All roles/Engineering/AV/IT Officer
Engineering
AV/IT Officer
The AV/IT Officer runs every network, screen, speaker and satellite link on board, keeping guests connected and entertained and the yacht's own systems secure and working.
- Department
- Engineering
- Reports to
- Chief Engineer
- Yacht size
- 60m to 150m+
- Contract
- Permanent or rotation
- Starting pay
- €5,000 per month
What the job is
You look after everything on board that carries data, sound or pictures. That means the guest Wi-Fi, the crew network, VSAT and Starlink connectivity, the cinema, the audio in every cabin and deck area, the Crestron or similar control system, CCTV, phones and the owner's own devices. On a big yacht that can be several hundred access points, dozens of screens and a server room that never switches off. When something stops working, you are the person the captain calls.
Much of the work is prevention. You patch and update firmware, watch bandwidth, check backups, manage licences and keep the network split so a guest's laptop never touches the bridge or engine systems. Cyber security is now part of flag and ISM requirements, so you keep records, user accounts and incident logs in order for audits. You also manage suppliers, plan upgrades during yard periods and keep a spares locker stocked with the right cables, remotes and access points.
With guests on board you become part of the service. You set up a family's phones and tablets on arrival, load films for a movie night on the sundeck, fix a dropped video call for the principal and run the sound for a party or a DJ. Interior and deck crew rely on you for radios and handsets. You need to be calm, discreet and quick, because guests rarely see the work but always notice when the Wi-Fi drops.
What makes a good one
- Enterprise networking and Wi-Fi design
- Crestron and AV control systems
- Satellite communications troubleshooting
- Cyber security and access control
- Calm, discreet guest support
A day in the life
- 07:00Check the network monitoring dashboard, satellite link status and overnight alerts. Confirm backups ran and the CCTV recorders are healthy.
- 08:00Engineering meeting in the control room. Agree with the Chief Engineer and ETO which jobs need a cabin or a system shut down today.
- 09:00Guests at breakfast, so you fix a cabin TV that lost its signal and reset a lighting scene that would not load in the master suite.
- 11:00A guest needs a stable connection for a board meeting. You prioritise their device on the network and test the call quality with them beforehand.
- 13:00Lunch, then replace a faulty access point in the crew mess and update the firmware on the bridge switches with the Captain's agreement.
- 15:00Prepare the sundeck for an outdoor cinema. Rig the screen and projector, test the audio and load the film the children chose.
- 17:30Hand out charged radios for the evening service and log a new supplier quote for the VSAT upgrade planned for the winter refit.
- 21:00Run the movie night, then stay on call while the guests switch to music and a party on the aft deck.
- 23:30Final check of bandwidth and system alerts before handing over to the night watch with your phone on.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for a permanent AV/IT Officer on a 60m to 100m yacht. Larger yachts and strong network certifications push towards the top of the range. Charter tips are shared with the crew on charter yachts.
- France and Monaco
- €5,000 – 7,500
- Spain
- €5,000 – 7,500
- Italy
- €5,000 – 7,500
- United Kingdom
- £4,300 – 6,400
- USA (Florida)
- US$5,500 – 8,200
- Caribbean
- US$5,500 – 8,200
- UAE
- AED 20,000 – 30,000
- Australia
- A$8,500 – 12,500
- New Zealand
- NZ$9,200 – 13,800
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
Recommended
- Cisco CCNA
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Security+
- AVIXA CTS
- Crestron programming certification
- Electro-Technical Officer Certificate of Competency
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2 or C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
AV/IT Officer jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need a maritime background to become an AV/IT Officer?
No. Most come from shoreside IT, broadcast or high end home cinema and smart home installation. You need STCW and an ENG1 to join, then you learn the yacht side on board.
Is this an engineering or an interior role?
It sits in the engineering department and usually reports to the Chief Engineer, sometimes working alongside the ETO. In practice you spend a lot of time helping guests and interior crew.
Will I work on rotation?
On larger yachts rotation is common, often 2:2 or 3:1 months with a second AV/IT Officer or Engineer covering. Smaller yachts usually offer permanent contracts with set leave.