AB M (Able Bodied Maintenance)
- Military Sealift Command (MSC)
- San Diego, CA – 92014/Norfolk, VA – 23511/Worldwide
- Feb 15, 2026
Job Description
Able Seaman (M) will work as a watch stander or day worker in the Deck Department. As a watch stander, you will stand wheel, anchor, and gangway watches as directed, maintaining alertness at all times. During a wheel watch, you must maintain a steady course, properly execute all rudder orders and communicate utilizing navigational terms relating to heading and steering. As a day worker, you will perform general maintenance, repair, sanitation and upkeep of material, equipment, and areas in the Deck Department. The incumbent performs maintenance such as chipping, scraping, soundings, priming, painting and/or cleaning of the ship’s hull, decks, superstructure, cargo gear, smokestack, lifeboats, rescue boats and/or life rafts, and emergency and damage control gear. Responsible for learning the location and use of emergency equipment, lifesaving equipment, damage control equipment, and safety equipment. Able Seaman performs all operations connected with the launching of life saving equipment and makes security inspections of the ships. Also performs other duties within the scope of the position.
The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command is the premier provider of ocean transportation to the Department of Defense. The Command operates approximately 125 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.
While we do play a critical role in support of our nation's defense, our employees are not active-duty members of the military. MSC civil service mariners (CIVMARs), the largest segment of our global workforce, are federal civil service employees.
All CIVMARs are employed by the Navy to serve MSC onboard naval auxiliaries and hybrid-manned warships worldwide, in peace and war. MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations. MSC provides on-time logistics, strategic sealift, as well as specialized missions anywhere in the world, in contested or uncontested environments.
We recruit transitioning military, merchant marines, maritime academy graduates, and skilled entry-level candidates to fill our maritime job opportunities. The MSC mission is big. So are the rewards for the CIVMARs who help us complete it.