1. Energy careers
  2. Operators
  3. Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Operator

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Operator

NOC #72999

  • Environment Primarily outdoor work
  • Education Post-secondary diploma
  • Average salary $44,000 to $81,000

Career profile

Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operators operate or pilot, repair and maintain ROVs. Piloting the ROV remotely involves launching the ROV, operating robotic arms to perform tasks such as picking up items from the seabed, welding or manipulating valves. It also requires operating equipment such as cameras and interpreting data, sometimes in poor visibility, from video or sonar displays to calculate and keep track of the position of your vehicle.

ROV operators regularly maintain the ROV and its associated equipment and carry out repairs on site.

Exploration and production, Oil and gas services, Pipelines, Offshore

In this occupation activities may include:

  • Launching and piloting your ROV vehicle by remote control.
  • Operating robotic arms to perform tasks such as picking up items from the seabed, welding or manipulating valves.
  • Regularly maintaining the ROV and its associated equipment and carrying out repairs on location.
  • Operating equipment such as cameras and interpreting data, sometimes in poor visibility, from video or sonar displays to calculate and keep track of the position of your vehicle.

Education

  • ROV Operators require one to two years of formal electrical or electronic coursework and relevant marine experience. Four levels of certification for ROV personnel is available through the Canadian Diver Certification Board.
  • In eastern Canada, most employers will require a certificate in ROV Operations from the Marine Institute, University of Newfoundland.

Certifications ROV operator certification is now part of the Canadian Standards Association’s Competency Standard for diving, hyperbaric chamber and remotely operated vehicle operations (CSA Z275.4-12) Levels of ROV Certification Available

  • Pilot/Technician Level 2
  • Pilot/Technician Level 1
  • Senior Pilot/Technician
  • Pilot/Technician Supervisor

Additional Requirements Safety is a priority for ROV operators, and employers may require additional certifications beyond the following basics:

  • Basic Survival Training
  • Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET)
  • Helicopter Underwater Emergency Breathing Apparatus (HUEBA)
  • Marine Emergency Duties (MED)
  • Offshore Medical
  • WHMIS
  • First Aid/CPR
  • H2S
  • Travel likely required
  • Shiftwork/variable work hours
  • Primarily outdoor work
  • Work not physically demanding
  • Safety-sensitive environment
  • Work away from home/in camps

You excel at understanding complex information, simultaneously interpreting data from your ROV while tracking the position of your vehicle. You also need to maintain the software that supports the ROV so IT knowledge and programming are increasingly becoming more common requirements. And then there’s the hardware. Even at a distance, you need to understand the mechanical and navigational principles that make an ROV function. You understand mechanical engineering principles and, most importantly, are able to safely operate heavy machinery. Because even when your co-worker is a remotely controlled submersible, it’s important that everyone gets home safe.

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Works Safely
  • Preventative Maintenance
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Installation
  • Operation and Control
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Troubleshooting
  • Collaborative
  • Mechanical Operation