First Assistant Engineer

What the Numbers Say About First Assistant Engineer

As of the March 2025 reporting window, 110 people work in the First Assistant Engineer occupation (OPM code 9932) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 2,289,472-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved down by -3.5% from the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.

First Assistant Engineer pays $125,326 per year on average, 14.1% above the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving up 0.8% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 12.4 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.

The Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99) groups First Assistant Engineer together with 50 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for First Assistant Engineer postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (51 occupations, 6,135 employees combined), First Assistant Engineer holds the #17 spot by headcount, a 1.8% share of the family total.