Third Assistant Engineer

What the Numbers Say About Third Assistant Engineer

Federal agencies employ 174 people in the Third Assistant Engineer occupation (OPM code 9934), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -8.4% versus 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.

Third Assistant Engineer pays $91,616 per year on average, 16.6% below the $109,869 federal civilian average, after moving down -0.7% from the prior period (a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement). Employees in this role stay an average of 6.6 years, a comparatively short average tenure, which can reflect faster turnover, a competitive private-sector alternative, or a newer program still building up its workforce.

Third Assistant Engineer sits inside the Vessel Jobs Family (excluded From the Federal Wage System) family (code 99), which contains 51 related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Third 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), Third Assistant Engineer holds the #8 spot by headcount, a 2.8% share of the family total.