Roustabout Jobs: How To Read Offshore Job Descriptions

If you are considering a career Offshore, then you might be thinking of becoming a roustabout. In this blog, we’ll take a look at what a roustabout actually is, and how to understand online roustabout job descriptions

What is a Roustabout?

Roustabout is the most general, entry-level position on a rig. Roustabouts are generally expected to perform basic tasks, which are essential for keeping the installation in working order. This includes tasks such as:

• Keeping the drilling area clean and tidy.
• Offloading supplies.
• Stacking equipment.
• Repairing equipment.
• Assisting other crew members with tasks.
• Helping crane operators.
• Loading boats.

Roustabouts play a really important role on offshore rigs, and things wouldn’t be able to function without them. However, working as a roustabout is seriously demanding. Physically, you will be pushed to the limits, and you’ll need to work in a variety of weather conditions, plus you must be able to deal with heights. If you are applying for roustabout jobs online, make sure you take this into account.

Applying For Roustabout Jobs

Most of the time, your application for roustabout jobs will be done online. A quick google search should bring you up a variety of roustabout jobs to apply for, whether you are a specialist looking to join the drill or engineering team, or using roustabout jobs as a starting point.

Below we’ve provided you with a sample roustabout application job description. However, the tips contained here will be useful for any person looking to join an offshore rig.

Sample Job Application

Job Position: Roustabout
Wage: £19,000 per year.
Start date: Two-weeks induction, starting 09/10/18, followed by immediate transferal to offshore facility. Company Ethos and Philosophy

Derick Matthews Drilling is a national leader in deepwater drilling. We are a highly respected company, looking to employ a number of roustabouts for an offshore facility – located in the North Sea. As a company, we carry out contracted drilling work, with the aim of solving national deepwater issues. Derick Matthews Drilling plays a leading role in sustaining the environment, and protecting the natural world.

Roustabouts play an essential role on our facilities, and we are dedicated to providing all staff with as much training as possible, to ensure that they are as skilled as possible. Roustabouts will work on a three-week shift pattern, followed by two-weeks on shore, and so forth. Derick Matthews Drilling will provide entry-level roustabout job candidates with BOSIET training, during an induction period.

Key Responsibilities:

As a roustabout onboard our facility, your primary responsibilities will be as follows:

• Acting as a crucial member of the roustabout crew, and reporting to your Team Leader.
• Adhering to the company health, safety and quality policies, and helping your colleagues to do the same. Derick Matthews drilling staff members must adhere to the company’s environmental policy, at all times.
• Monitoring hazards whilst onboard the facility and reporting these to the relevant persons – your team leader or other senior staff.
• Assisting mechanics and engineers with machine maintenance, such as carrying out daily checks on drilling equipment and cranes.
• Ensuring that all work is performed to the standards laid out by the Derick Matthews training manual, and via our established quality assurance system – Derick Matthews Quality Assurance (D.M.Q.A).
• Working with your colleagues to provide a safe working environment for specialist drillers, and performing routine tasks, such as pulling, lifting, and carrying.
  Participating in safety-training and quality assurance exercises, on a weekly basis.

Other Responsibilities include:

• Communicating effectively and efficiently with other crew members and team leaders.
• Working in a way which shows the highest possible regard for the safety of everyone onboard the facility.
• Assisting with tasks such as anchor handling, and deck work, including carrying out construction and repair operations, inventory preparation, safety assessment, and protective coat maintenance.

Derick Matthews drilling roustabouts are expected to act as a key part of the facility emergency response team, and therefore you can expect sustained training if successful.

Qualifications

In order to be valid for roustabout jobs selection, you must adhere to the following:

• You must have legal rights to work within Britain/The United Kingdom, without any restrictions.
• You must be comfortable working away from home for periods of 18 days or more.
• You must be able to show a valid UK passport.
• You must be able to show evidence of MIST certification.
• You must be able to provide evidence that you have passed an OGUK Offshore Medical within the past two years.

Candidates will need to complete an online application form, pass a telephone interview, and then attend an interview at our HQ – in London. There will also be an online roustabout situational judgement test.

How To Look At This

Okay, so, now you’ve looked at a sample offshore roustabout jobs application form, you need to establish how this can be broken down. Obviously, there’s quite a huge amount of information here which needs to be considered, so it’s important that you can break down this information and separate out the most important bits. Once you do this, you start to hone in on what matters most to the employer, and start using this information in your job application answers and interview.

Let’s start by looking at the company ethos and philosophy:

Derick Matthews drilling is a national leader in deepwater drilling. We are a highly respected company, looking to employ a number of roustabouts for an offshore facility – located in the North Sea. As a company, we carry out contracted drilling work, with the aim of solving national deepwater issues. Derick Matthews drilling plays a leading role in sustaining the environment, and protecting the natural world. Roustabouts play an essential role on our facilities, and we are dedicated to providing all staff with as much training as possible, to ensure that they are as skilled as possible.

Roustabouts will work on a three-week shift pattern, followed by two-weeks on shore, and so forth. Derick Matthews Drilling will provide entry-level roustabouts with BOSIET training, during an induction period.

Breaking It Down

As you can see, above we’ve highlighted certain parts. These parts all contain essential information, which can be used later in the process. Here’s how:

• ‘National leader’ ‘Highly respected company’ – When you are responding to roustabout application form and interview questions, you should definitely make reference to the company’s reputation.
• ‘With the aim of solving national deepwater issues’ ‘Sustaining the environmental and protecting the natural world’ – This is another essential piece of information, and can be used in the interview and application form responses. Obviously you should always be truthful with your employer, but if you really care and are passionate about the environment then this is a great way to link your own moral values with theirs. Companies want to employ people who are passionate about the same things as them, and who share their moral standards and values.
• ‘We are dedicated to providing all staff with as much training as possible, to ensure that they are as skilled as possible.’ – This shows that the company are looking for employees who are willing to train and improve their skills whilst working on the offshore facility.

Therefore, this is a quality about yourself that you should really try and push. Now, let’s look at the key responsibilities. See if you can take the same approach as above, and then have a look at our list to compare:

• ‘Acting as a crucial member of the roustabout crew’ – This shows that you need teamwork skills, one of the core competencies.
• ‘Adhering to the company health, safety and quality policies, and helping your colleagues to do the same’ – You’ll notice that this job description emphasises health and safety on several occasions. As we’ve already explained, health and safety is absolutely vital when working on an offshore rig, so it’s understandable that the company want someone with an appreciation for this.
• ‘Monitoring hazards whilst onboard the facility and reporting these to the relevant persons – your team leader or other senior staff’ – This relates to the core competencies of communication and organisation.
• ‘Assisting mechanics and engineers with machine maintenance’ – This relates to the core competency of mechanical knowledge.
• ‘Working with your colleagues to provide a safe working environment for specialist drillers, and performing routine tasks, such as pulling, lifting, and carrying’ – This relates to the core competencies of physical fitness and discipline.

As you can see, a wide range of competencies have been covered here. All of these are important things to remember when it comes to the roustabout job application and interview questions!

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