Curious about a career in the Navy?
If you’ve always loved being around the water, the Navy life may be for you.
You might be surprised by just how many career options there are in the Navy. Whatever your interest may be, there is a specialty for it — from healthcare to flight support careers — and everything in-between.
Navy area of specialties include:
- Business
- Communications
- Creative
- Cyber & IT
- Healthcare
- Humanitarian Aid
- Engineering
- Law & Management
- Logistics
- Ministry
- Repair & Maintenance
- Special Warfare
- Weapons & Electronics
Whether you want a full-time or a part-time career, you’ll find a solid paycheck and diversity in the armed service that’s forged by the sea.
Ready to learn more about potential Navy careers? Here’s a look at 7 of the highest demand, cool Navy jobs:
Nuclear Machinist Mate
Nuclear Machinist Mates are mechanics who work on aircraft carrier and submarine nuclear power generation and propulsion systems. You’ll work with turbines and other systems within the depths of the ship or subs. To excel in this career, you’ll need to love physics, chemistry, and engineering — a lot — to run the reactor room.
What you’ll do:
- Operate and maintain steam turbines and reduction gears
- Keep radiological control of the reactor departments
- Operate reactor auxiliary systems
- Run power generation systems and propulsion
Special perks:
- Big bonuses – Up to $100,000 re-enlistment bonuses
- Challenging – Learn new parts of the power plant daily
- Top security clearance – Access areas other Sailors will never see
- Post career pay is high – Civilian jobs in power plants pay top dollar
The training is extensive and includes boot camp, “A” School, and Naval Nuclear Power School (NNPS), and Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) for advanced nuclear training. If you’re dedicated to qualifying for new responsibilities, you’ll find big bonuses and career-strengthening opportunities along the way.
Air Traffic Controller
Working as a Navy Air Traffic Controller can be stressful and entry isn’t easy, but it does easily translate to a civilian job. Like civilian air traffic controllers, they are responsible for the safety of aircraft — only in the Navy, this involves massive airfields and the flight decks of aircraft carriers.
What you’ll do:
- Control and direct air traffic at airfields and on aircraft carriers
- Interpret data shown on radar screens
- Maintain aeronautical charts and maps
- Decipher data on radar screens and plot aircraft positions
- Share with aircraft personnel information on other air traffic, navigation systems, and airfield conditions essential to safe operations
Special perks:
- Exciting daily work – Take part in landing multimillion-dollar aircrafts
- Changing work environments – Work in a variety of settings
- Transferable credit hours – Your training offers credits that can go toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree
Master At Arms
The Navy’s Master At Arms provide law enforcement and security for naval bases and ships. Master At Arms individuals are trained in anti-terrorism techniques, armed sentry and post standing techniques, crime prevention, military and civil law, first aid, firearms deployment, and physical restraint techniques. They can handle basically any security situation.
What you’ll do:
- Act as a security advisor for your squadron
- Provide security and physical protection
- Host crime prevention programs
- Assist in crowd control and riot prevention
- Handle and care for dogs that find narcotics and explosives
Special perks:
- Rewarding position – Protect fellow service members daily
- Stay in shape – Keep in exceptional shape for this position
- Post Navy options – Translates well to a civilian job in law enforcement
- Education opportunities – Continue your education through tuition assistance programs, the Navy College Program, or the Post-9/11 GI Bill
SEAL
Training to become a member of the Navy’s Sea, Air and Land Forces – commonly known as SEALs – has been described as brutal. But those who make it become a member of one of the most elite fighting forces in the United States.
What you’ll do:
- Participate in Special Warfare/Special Operations missions
- Capture high-value enemies around the world
- Collect intelligence through special reconnaissance missions
- Perform underwater reconnaissance
- Demolish natural or man-made obstacles prior to amphibious landings
Special perks:
- Specialized training – Not everyone can be a SEAL
- Bonus pay – Receive extra pay for special missions
- Officer roles – Lead and train new SEALs
- Faster-paced deployments – You’ll head out on missions quickly
SEAL training lasts 2.5 years and is designed to push participants to their mental and physical limits. SEALs work in all environments from the Arctic to the jungle. If you love it, the position has potential for officers to advance and become trainers. In civilian life, you can become a government consultant or work in law enforcement.
Navy Diver
Another difficult, but elite group to join. Training ensures Navy Divers are the best in the world and capable of completing jobs only a few people can successfully do. Navy Divers work all over the world in every underwater habitat. They may complete diving salvage operations, construction and demolition projects, search and rescue, and serve as technical experts for other branches of the military.
What you’ll do:
- Perform search and rescue missions
- Participate in construction and demo projects
- Help military and civilian law enforcement agencies
- Offer technical advice for diving evolutions
- Take care of routine ship maintenance, including restoration
Special perks:
- Explore – See the depths of the ocean others never see
- Advanced training – Become a master diver for special missions
- Promotion available – Advance based on your performance
- Special missions – Work specialized search and rescue missions
Seven weeks of Diver Preparation Coursework prepares you for your role as a
Navy Diver. You’ll also take part in a Second Class Dive School for 15 weeks in Panama City, Florida to prepare for a variety of dive types. After your Navy career, this position translates well to a civilian job as a commercial diver.
Navy Pilot
As one of the coolest Navy jobs, this position requires a high level of knowledge and training. This fast-paced career is for those who aren’t afraid of heights and love seeing the world from the sky. All Navy Pilots must attend Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, Rhode Island and have a four-year degree prior to entering OCS.
What you’ll do:
- Participate in search and rescue operations
- Assist with replenishment missions
- Conduct enemy surveillance by gathering photo intelligence
- Take part in reconnaissance, fighter and attack, and sea missions
Special perks:
- Extra education – Earn a master’s or doctorate’s while earning full pay
- Work globally – See the world during various assignments
- Train on high-tech equipment – Experience the incredible power of equipment like F-35C Lightning and MH-60R Seahawk
If an ever-changing and thrilling career is what you’re after, consider a Navy Pilot career. The training is top-notch, and you’ll come out of the Navy with an opportunity to find work as a commercial or private pilot.
Navy Nurse
Active duty Navy Nurses provide high-quality care in a variety of environments In both full-time and part-time capacities. As a Navy Nurse, you may work in military treatment facilities both in the U.S. and overseas, take part in humanitarian aid missions, and serve onboard aircraft carriers or hospital ships.
What you’ll do:
- Assist patients with a variety of health conditions
- Administer vaccines
- Provide emergency care during natural disasters
- Work alongside physicians, surgeons, and medical specialists
Special perks:
- Meet new people – You’ll help a variety of patients daily
- Ongoing training – Training keeps you on top of medical advancements
- Travel – Go on humanitarian missions, deploy to new countries
- NROTC scholarship – Up to $180,000 of nursing school is covered
Navy Nurses serve not only military members and their families, but may also help people in need around the world. This career translates well to a civilian career in medicine in clinics, doctors’ offices, and hospitals.
Cool Navy Jobs Take You Around the World
The above positions are only a few of the best Navy jobs for civilian life transfer. Whether you want to work on aviation, on land, or aboard a ship or submarine, you have access to all those options in the Navy.
As you can see from the list above, no matter your interests, the Navy has an area for you to thrive in.
With enlistment bonuses of up to $40,000 and an opportunity to find the career of a lifetime, it’s easy to see why over 300,000 individuals are currently serving as active duty Sailors.
Interested in learning more about Navy life? Check out our exclusive Navy lifestyle section on the Sandboxx blog.
Love this post? Check out our 7 Careers on the Army Jobs List to Consider to learn about even more unique military opportunities!
