
Workers are paid based on their day rate. Meanwhile, a Senior ROV pilot technician can have an annual salary starting from £40,000 to £70,000.Īn ROV pilot technician that has grown into that of an ROV Supervisor or Superintendent with strong system-specific, project and organisational expertise role can earn as much as £100,000 or even more in annual income.Ĭontracting is also a viable alternative to full-time employment when working as an ROV pilot technician. Responsible attitude toward health and safetyĪn entry-level ROV pilot technician can have an annual salary starting from £25,000 to £40,000. Physically and mentally fit to work under strenuous conditions Strong verbal and written communication skills Practical knowledge in the use of power and hand tools Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET)Ĭompanies tend to look for the following skills and characteristics:Īptitude for working with technical and mechanical equipment Meanwhile, to be covered for work in the North Sea and further afield, offshore work will generally require a combination of the following certificates or documents:īasic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) It may be helpful to have knowledge and work experience in the following fields: Ordinary Bachelor’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree with HonoursĪnother entry point is performing military service in national military organisations (RAF, Royal Navy or the Merchant Navy in the UK) and getting training in the following: The general entry point to this career is having one of the following educational achievements in mechanical, electrical or electronic engineering: There are multiple ways to become an ROV pilot technician. Courtesy toward different cultures and personalities make living and working together easier. Like with any offshore job, it is not uncommon for ROV pilot technicians to work alongside people of various nationalities. Living aboard a ship or an offshore rig does not afford much space inside crew quarters. They may also be expected to do some heavy lifting. Special gear has to be worn in cold environments. Depending on the location, ROV pilot technicians can be exposed to harsh weather conditions while performing such tasks. ROV maintenance and repairs are done on the deck of a vessel or platform. Professional setups are generally warm and clean.

ROV operation takes place inside a control cabin shared with a small staff of around 3 people. Jobs typically take weeks to a month out at sea. In line with most offshore careers, working as an ROV pilot technician means long hours. ROV pilot technicians generally work on offshore vessels, platforms, rigs and marine laboratories, with some stationed in coastal facilities. General tasks include using remote-operated tools for remote installation, module replacement and subsea asset repair and decommissioning. ROV pilot technicians can make a lateral career move to work as ROV tooling technicians, which focus on the operation and maintenance of remote intervention tooling (RIT) systems attached to and used by ROVs. Performing hydraulic and electronic construction Liaising with other departments for equipping and upgrading the ROV Maintaining and repairing the ROV and its systems regularly Reporting faults and breaches of safety procedures to supervisors

Relaying, recording and interpreting data during and after the diveĬomplying with company/client, as well as industry health and safety, standards Intervention tools such as robotic manipulators or “arms” for simple actions such as picking up objects and maintaining moving parts on subsea manifolds Launching and controlling the ROV from an offshore vessel or rig into underwater depths of up to 4,000 metresĬameras and sonar displays for navigation and inspection General ROV Pilot Technician duties include:Īssembling, testing and preparing ROV systems ROV pilot technicians begin at Grade II and can end up as high as ROV superintendents, moving from hands-on ROV piloting to a more supervisory and project planning role. The tasks differ depending on the seniority level of the ROV pilot technician. These tasks vary as ROVs are used in fields ranging from subsea oil and gas development projects, IRM (Inspection, Repair and Maintenance) construction to UXO surveys, cable lay / pipe lay, trenching, salvage and scientific research.

ROVs accomplish tasks in underwater environments that are often too deep or too dangerous for human divers. In the third post in our series of offshore career guides, we detail the role of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) pilot technician.Īn ROV pilot technician handles the operation, maintenance and repair of an ROV and its systems.
