Ordinary Seaman Jobs in the U.S. Maritime Industry
13 open ordinary seaman positions, updated November 3, 2026
Open Ordinary Seaman Positions
Ordinary Seaman
Chevron
Ordinary Seaman
ASRC Federal
Instructor, Seamanship Ordinary Seaman
Management & Training Corporation
Ordinary Seaman (3 days on 3 days off)
McAllister Towing Career Website
Ordinary Seaman (3 days on 3 days off)
McAllister Towing
Instructor, Seamanship Ordinary Seaman
MTC
Ferry Ordinary Seaman - Relief
Maine
Ferry Ordinary Seaman - Relief
State of Maine
Ordinary Seaman
Bowhead
Ordinary Seaman
UICGS / Bowhead Family of Companies
Ordinary Seaman/Captain
Bowhead
Ordinary Seaman/Captain
UICGS / Bowhead Family of Companies
Ordinary Seaman (OS) | Tanker - Oil/Chemical
OSM Thome
About Ordinary Seaman Jobs
Ordinary Seaman is the unlicensed entry rating on ships rather than boats. Where an inland deckhand works tow, an OS works a deck department: standing helm and lookout watches, turning to with the bosun on maintenance, chipping and painting, handling mooring lines, rigging gangways and pilot ladders, and helping with stores and cargo gear.
You will find the rating on deep-sea cargo ships, tankers, government and MSC-crewed vessels, research ships, and larger offshore units. It is a watchstanding job on most of them, which means three sections and a schedule that does not care what day it is.
The requirements are a TWIC, an MMC with the OS endorsement, and a medical certificate. Anything sailing STCW routes will also want Basic Training. Deep-sea berths are frequently filled through union halls, where your shipping card and seniority matter as much as your resume.
Pay is usually a daily wage. Voyages run long, four months is not unusual, and you live aboard the whole time.
The value of the job is the sea time. Days as an OS build toward an Able Seaman endorsement, and AB is where the deck ladder really starts.
Where Ordinary Seamen Are Hiring
Companies Hiring Ordinary Seamen
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between an OS and a deckhand?
- They are both unlicensed deck positions. Ordinary Seaman is the rating used on deep-sea, government and offshore vessels that sail under a ship's articles. Deckhand is the equivalent title in inland towing and harbor work.
- What do I need to sail as an Ordinary Seaman?
- A TWIC, a Merchant Mariner Credential endorsed as Ordinary Seaman, and a medical certificate. Vessels on international or STCW routes also require Basic Training and often Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties.
- How long until I can upgrade to Able Seaman?
- It depends on the endorsement. AB Special generally requires 180 days of deck service, AB Limited 360, and AB Unlimited 1,080. Check the current NMC checklist before you count your days.
- Do union halls hire Ordinary Seamen?
- Yes. SIU, SUP and other deck unions ship OS billets out of their halls, and several run entry-level training programs that place graduates into their first berths.