What you need to perform it
Primary qualification
- Technical base: higher vocational or engineering in electronics, mechatronics or hydraulics — the industry recruits technicians, not 'pilots'.
- Progression through the IMCA ROV-personnel competence framework (Trainee → Pilot Technician II → I) with logbook-recorded hours and tasks.
- BOSIET/FOET with CA-EBS, offshore medical and A-VI/1 per flag.
Basic STCW
- A-VI/1 (necessary to spend the night at MODU)
- OPITO BOSIET current
Specific courses
- ROV introduction/piloting course (simulator and vehicle) from contractor or recognised school
- Vehicle high-pressure hydraulics and manipulators; HPU and compensation
- Umbilical high voltage and fibre: testing, terminations and megger
- LARS/TMS operation and flying in current close to structures
Indicative experience
Indicative: entry as Trainee/PT-II with 1-2 supervised years before solo task flights; promotion to PT-I and senior is driven by manipulation hours and completed projects in the logbook.
Observations
The subsea contractor's employee embedded on the unit. The usual watch split is pilot/co-pilot-technician rotating. Progression: PT-II → PT-I → Senior PT → Supervisor (see the supervisor card); specialities (survey, tooling) open parallel routes.
What this role does
Pilots and maintains the work-class ROV: flies the vehicle on inspection, drilling support (BOP, riser, wellhead) and construction tasks with manipulators, and on deck is a technician —hydraulics, umbilical high voltage, fibre, cameras— because every flight hour is paid for with maintenance hours. The logbook of hours and tasks is the real CV.
Typical watches
- 12-hour shifts when the ROV is operational
Key responsibilities
- Piloting remotely operated vehicles (ROV) on the seabed.
- Visual inspections of marine structures, well heads and BOP.
- Manipulation of valves and underwater connections with robotic arms.
- Preventive and corrective maintenance of the ROV and umbilical system.
- Documentation of missions with video and sensor data.
Operational scope
- ROV control cabin
- LARS launch system
- Seabed / area of operation
Profile reviewed by HydroAbyss (2026). Cited rules and timeframes are indicative: the final requirement is set by the flag State, the Administration and each company.