7215 Career Guide
7215: Deck and Navigation Officer
Career transition guide for Navy Deck and Navigation Officer (7215)
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Top civilian roles for 7215 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Ship Captain
Maritime Pilot
Skills to develop:
Marine Surveyor
Skills to develop:
Port Operations Manager
Skills to develop:
Instructor, Maritime Academy
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 7215 training built — and where they transfer.
Situational Awareness
As a Navigation Officer, you constantly maintain a 360-degree understanding of your ship's surroundings, weather conditions, potential hazards, and the status of your crew and equipment to ensure safe and effective operations.
This translates to the ability to perceive and understand complex environments, identify potential risks, and anticipate future events – a critical skill for success in dynamic and unpredictable civilian settings.
Rapid Prioritization
You make quick decisions about which tasks and issues demand immediate attention during emergencies or rapidly changing operational scenarios, ensuring the most critical needs are addressed first.
Your capacity to immediately assess situations, triage problems, and allocate your focus and energy to the most urgent matters is highly valued. You will be able to sort through noise to identify the signal.
Team Synchronization
You routinely coordinate the activities of deck and navigation personnel to execute complex maneuvers, maintain safety standards, and achieve mission objectives, ensuring every team member is aligned and working in harmony.
This expertise in coordinating diverse teams, managing workflows, and fostering clear communication will be invaluable in collaborative civilian environments where collective effort drives success.
System Modeling
You develop a deep understanding of how a ship and its various systems operate together. You can conceptualize how changes in one area affect others, enabling you to troubleshoot problems and optimize performance.
This capability to understand complex systems, predict outcomes, and identify areas for improvement is highly transferable to industries dealing with intricate processes and technologies.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Logistics Analyst
SOC 13-2081You've been orchestrating the movement of personnel, equipment, and resources on the high seas. This experience in planning and executing complex logistical operations, coupled with your problem-solving abilities, makes you an ideal candidate to optimize supply chains and distribution networks in the civilian sector.
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 11-9161You've been responsible for the safety and well-being of your crew and vessel, dealing with unexpected challenges and high-pressure situations. This experience translates to an ability to develop and implement emergency response plans, coordinate resources during crises, and ensure community resilience.
Marine Surveyor
SOC 19-3099You've been expertly evaluating vessels and ensuring adherence to safety and regulatory standards. You have a deep understanding of naval architecture, ship systems, and maritime regulations. Your skills and experience will allow you to inspect ships, assess damages, and provide expert advice on vessel construction and maintenance.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS), Newport, RI
Topics Covered
- •Seamanship
- •Navigation Techniques and Piloting
- •Shiphandling
- •Naval Operations
- •Deck Maintenance and Safety
- •Leadership and Team Management
- •Maritime Law
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
CSP requires knowledge of advanced safety management techniques, risk assessment methodologies beyond standard navigation, and legal/regulatory frameworks specific to civilian safety standards.
PMP requires comprehensive training in project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall), detailed knowledge of project management processes, and experience leading projects in a civilian context.
While the military provides safety training, the OSHA 30-Hour Maritime course covers specific OSHA regulations and compliance standards for maritime environments, which may differ from military protocols.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Voyage Management System (VMS) | Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) / Marine GPS Navigation Software |
| AN/SPS-73 Surface Search Radar | Marine Radar Systems for collision avoidance and navigation |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) / NAVSSI (Navigation Sensor System Interface) | GPS navigation and timing systems |
| Automatic Identification System (AIS) | Commercial AIS transponders and monitoring systems |
| Integrated Bridge System (IBS) | Integrated marine navigation systems |
| Digital Dead Reckoning Tracer (DDRT) | Navigation simulation software and tools |
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