Officer

A Lieutenant and Operations Specialist monitor antisubmarine warfare activity using the Navy’s Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC). The MHPCC is one of the world’s top supercomputers and provides parallel computing capability to the research, science, and war fighter communities in the Navy.

Science

Job Description:

Regardless of storms or sea-state, the Navy’s ships and submarines must perform missions across the oceans to protect our national security. It’s up to Officers in the science field to recommend a course for each ship and steer the crew clear of adverse weather or ocean conditions. Officers in the science community make recommendations based on weather forecasts and ocean conditions. If you are a master of math and science and have an analytical mind, explore new frontiers through research and analysis as a Science Officer in the Navy.

What Will You Do?

As a meteorologist or oceanographer, you may find yourself advising a rescue team about the ocean tides and currents during a search-and-rescue mission. Some additional responsibilities may include:

• Observing weather conditions from airplanes
• Interpreting weather data received from satellites and weather balloons
• Relaying forecast updates and violent weather warnings to military and civilian authorities
• Directing personnel who gather oceanographic and weather data
• Directing the preparation of ocean, sea, and waterway charts and maps
• Collecting information on ice conditions in ocean shipping lanes
• Collecting information about ocean currents for military operational planning

Special Pay/Bonuses

Because of its level of specialization, Officers in this field are not only awarded with an excellent salary, they also receive generous bonuses and unique benefits not widely available anywhere else. A few fringe benefits include, free and low-cost travel, 30 days’ paid vacation every year, Officer status, and the use of Officers’ Clubs and recreation facilities.

Skills and Training

There are a few ways to become a Navy Officer. Enrolling in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) or the U.S. Naval Academy are two paths toward gaining a commission. Other prospective Officers attend Officer Candidate School (OCS), a 12-week Navy orientation school in Newport, Rhode Island. OCS prepares you for the roles and responsibilities expected of and afforded to U.S. Navy Officers through academic and military courses and physical fitness training. Course subjects include Naval operations, orientation and administration, Navy history, strategic deterrence and sea control, shipboard management, combat systems, ship control, and surface ship fundamentals.

Officers in the oceanography field attend Basic Oceanography Accession Training (BOAT) prior to their first duty station. As a Meteorology Officer, you will receive specialized training prior to your first assignment. Some of your advanced training may include methods of analyzing weather conditions, identification of common weather patterns, and techniques and procedures of forecasting.

Career Outlook

The Navy is known throughout the world for its exacting standards in fields of science, which makes it ideal as a launch pad for careers in both the Navy and civilian sector. The skills you will acquire as a Science Officer will prepare you to work for federal government agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the U.S. Weather Service or functioning as a meteorologist for a commercial airline.