Shipboard Shock Qualification Engineer

Also called: Navy Shock Test Engineer, Shock & Vibration Engineer

Proves that a warship's computers, pumps and radars can survive the jolt of an underwater explosion nearby.

A day in the life

You bolt a new navy display console onto a test machine where a 3,000-pound hammer swings into it. On bigger tests, equipment rides on a floating barge while explosives go off in the water nearby. Afterward you check what broke, then help designers add better mounts.

Pay over a career

Starting
$75k
Typical
$105k
High
$150k

Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.

Training

Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in mechanical engineering; security clearance often required.

Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.

Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Naval Architecture.

Outlook

Growing faster than average. Navy shipbuilding is growing.

Will it last? Our AI estimate

Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Simulation and AI predict shock damage better, but the Navy still requires real tests and human sign-off.

Start now, in high school

Classes: Physics, AP Calculus, Engineering CTE, Shop class.

More Defense & Weapons Systems Engineering careers

Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.