Career Guide: Underwater Inspection Engineer

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In the fourth post in our series of offshore career guides, we detail the role of an underwater inspection engineer.

Job Breakdown

An underwater inspection engineer or controller is responsible for collecting, processing, analysing and reporting inspection data of underwater structures. They are also responsible for practising quality control measures to meet industry standards and complete specific projects.

Underwater inspection engineers work closely with surveyors, ROV technicians, subsea engineers and divers, providing the necessary support to accomplish inspection and maintenance tasks.

General duties include:

Preparing and applying underwater inspection plans
Scheduling underwater inspection operations
Supervising underwater inspections of divers and ROV pilots
Recording and updating inspection data of underwater structures
Reviewing, evaluating and analysing inspection data
Reporting inspection findings and providing recommendations for corrective and preventive actions
Providing technical support and preparing procedures for underwater repairs and maintenance
Maintaining inspection software and hardware systems
Accomplishing pre-qualifications of underwater inspection and maintenance contractors
Supervising contracted inspection and maintenance workers
Assisting the underwater inspection coordinator

Working Hours and Environment

Underwater inspection engineers usually work on offshore platforms and vessels, marine laboratories and coastal stations. For offshore jobs, this generally means working and living out at sea, away from home for weeks and even for months. Harsh weather conditions are to be expected. Working hours can last for about 12 hours on average.

Supervising inspection operations happens in a closed environment. The engineer is generally in a control cabin watching a live video feed of the diver or ROV directly carrying out the inspection. From the cabin, they can relay instructions to the diver or ROV and receive firsthand information of the site or structure being inspected.

Living on an offshore platform or vessel requires dealing with limited space, especially in crew quarters. Due to the international nature of offshore underwater inspection work, staff on such operations will likely be comprised of people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Working and living conditions are smoother and less stressful when respect is given equally to the entire crew, their beliefs and their personalities.

Job Entry and Qualifications

There are several tracks to becoming an underwater inspection engineer.

One way of starting this career is having a degree in engineering or surveying, with a specialism in:

Civil engineering
Mechanical engineering
Materials engineering
Metallurgical engineering
Marine engineering
Marine technology
Offshore engineering
Naval architecture

While bachelor’s degrees are acceptable, master’s degrees are preferable.

Three to five years of relevant industry experience are also necessary. Work in the following fields count:

Structural inspection
Surveying
Oil and gas
- Mechanical engineering
- Materials engineering
- Metallurgical engineering

Depending on the scale of the job, one to five years of experience in commercial diving and diving management can be an alternative to having an engineering degree as a starting point.

Whichever path is taken, a CSWIP 3.4U certification is an essential requirement for those wishing to work as an Inspection Engineer. This is the industry standard set by the Certification Scheme for Welding and Inspection Personnel. For those who are experienced ROV Pilots, there is also the option to undertake a CSWIP 3.3U certification. This industry qualification enables the holder to operate as an ROV Inspector.

Having the following skills and characteristics is also attractive to companies looking to retain underwater inspection personnel:

Logical approach to analysing situations
Practical problem-solving mindset
Strict attention to detail
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Willingness to work with a team
Willingness to lead
Physically and psychologically fit to work under strenuous conditions
Responsible attitude toward health and safety

Meanwhile, offshore work generally requires the following:

Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET)
Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET)
Minimum Industry Safety Training (MIST)
Offshore Medical Certificate every 2 years

Salary

The offshore inspection work underwater inspection engineers do is mostly project based. Their work stops once they complete an inspection campaign or they have sufficiently inspected the asset assigned to them.

This means most 3.4U or 3.3U underwater inspection engineers work as freelance consultants. Instead of a salary, they get paid by their daily rate.

The average offshore daily rate for an underwater inspection engineer is £480 – £530. For underwater inspection coordinators, they get about £550 – £600 a day. These rates are for standard 12-hour work days.

Consultants who have an ACFM L2 Certificate or similar NDT skills can enjoy a rate premium of £40 – £70 per day.

Working in areas of hardship such as West Africa and countries with increased tax burdens like Norway net underwater inspection engineers additional premiums.

Companies looking to hire inspection professionals for permanent positions tend to require project management capabilities along with inspection expertise. Salaries start at £60,000, with benefits determined on a case-by-case basis.

Training and Development

As mentioned earlier, obtaining the CSWIP 3.4U certification is necessary to get a job as an underwater inspection engineer.

There is currently only one CSWIP-approved training provider: TWI Training and Examination Services. Fortunately, TWI is based in the UK, and they provide courses throughout the country.

CSWIP 3.4U certification also entitles certificate holders membership with The Welding Institute. Joining The Welding Institute gives access to the latest industry news and insights, invitations to exclusive events, career development tools and educational resources, discounts on training courses, increased professional credibility and networking opportunities.

The following organisations also provide helpful information for career advancement:

Employment Prospects

Underwater inspection engineers typically work in partnership with commercial divers and ROV specialists, so they can find work with similar employers:

Private companies in offshore energy and construction
Local and national government authorities
Environmental agencies
Military organisations
Pipe and cable laying companies
Surveying companies
Academic research institutes

Underwater inspection engineers can also look into contracting for lucrative job opportunities.

Offshore Opportunities

A career as an underwater inspection engineer is a career laden with offshore opportunities in the energy sector.

The North Sea is a reliable region for work aboard oil and gas platforms. Meanwhile, the US and Mexico-based energy companies tend to have work available in the Gulf of Mexico.

For offshore oil and gas jobs in China, the Bohai Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea are the main areas.

Oil has recently been discovered in offshore Equatorial Guinea, so the area is prime for job prospects.

Career Trajectory

The role of an underwater inspection engineer actually lies in the middle of a potential career trajectory of a commercial diver, underwater welder or ROV inspector with CSWIP 3.1U, 3.2U and 3.3U certifications. These other professions can transition to being an inspection engineer with their hundreds of logged hours of underwater inspection work and a CSWIP 3.4U certification.

With enough experience as an underwater inspection engineer, they can be promoted to being an underwater inspection coordinator. Coordinators have a more managerial role, assigning and guiding engineers in projects. Coordinators and Project Managers also liaise with bidders/suppliers, among a host of other senior responsibilities.

A viable option for experienced underwater inspection engineers looking for a more profitable and flexible career path is freelancing.

If you’re looking for career opportunities as an underwater inspection engineer, take a look at our jobs page where you can find work for varying levels of experience.