All roles/Engineering/Tender Engineer
Engineering
Tender Engineer
The Tender Engineer services and repairs the yacht's tenders, jet skis and water toys, so every boat that leaves the garage starts first time and comes back safely.
- Department
- Engineering
- Reports to
- Chief Engineer
- Yacht size
- 70m to 150m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,500 per month
What the job is
A Tender Engineer keeps the yacht's small boats and toys running. On a large yacht that can mean two or three tenders with inboard diesels or jet drives, a limousine tender, a rescue boat, four to six jet skis, Seabobs, eFoils and a dive compressor. You service engines, chase faults, manage spares and keep a full maintenance record for every craft. When guests are aboard, nothing in the toy garage is allowed to let them down.
The role sits in the engine department but lives between engineering and deck. You report to the Chief Engineer, usually through the Second Engineer, and work every day with the Bosun, who runs tender operations. On some yachts you drive tenders on charter too, so a powerboat ticket and a clean record matter. Outside the garage you stand engine room watches, help with daily rounds and take on planned maintenance like any junior engineer.
The job exists on yachts of roughly 70m and up, where the tender fleet is too big for the deck crew and main engineers to cover. Candidates usually come from marine mechanic trades, outboard dealerships or a deck role with a strong technical side. It is a good way into yacht engineering because you build hours and trust quickly, and many move up to Third Engineer once they hold AEC 2 and some sea time.
What makes a good one
- Outboard and inboard diesel servicing
- Jet drive and PWC fault finding
- Basic marine electrics and batteries
- Clear maintenance record keeping
- Safe tender handling
A day in the life
- 06:30Engine room rounds with the duty engineer, then down to the tender garage to check fuel, oil and bilges on both tenders and the rescue boat.
- 07:30Launch prep with the deck team. You start every jet ski, Seabob and eFoil, check battery charge and swap a fouled plug on one ski before it goes in the water.
- 09:00Guests head to the beach club in the limousine tender. You stay on standby with tools and spares on the swim platform in case anything comes back with a fault.
- 11:00A jet ski reports low power. You flush the intake, clear weed from the impeller and have it back in service within thirty minutes.
- 13:00Lunch while the toys are busy, then log the morning's running hours and the impeller job in the maintenance system.
- 14:30Refuel the jet skis and the chase tender from the day tank, filtering fuel and noting quantities for the Chief Engineer's fuel report.
- 17:00Toys come back aboard. Freshwater flush on every engine, rinse and fog the outboards, and plug the electric toys in to charge overnight.
- 19:00Order a replacement impeller kit and wear ring through the agent so the spares shelf is back to full stock before the next charter.
- 21:00Evening rounds in the engine room, a quick check that the tender garage is dry and secure, then off watch.
Pay by country
Monthly salary on 70m+ yachts, paid in EUR or USD whatever the flag. Charter yachts add tips, often one to two months' salary per season.
- France and Monaco
- €3,500 – 4,800
- Spain
- €3,500 – 4,800
- Italy
- €3,500 – 4,800
- United Kingdom
- £3,000 – 4,100
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,800 – 5,200
- Caribbean
- US$3,800 – 5,200
- UAE
- AED 14,000 – 19,000
- Australia
- A$5,800 – 8,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$6,400 – 8,800
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD
- AEC 1
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
Recommended
- AEC 2
- RYA PWC
- Outboard and sterndrive manufacturer training
- Marine mechanic trade qualification
- MEOL (Yacht)
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2
- C1/D
Where it leads
Tender Engineer jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need an engineering certificate of competency to get hired?
No. Most yachts ask for AEC 1 and real hands on experience with outboards, jet drives and small diesels. A trade background from a dealership or boatyard counts for a lot.
Will I drive the tenders as well as fix them?
Often, yes, especially on charter yachts where extra drivers are needed. That is why RYA Powerboat Level 2 is expected and RYA PWC helps.
Is this a dead end or can it lead to a bigger engineering job?
It is a common route into the engine room. With AEC 2, sea time and a good reference from the Chief Engineer, moving up to Third Engineer is a realistic next step.