How can you become a port state control officer?

Answer 1

The U.S. Coast Guard runs the Port State Control Program in the United States. To become a PSC officer in the U.S. you have to join the Coast Guard. There are civilian positions opening, but there are very few and are not entry level positions. There are several options and ways you can get into PSC once you join the Coast Guard. Although there are other rates that are PSC officers, they are primarily made up from Marine Science Technicians. So if you want to go that route generally speaking this is how I did it: you join the Coast Guard, go to boot camp, get stationed somewhere as a non-rate, put your name on a list for Marine Science Technician "A" School, wait to go to school, attend school, get transferred to another unit. Once you get to your unit there are several departments you may be put in. I happened to get put in the PSC department right away and have been there ever since. There is a good chance though that you may get put in a different department in which case you just have to let your supervisors know your intentions, and eventually you will likely get put where you want. Just keep in mind it could take a while to get there.