Working on an offshore oil rig is a job that has equal parts excitement, boredom, and danger. These rigs operate miles offshore, often out of sight of land, and the workers put in 12 hours a day, every day, for as long as a week before receiving a break. The work is strenuous and involves heavy machinery, but thousands of people love doing it because of the job security, the ample pay, and the great benefits.
Entry level offshore jobs are plentiful, and the most common ones are roustabout and roughneck, which require no previous training or experience. Other entry level jobs may not require previous experience on an offshore oil rig, but will require training in the specific field. For example offshore welders will not necessarily need to have worked on an oil rig in the past, but must have been trained to weld. Here are some of the entry level upstream oil and gas jobs that are currently looking for new workers:
Maintenance Roustabout- this is the lowest entry level position available. Duties usually involve general upkeep, cleaning the deck, and possibly some painting. Annual salary: $47,000
Roustabout or Roughneck- The duties of a roustabout typically include helping the drill crew perform their job. This might encompass guiding the loading crane, bringing equipment down to the rig floor, and cleaning the main deck and the pipe deck clear from obstructions. Annual salary: $54,000
Radio Operator- Pretty straightforward. This is considered an extremely easy job on the rig with lots of downtime. The radio operator needs to man the radio at all times, and as such the job can often get very boring. Annual salary- $62,000
Scaffolder- Scaffolders assist the roustabouts and drill crew in setting up scaffolding and ensuring that it is safe. They will typically travel from rig to rig as the company sees fit. Annual salary: $57,500
Mud Engineer- This person oversees the drilling fluids used in the drills. No previous experience is necessary, but common prerequisites are a chemistry degree and knowledge of procedures on a rig. Annual salary: $72,000
Materials Man- Can be a man or a woman, and is directly in charge of ordering supplies and materials and ensuring that every order is correct. This usually involves waking up at random hours of the night to check on incoming shipments. Otherwise, it is a very comfortable position. Annual salary: $59,000
Medic- Offshore oil rig medics aren’t usually doctors, although they do have a history of training in medicine. They manage the sick bay and order medical supplies as needed. They will also be in charge of issuing medication and keeping up with medical records for all the employees. Annual salary: $69,000
RSTC- The rig safety and training coordinator needs to have good communication and organizational skills to be proficient at his or her job. There is relatively little physical work involved, but this is offset by a large amount of responsibility. Annual salary: $80,000
There are plenty of entry level offshore jobs available at companies all over the gulf coast, so if you are interested in an offshore job there has never been a better time to look into it.
