OPT Marine Technician Jobs
Marine Technician jobs on OPT are available at boat manufacturers, marine service centers, and naval contractors. Most roles require hands-on mechanical skills and a degree in marine technology, mechanical engineering, or a related field. STEM OPT extension eligibility depends on your specific degree and employer.
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US Coatings, LLC (USC) specializes in providing interior tank coating, cleaning and surface preparation services for various marine vessels including cargo (advanced chemical linings), ballast, and freshwater tanks. Additionally, USC is an applicator of advanced coatings and protective systems for marine hulls, decks, and superstructures.
US Coatings, LLC operates across the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi and Ohio River system, Great Lakes and the Mid-Atlantic serving multiple end-markets within the marine industry including transportation, logistics, tourism, leisure, commercial fishing, and the federal government.
US Coatings LLC is part of a family of companies unified by purpose to deliver safe, reliable solutions to our clients’ unique challenges. We are committed to providing superior service and leaving things better than we found them.
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced Marine Coatings Project Manager to oversee surface preparation, abrasive blasting, industrial painting, and protective coating projects involving U.S. Navy vessels, commercial ships, shipyards, and marine facilities.
In this role, you'll manage projects from initial planning and estimating through execution, quality inspections, and final completion. You'll coordinate field crews, subcontractors, materials, equipment, and project schedules while ensuring work meets customer specifications, safety requirements, and quality standards. You'll work closely with shipyard personnel, vessel owners, government representatives, and internal operations teams to deliver projects safely, on schedule, and within budget. Projects may include dry-docked vessels, active shipyard operations, waterfront infrastructure, and maintenance or preservation work aboard military and commercial ships.
Project Management & Field Operations
- Manage marine coatings and surface preparation projects involving Navy vessels, commercial ships, barges, and waterfront structures.
- Oversee abrasive blasting, surface preparation, industrial painting, and protective coating applications.
- Coordinate daily field operations, including crew assignments, equipment, materials, and subcontractors.
- Develop project schedules, manpower plans, and production targets to meet contractual deadlines.
- Monitor project progress, budgets, labor costs, productivity, and profitability.
- Conduct site visits, project meetings, and inspections to ensure work meets specifications.
- Coordinate with shipyard management and other trades working aboard vessels or within active shipyard facilities.
Estimating & Contract Management
- Review project drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and bid documents.
- Assist with estimating labor, materials, equipment, and project costs.
- Manage project budgets, change orders, purchase orders, and subcontractor agreements.
- Track project financial performance, identify cost overruns, and implement corrective actions.
- Maintain project documentation, production reports, and customer communication.
Marine Coatings & Quality Control
- Oversee surface preparation and coating applications on vessel hulls, decks, tanks, structural steel, and marine equipment.
- Ensure compliance with applicable AMPP/SSPC/NACE standards, customer specifications, and coating manufacturer requirements.
- Coordinate surface preparation inspections, environmental monitoring, dry film thickness testing, and coating quality inspections.
- Work with quality control personnel and customer representatives to resolve deficiencies.
- Ensure proper documentation of coating inspections, testing, and project closeout requirements.
Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Enforce OSHA maritime and shipyard safety requirements and applicable site-specific safety procedures.
- Coordinate safe execution of blasting, painting, confined-space work, and other high-risk operations.
- Ensure proper use of respiratory protection, ventilation, containment systems, and personal protective equipment.
- Support compliance with applicable environmental regulations, including hazardous coating removal, waste handling, and containment requirements.
Requirements and Education
- Experience managing industrial painting, protective coatings, marine construction, or ship repair projects.
- Experience overseeing field crews, subcontractors, project schedules, and budgets.
- Working knowledge of abrasive blasting, surface preparation, and industrial coating systems.
- Experience interpreting project specifications, drawings, and technical requirements.
- Experience with project estimating, cost tracking, change orders, and project documentation.
- Experience working in industrial, shipyard, marine, or similarly regulated construction environments.
- Ability to access and work aboard vessels, including navigating ladders, gangways, and confined work areas as required by the position.
- Ability to travel to project sites as required.
Preferred Requirements and Education
- Experience managing U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command (MSC), or other government vessel maintenance and preservation projects.
- Experience with NAVSEA Standard Items and applicable Navy preservation specifications.
- Familiarity with commercial ship repair, dry-dock operations, and vessel maintenance.
- AMPP/SSPC/NACE coating inspection certifications, such as AMPP CIP Level 1 or 2.
- Experience with marine coating systems, including epoxy, polyurethane, antifouling, and corrosion-resistant coatings.
- Familiarity with NAVSEA Standard Item 009-32 and related surface preparation and painting requirements.
- Experience with marine environmental containment and hazardous coating removal.
- Experience working with government contracting requirements and military shipyard procedures.
- Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related discipline.
EEO Statement
US Coatings, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, gender, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, religion, marital status, ancestry, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other factor prohibited by applicable law.
Company Overview
US Coatings, LLC (USC) specializes in providing interior tank coating, cleaning and surface preparation services for various marine vessels including cargo (advanced chemical linings), ballast, and freshwater tanks. Additionally, USC is an applicator of advanced coatings and protective systems for marine hulls, decks, and superstructures.
US Coatings, LLC operates across the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi and Ohio River system, Great Lakes and the Mid-Atlantic serving multiple end-markets within the marine industry including transportation, logistics, tourism, leisure, commercial fishing, and the federal government.
US Coatings LLC is part of a family of companies unified by purpose to deliver safe, reliable solutions to our clients’ unique challenges. We are committed to providing superior service and leaving things better than we found them.
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced Marine Coatings Project Manager to oversee surface preparation, abrasive blasting, industrial painting, and protective coating projects involving U.S. Navy vessels, commercial ships, shipyards, and marine facilities.
In this role, you'll manage projects from initial planning and estimating through execution, quality inspections, and final completion. You'll coordinate field crews, subcontractors, materials, equipment, and project schedules while ensuring work meets customer specifications, safety requirements, and quality standards. You'll work closely with shipyard personnel, vessel owners, government representatives, and internal operations teams to deliver projects safely, on schedule, and within budget. Projects may include dry-docked vessels, active shipyard operations, waterfront infrastructure, and maintenance or preservation work aboard military and commercial ships.
Project Management & Field Operations
- Manage marine coatings and surface preparation projects involving Navy vessels, commercial ships, barges, and waterfront structures.
- Oversee abrasive blasting, surface preparation, industrial painting, and protective coating applications.
- Coordinate daily field operations, including crew assignments, equipment, materials, and subcontractors.
- Develop project schedules, manpower plans, and production targets to meet contractual deadlines.
- Monitor project progress, budgets, labor costs, productivity, and profitability.
- Conduct site visits, project meetings, and inspections to ensure work meets specifications.
- Coordinate with shipyard management and other trades working aboard vessels or within active shipyard facilities.
Estimating & Contract Management
- Review project drawings, specifications, scopes of work, and bid documents.
- Assist with estimating labor, materials, equipment, and project costs.
- Manage project budgets, change orders, purchase orders, and subcontractor agreements.
- Track project financial performance, identify cost overruns, and implement corrective actions.
- Maintain project documentation, production reports, and customer communication.
Marine Coatings & Quality Control
- Oversee surface preparation and coating applications on vessel hulls, decks, tanks, structural steel, and marine equipment.
- Ensure compliance with applicable AMPP/SSPC/NACE standards, customer specifications, and coating manufacturer requirements.
- Coordinate surface preparation inspections, environmental monitoring, dry film thickness testing, and coating quality inspections.
- Work with quality control personnel and customer representatives to resolve deficiencies.
- Ensure proper documentation of coating inspections, testing, and project closeout requirements.
Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Enforce OSHA maritime and shipyard safety requirements and applicable site-specific safety procedures.
- Coordinate safe execution of blasting, painting, confined-space work, and other high-risk operations.
- Ensure proper use of respiratory protection, ventilation, containment systems, and personal protective equipment.
- Support compliance with applicable environmental regulations, including hazardous coating removal, waste handling, and containment requirements.
Requirements and Education
- Experience managing industrial painting, protective coatings, marine construction, or ship repair projects.
- Experience overseeing field crews, subcontractors, project schedules, and budgets.
- Working knowledge of abrasive blasting, surface preparation, and industrial coating systems.
- Experience interpreting project specifications, drawings, and technical requirements.
- Experience with project estimating, cost tracking, change orders, and project documentation.
- Experience working in industrial, shipyard, marine, or similarly regulated construction environments.
- Ability to access and work aboard vessels, including navigating ladders, gangways, and confined work areas as required by the position.
- Ability to travel to project sites as required.
Preferred Requirements and Education
- Experience managing U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command (MSC), or other government vessel maintenance and preservation projects.
- Experience with NAVSEA Standard Items and applicable Navy preservation specifications.
- Familiarity with commercial ship repair, dry-dock operations, and vessel maintenance.
- AMPP/SSPC/NACE coating inspection certifications, such as AMPP CIP Level 1 or 2.
- Experience with marine coating systems, including epoxy, polyurethane, antifouling, and corrosion-resistant coatings.
- Familiarity with NAVSEA Standard Item 009-32 and related surface preparation and painting requirements.
- Experience with marine environmental containment and hazardous coating removal.
- Experience working with government contracting requirements and military shipyard procedures.
- Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related discipline.
EEO Statement
US Coatings, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, gender, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, religion, marital status, ancestry, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, or any other factor prohibited by applicable law.
See all OPT Marine Technician Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Marine Technician Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Marine Technician
Confirm your degree qualifies for STEM OPT
Marine Technician roles can qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in marine technology, mechanical engineering, or a related STEM field. Verify your CIP code with your DSO before applying.
Target employers with existing OPT infrastructure
Boat manufacturers, naval defense contractors, and large marine service companies are more likely to have HR teams familiar with OPT work authorization. Smaller independent marine shops may not understand the process at all.
Lead with your technical credentials, not your visa status
Certifications like ABYC or manufacturer-specific training from Yamaha or Mercury Marine make you stand out before the OPT conversation happens. Employers who see clear technical value are more willing to navigate authorization paperwork.
Address OPT proactively and clearly
When asked about work authorization, explain that OPT allows you to work without employer sponsorship during the authorization period. Many hiring managers confuse OPT with visa sponsorship, so a concise, confident explanation removes that friction.
Focus on employers in STEM OPT-friendly industries
Naval defense contractors, marine engineering firms, and boat manufacturers frequently hire on STEM OPT because they already employ engineers under similar authorizations. These employers understand compliance obligations and are less likely to reject OPT candidates outright.
Apply before your OPT end date with enough runway
Hiring for technical roles like Marine Technician can take four to eight weeks from application to offer. Starting your search at least three months before your OPT expires gives employers confidence you have sufficient time to contribute meaningfully.
Marine Technician OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Marine Technician on OPT?
Yes, if your degree is in a related field such as marine technology, mechanical engineering, or marine systems engineering. The work must be directly related to your degree program. Roles focused on engine diagnostics, systems repair, or vessel maintenance at marine companies typically satisfy the relationship requirement, but your DSO can confirm eligibility for your specific situation.
Does a Marine Technician role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree's CIP code, not the job title itself. If your degree is classified under a qualifying STEM CIP code, such as mechanical engineering or marine engineering technology, and the employer meets the E-Verify requirement, you can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your CIP code with your DSO early, since not all marine technology programs qualify.
Do Marine Technician employers typically understand OPT work authorization?
Larger employers in naval contracting, boat manufacturing, and commercial marine services are generally more familiar with OPT than small independent repair shops. When speaking with employers who seem unfamiliar, clarify that OPT work authorization does not require them to file any petition or pay any fees on your behalf. That distinction removes the most common point of hesitation.
Where can I find Marine Technician jobs that accept OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and lists Marine Technician roles from employers open to OPT work authorization. Searching on general platforms often produces listings that screen out international students before you even apply. Migrate Mate filters for OPT-friendly employers, which saves time during a period when your authorization window is limited.
What happens to my Marine Technician job if my OPT expires before H-1B sponsorship comes through?
You must stop working when your OPT employment authorization expires unless you have a bridging status in place, such as a timely filed H-1B visa cap-subject petition that triggers cap-gap protection. If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before April 1 of the relevant fiscal year and your OPT expires before October 1, cap-gap rules may extend your work authorization automatically. Consult an immigration attorney to plan the timing.