Digital Systems Port Engineer - Washington State Ferries

State of Washington • King County - Seattle – Belltown, WA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking a skilled and motivated professional to support safe, reliable, and efficient ferry operations across the Washington State Ferries (WSF) system. This position plays a critical role in maintaining and supporting vessel propulsion control, power management, steering, HVAC, alarm & monitoring, and related onboard systems essential to daily operations and public service. The successful candidate will make tactical and strategic decisions impacting vessel performance, operational reliability, and passenger safety. This role supports agency goals and helps deliver dependable transportation services by fostering a safe work environment and reinforcing WSF’s core values: Serve, Grow, Trust, Respect, and Navigate. As WSF undergoes a transformation to decarbonize its system, guided by its core values and strategic priorities (Service Excellence, Improved Communication, and Empowered People), this is a meaningful time to join the team.

Requirements

• Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair AC and DC propulsion systems including alternators, drive motors, and power management control systems.
• Proven ability to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair propulsion control and power management systems in an industrial, maritime, or equivalent complex technical environment.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve system failures under time-critical conditions.
• Demonstrated ability to program, configure, and troubleshoot Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in control applications, including Allen Bradley, GE, and Siemens platforms.
• Knowledge of control theory including closed-loop control, interlocks, sequencing, and alarm logic as applied to industrial or marine control systems.
• Operate, maintain, and diagnose AC and DC power generation systems configured with AC and DC switchboard operations, including the ability to perform maintenance, diagnostics, and corrective action on shipboard or comparable industrial electrical distribution systems.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare, review, and manage technical specifications, maintenance records, field service reports, and system modification documentation.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulatory requirements applicable to vessel control, propulsion, and alarm systems.
• Service-Oriented – Demonstrates a willingness to take action to meet the needs of others.
• Proven ability to collaborate with vessel crews, port engineers, contractors, and maintenance staff across diverse teams to support safe and reliable ferry operations.
• Adapts communication and technical guidance to support colleagues with varying levels of digital systems expertise.
• Growth Mindset – Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
• Demonstrated ability to self-reflect, identify personal and professional strengths and growth areas, and adapt to new technical challenges through innovative solutions.
• Takes responsibility for staying current with evolving digital systems technology, maritime regulations, and maintenance best practices.
• Must be available to support a cell phone support rotation and able to respond to after-hours vessel casualties as required.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot large AC and DC machines and their associated control systems.
• Ability to configure and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols based on Ethernet and RS485, and knowledge of PC architecture as applied to industrial control systems.
• Ability to troubleshoot and modify Human-Machine Interface (HMI) software used in vessel control and monitoring applications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage preventative maintenance plans and digital system infrastructure for vessel propulsion controls and related systems across the WSF fleet.
• Establish and monitor fleetwide digital system performance, reliability, and configuration standards.
• Maintain digital system software, programming tools, licenses, and revision histories for all fleet systems.
• Review and approve maintenance strategies, system modifications, and obsolescence planning efforts.
• Coordinate inventory, acquisition, and lifecycle support for digital systems with Warehouse, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for propulsion control and digital system casualties, troubleshooting and coordinating repairs to restore vessel service.
• Document casualty responses and maintain vendor and field service relationships for critical control systems.
• Support vessel modifications and new construction by reviewing specifications, inspections, vendor work, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Uphold WSF’s strategic priorities (Service Excellence, Improved Communication, and Empowered People) and values (Serve, Grow, Trust, Respect, and Navigate), ensuring they are embedded in WSF’s culture through leadership actions.

Benefits

• Paid Leave – In addition to 13 paid holidays, full-time employees may earn up to 25 paid vacation days per year!
• Tuition Assistance – Permanent employees have several options for assistance with education expenses, including tuition reimbursement programs, government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state, and eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness.
• Comprehensive benefits package that includes a variety of healthcare options.
• Choice of state retirement programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed