Marine Electrical Commissioning & Field Service Technician
Location: Seattle, WA (Ballard/Interbay area)
Position Type: Full-Time, Shop Construction & Regional Field Service
About MER Equipment
MER Equipment designs, manufactures, and supports premium marine power generation and custom control systems for the commercial fishing, workboat, and sailing yacht industries. From our facility in Seattle, we build rugged generator sets, custom engine harnesses, and integrated main switchboards (MSBs) that operate in some of the harshest environments on earth.
We are expanding our in-house manufacturing capabilities to build, test, and deploy complex AC paralleling switchboards and automated power management systems. We are looking for an experienced marine or industrial electrical technician to lead the physical assembly, field commissioning, and elite technical support of these systems.
The Role: From the Shop Floor to the Engine Room
This is a highly dynamic role for a true master of troubleshooting. You are not just a parts changer. You will spend your time split between two critical phases of our equipment lifecycle:
- In the Shop: Physically building, wiring, and testing our custom control panels and main switchboards from engineered drawings, ensuring they are ready to interface flawlessly with our generators.
- In the Field: Boarding vessels to handle final commissioning, load-bank testing, system tuning, and performing advanced field diagnostics when a customer hits an emergency.
Key Responsibilities
- Switchboard & Control Panel Assembly: Lead the physical layout, component mounting, wiring, and busbar installation for custom 3-phase AC switchboards (up to 480V) and DC control panels.
- Controller Configuration & Tuning: Setup, configure, and calibrate advanced digital generator controllers (such as Woodward, ComAp, or Deep Sea) for automated load-sharing, paralleling, and seamless shore-power transfers.
- Field Commissioning & Testing: Perform on-vessel startup inspections, safety shutdowns validation, voltage regulator tuning, and load-bank testing to ensure compliance with vessel requirements and class standards (ABS/DNV).
- Elite Diagnostic Support: Diagnose and resolve complex electrical, programming, and communication faults (CAN bus, Modbus) both dockside and over the phone.
- Structured On-Call Rotation: Share after-hours emergency technical support duties on a predictable, rotating weekly schedule with the engineering team.
- Team Mentorship: Work alongside and help mentor junior field technicians to accelerate their technical growth and field readiness.
What We Are Looking For
We want an elite electrical troubleshooter who understands how control circuits interact with heavy mechanical systems and engine platforms.
Core Qualifications
- Experience: 3 to 5+ years of hands-on experience in marine electrical installation, industrial power generation service, or automated industrial panel building/commissioning.
- Military Equivalent: Navy Electrician’s Mates (EM) or Interior Communications Electricians (IC) with automated shipboard power systems experience are highly encouraged to apply.
- Schematic Mastery: Absolute fluency in reading and tracing multi-page, complex electrical schematics, line diagrams, and logic paths.
- Diagnostic Skills: Advanced proficiency with multimeters, insulation testers (meggers), current clamps, and basic PC-based diagnostic/configuration software.
- Marine Readiness: Physically capable of working safely in tight, hot engine rooms, climbing ship ladders, and working dockside in variable weather conditions.
- Customer Facing: Professional communication skills. You can stay calm under pressure and clearly explain a technical solution to a vessel captain, fleet port engineer, or shipyard lead.
What Will Make You Stand Out
- Prior experience programming or deep-level troubleshooting of Woodward or ComAp paralleling controllers.
- Familiarity with marine electrical regulations (USCG CFRs, IEEE 45) or classification society build standards.
- Basic mechanical familiarity with diesel engine electrical systems and governors.
What We Offer
- A stable, year-round role in a tight-knit company with a deep legacy in the Pacific Northwest and Alaskan maritime industries.
- The chance to work on highly custom, top-tier power systems where you see the direct results of your craftsmanship.
- A structured operational framework designed to protect your personal time, including a predictable on-call rotation backed by premium after-hours customer billing policies to eliminate support burnout.
Pay: $80,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person