Officer (1803)
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Top civilian roles for 1803 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Oceanographer
Meteorologist
Skills to develop:
Geospatial Analyst
Skills to develop:
Environmental Consultant
Skills to develop:
Data Scientist
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 1803 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
As an Oceanography Officer, you constructed models of complex oceanographic and meteorological systems to predict their impact on naval operations, weapon systems, and sensors. This involved understanding interconnected variables and their influence on outcomes.
In the civilian sector, this skill translates to creating simulations and models to predict outcomes, optimize processes, and understand complex interactions within various systems.
Situational Awareness
You maintained a high level of situational awareness to assess environmental conditions and their potential impact on naval platforms, weapon systems, and ongoing operations. This required constant monitoring and assessment of dynamic factors.
This translates to the ability to understand the overall context of a situation, anticipate potential problems, and make informed decisions based on a comprehensive understanding of relevant factors.
Resource Optimization
You were responsible for optimizing resources, including personnel, equipment, and time, to achieve mission objectives while accounting for environmental factors and operational constraints.
This skill involves effectively allocating and managing resources to maximize efficiency and achieve desired outcomes, a crucial aspect of project management and operational leadership.
After-Action Analysis
You likely participated in after-action reviews to analyze the effectiveness of strategies and tactics, identifying lessons learned and areas for improvement in future operations.
This skill involves systematically evaluating past performance to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, crucial for continuous learning and process optimization.
Rapid Prioritization
You had to quickly assess and prioritize tasks and decisions based on the dynamic and often unpredictable environmental conditions and operational requirements.
The ability to rapidly assess situations, determine priorities, and allocate resources effectively under pressure is highly valuable in fast-paced civilian environments.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Urban Planner
SOC 19-3051You've been trained to assess and predict the impact of the environment on complex systems. As an Urban Planner, you'll leverage this skill to design and develop sustainable urban environments, considering environmental factors, infrastructure, and community needs. Your understanding of interconnected systems and optimization will be invaluable.
Risk Management Consultant
SOC 13-2051Your expertise in assessing environmental impacts on naval operations directly translates to risk management. You've been rigorously trained to identify, analyze, and mitigate potential risks. As a Risk Management Consultant, you'll apply these skills to help businesses and organizations identify and manage a wide range of risks, ensuring their stability and success.
Business Intelligence Analyst
SOC 15-2051You possess a strong analytical mindset and experience in modeling complex systems. As a Business Intelligence Analyst, you can leverage these skills to gather, analyze, and interpret business data to identify trends, patterns, and insights. You'll help organizations make data-driven decisions and improve their overall performance.
Logistics Analyst
SOC 13-1075You've developed a strong ability to strategize and optimize resource allocation in challenging environments. As a Logistics Analyst, you can use your expertise to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of supply chain operations, reduce costs, and ensure timely delivery of goods and services.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
Topics Covered
- •Oceanographic Data Collection and Analysis
- •Meteorological Forecasting
- •Hydrographic Surveying and Charting
- •Geodesy and Satellite Positioning
- •Naval Oceanography Applications
- •Acoustic Propagation Modeling
- •Environmental Impact Assessment
- •Leadership and Management Principles
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Requires study of specific surveying instruments, land boundary principles, and legal aspects of surveying that may not be fully covered in military training. Need practical field experience.
Need to demonstrate professional experience and education in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). May need to supplement knowledge with specific GIS software and analysis techniques not directly covered.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) models | Commercial weather and oceanographic forecasting services (e.g., AccuWeather, The Weather Company) |
| Integrated Common Processor (ICP) | High-performance computing clusters for scientific simulations |
| TAWS (Tactical oceanographic, hydrographic, and bathymetric database) | Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software (e.g., ESRI ArcGIS) with oceanographic data layers |
| AN/WSN-7(V)2 Inertial Navigation System (INS) | High-precision inertial measurement units (IMUs) used in autonomous vehicles and surveying |
| Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) | Ocean current monitoring equipment used in offshore industries and research |
| Airborne bathymetric lidar | Commercial lidar mapping services for coastal zone management and surveying |
| Meteorological Mobile Facility (MMF) | Mobile weather stations used for environmental monitoring and research |
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