Character Careers

# Starship Careers

No one Starship is run by the Captain alone. Under their command are a legion of officers, crewmen, diplomats, civilians, and specialists. And as with most modern star navies, they are generally broken down into fields and career tracks. In the case of Starfleet, the three main careers are Tactical, Operations, and Science careers, and from there, they have their various sub-tracks. Not all officers are career track officers during their time in: some officers feel a change of career is needed to develop themselves, while others are perfectly content to remain in their field. Either way there are always jobs to be completed, tasks to accomplish, and roles to fill, and the following will give an in-depth analysis of potential roles that many a specialist or expert could fill.

## *Tactical Career Field*

Tactical Officers are called upon to take on many challenging and difficult roles and tasks onboard a starship. From The Chief Tactical Officer to a lowly security officer, the Tactical Officer Career path offers many a dangerous risk to those within their ranks, but often followed with great rewards.

* Combat Systems Officer: Keeps the bridge informed on the status of the ship's offensive and defensive systems, including the status of weapons and defensive systems, tactical planning and targeting. A "hands-on" officer who works directly in the equipment spaces and stands watch on the bridge, operating the tactical consoles.

* Combat & Strategic Operations Officer/NCO: Specialist assigned to the tactical department as a subject-matter expert on all aspects of tactical department functions; assists the department leadership in administration, supervision, and training of other officers and NCO's.

* Crypto-Analysis Officer/NCO: Organizes the collection of information in all forms. Takes submitted reports and runs them through an algorithm, checks for keywords that denote mistyped classification and then puts the report into a crypto form and sends them through the proper channels of communication to either on board ship consoles or off-board to authorized personnel.

* Fight Control Officer: Originally know as helm, Flight Control Officer, or CONN, this position incorporates two jobs. Navigation and flight control. A Flight Control Officer is always present on the bridge of a starship. They plot courses, supervises the computers piloting, corrects any flight deviations, and pilots the ship manually when needed.

* Shuttle/Runabout/Fighter Pilot: Often the proving ground for new Flight Control Officers, they share similar responsibilities as Flight Control Officers. They plot courses, supervises the computers piloting, corrects any flight deviations, and pilots the ship manually when needed.

* Ground Warfare Specialist: Ground Warfare Specialists perform strategic duties, such as making tactical decisions, detecting and identifying potential threats, and locating targets and objectives. They hold specific knowledge of ground weapons, geographic information systems, and surveillance methods.

* Space Warfare Specialist: Space Warfare Specialists are involved in virtually every aspect of a mission. Specifically, Space Warfare Specialists are knowledgeable in the coordination of space defense from small craft, starship attack and defense measures with a wide array of firepower capabilities providing anti-small craft, anti-cloak, and space warfare support. Detect, identify, and neutralize threats to space forces from hostile use of minefields.

* Explosives Specialists: Explosive Specialists have expertise in the most conventional and unconventional explosives to ensure the secure disposal of explosive weaponry. They respond to any type of ordnance, and they receive specialized training to handle chemical, biological, energy, and kinetic weapons.

## *Security Career Sub-Field*

A sub-field of the Tactical Officer Career Track, Security Officers are responsible for the defense of the ship internally. From the Brig Officer to the Chief of Security, protection of vital assets and areas on a starship are the bread and butter of Security Officers. The following are several roles one can have.

* Armory Officer/NCO: Armory Officers are personnel that commanded the weapons storage and operations facilities aboard a Federation starship, starbase, or outpost. Technological aptitude of the armory officer's skill base included: Fabricating and constructing ground weapons, possessing knowledge and usage of demolitions, and provides training with weapons maintenance and usage.

* Assault Squad Officer/NCO: Specializing in assault operations, such as bounded fire and advancing under the cover of suppressive fire, these officers and NCOs receive physical instruction in advanced unarmed combat to the use of every defensive piece of equipment in the Starfleet arsenal. All aspects of security theory and combat strategy are taught, including from small unit tactics.

* Security Officer: Security Officers are responsible for the execution of all Starfleet and Alliance law aboard posted assignments with that authority and responsibility extending from cadets to ranking Admiralty officials. Primary duties consist of officers trained for on-ground law enforcement, peacekeeping, and assistance. In addition to the numerous other duties it performs, security officers are responsible for sentry duties, armory security, brig security, and for the primary response to hostile presences and forces in combat scenarios. Further, security officers are responsible for the security of Federation and allied diplomats based aboard, as well as visiting V.I.Ps.

* Brig Officer: Brig Officers are responsible for overseeing the detainment and monitoring of individuals and suspects within custody. These officers receive additional training in psychology and diplomacy.

* Criminal Investigation Officer: Criminal Investigation Officers of the Security Department is responsible for overseeing all cases currently investigated by the Security department, as well as carrying out much of the work involved in such activities. This includes forming dossiers and profiles for persons of interest, conducting and overseeing interviews, and assisting the legal authorities involved in defense, prosecution, or judgment. They are also in large part responsible for coordinating with external agencies, including JAG.

* Security Operations Officer: Security Operation Officers of the security department is in effect its nerve center, responsible for coordination of departmental response to emergencies, the protection of computer systems and system security, and for the bulk of report filing. Officers in this section have a higher chance of being pulled to temporary command of the department, due to their familiarity with the protocols and the temperament required of a controller. Due to their emphasis on noncombat duties, they are rarely found in frontline service in red alert scenarios.

* Systems Security Officer: System Security Officers are responsible for cybersecurity. Requiring extensive primary training in Computer Systems and Systems Engineering, amounting to a full Operations/Engineering certification in the area. This is an extremely intensive qualification, and will likely demand the entirety of an officer’s focus. In short, an officer of this nature will not have a great deal of time to devote to other areas of training.

## *Operations Career Field*

Operations Officers form a latticework of task accomplishments that keep a starship running efficiently. From the Quartermaster to the Operations Officer, the Operations career field encompasses a wide range of officers and crew that perform work behind the scenes to deliver what the ship needs in a pinch. From science analysis summations, to item requisitions, the following are a mix of what jobs an Operations Officer may take on.

* General Operations Officer/NCO: The Chief Operations Officer cannot man the bridge at all times. Extra personnel is needed to relive and maintain ship operations. The Operations Officers are thus assistants to the Chief, fulfilling his/her duties when required, and assuming the Operations consoles if required at any time.

* Boatswain: The Boatswain (pronounced and also written "Bosun" or "Bos'n") trains and supervises personnel (including the ship or base personnel as well as passengers of the vessel) in general ship and base operations, repairs, and protocols; maintains duty assignments for all Operations personnel; sets the agenda for instruction in general ship and base operations; supervises auxiliary and utility service personnel and daily ship or base maintenance; coordinates all personnel cross-trained in damage control operations and supervises damage control and emergency operations.

* Materials Officer/NCO: Replicator usage can allow the fabrication of nearly any critical mission part, but large-scale replication is not considered energy-efficient except in emergency situations. However, in such situations, power usage is strictly limited, so it is unwise to depend upon the availability of replicated spare parts. Thus a ship/facility must maintain a significant stock of spare parts in inventory at all times. The Materials Officer is the person responsible for the requesting part from Starfleet and maintaining the stock and inventory of all spare parts. All requests for supplies is passed to the Materials Officer, who check and send the final request to the XO for final approval.

* Quartermaster: The Quartermaster trains and supervises crewmen in Bridge operations, repairs, and protocols and sets the agenda for instruction in general ship and starbase operations for the Boatswain¹s; maintains the ship's log, the ship's clock, and watch and duty assignments for all Bridge personnel.

* Communications Officer/NCO: Communications is a vital part of each and every starship and starbase. The Communications Officer monitors any and all transmissions aboard ship, as well as externally. The Communications Officer is an experienced linguist, proficient in many different languages.

* Tractor Beam Officer/NCO: The Tractor Beam Officer is responsible for the deployment and usage of the tractor beam onboard a starship or facility.

* Transporter Officer/NCO: The Transporter Officer is responsible for systems using the transporter. This includes being able to maintain, troubleshoot, and repair the transporter and its relevant systems.

## *Engineering Career Field*

Starships require constant maintenance and repair, often as a result of actions taken by the Captain in defense of the ship. Engineers are highly lauded for their genius and skill at keeping a ship from blowing apart at the seams, and are often hailed as "Miracle Workers". From a Sensor Maintenance Engineer to the Chief Engineer themself, Engineers are called upon to keep the ship intact when she gets pushed past her design limits, even then further than that. The following are many roles an Engineer may fulfill.

* General Engineer: There are several non-specialized Engineers aboard of each vessel. The Chief Engineer assigns them to their duties and his Assistant, performing a number of different tasks as required (i.e. general maintenance and repair). Generally, Engineers are assigned to a more specialized Engineering person to assist in there work as so requested by the specialized Engineer.

* Communications Engineer: Communication aboard a ship or facility takes two basic forms, voice and data. Both are handled by the onboard computer system and dedicated hardware. The vastness and complexity of this system require a dedicated team to maintain the system.

* Warp Drive Engineer: The complexity of the Warp Drive system and impulse systems of any starship if further complicated the different settings required for each ship. No two vessels have exactly the same system aboard, and all settings require careful maintenance and checks to ensure peak performance. On smaller vessels, this task may be performed by the Chief Engineer, but the larger vessel has a dedicated Officer whose role to ensure the Warp Drive system and impulse systems runs under any condition.

* Structural and Environmental Engineer: From a small ship/facility to a large one, all requires constant monitoring. The hull, bulkheads, walls, Jeffrey's tubes, turbolifts, structural integrity field, internal dampening field, and environmental systems are all monitored and maintained by this officer.

* Sensor Maintenance Engineer: Dedicated to the maintenance and operation of the navigation deflector, guidance, helm, reaction control systems, and all other sensor systems.

* Shuttlecraft Maintenance Engineer: This Officer is assigned to the Shuttle Maintenance Deck (sometimes called the Flight Deck, but generally only if Fighter Pilot personnel are assigned), and is responsible for the service and repair of all small vessel assigned to the Starship or facility. The flight deck must maintain a set number for small craft at all times for evacuation purposes in case of emergency.

* Computer Systems Engineer: The new generations of Computer systems are highly developed. This system needs much maintenance and the Computer Systems Engineer was introduced to relieve the science Officer, whose duty this was in the very early days.

* Damage Control Engineer: The Damage Control Engineer do the work necessary for damage control, ship stability, firefighting, fire prevention, and chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) warfare defense. They also instruct personnel in the methods of damage control and CBR defense and repair damage control equipment and systems.

* Diagnostic Engineer: A Diagnostic Engineer shall be any person capable of contributing to the determination of the existence of a problem in a machine, plant, system or structure and appraising the cause or causes of a failure which may have taken place. Further, assessing the condition or vulnerability of such either during use or while under development.

* Fabrication Engineer: Fabrication engineers design, implement and improve manufacturing systems and processes. Also known as industrial engineers or manufacturing engineers, they may have specialized knowledge in metallurgy, welding or a specific production process.

## *Science Career Field*

While not as flashy as the firing of phasers, or as robust as the jury-rigging of an Engineer, the Sciences Career Field is an invaluable tool in the pursuit of knowledge and exploration. From First Contact preparations, to specialized research, Science Officers are considered valuable assets to any Starship Captain, and to ignore them is at their own peril. The following are a multitude of roles Science Officers can take on.

* General Science Officer: There are several general Science Officers aboard each vessel. They are assigned to their duties by the Chief Science Officer and their Assistant. Assignments include work for the Specialized Section heads, as well as duties for work been carried out by the Chief and Asst.

* Alien Anthropologist/Anthropologist: Specialised Science Officer in charge of the Alien Culture Section. This role involves the study of all newly discovered alien species and life forms, from the long dead to thriving. Their knowledge also involves current known alien species.

* Astrometrics/Stellar Cartography Officer: Specialized Science Officer in charge of the Astrometrics Section. This role entails the maintaining, correction, and production of new stellar maps.

* Biologist: Specialised Science Officer in charge of the Biology Section. This role entails the study of biology, botany, zoology and many more Life Sciences.

* Historian: Specialized Science Officer in charge of the History section. This role entails the detailed study of civilizations past histories, and there implication and involvement in the future development of cultures.

* Language Specialist: Specialized Science Officer in charge of the Linguistics section. This role involves the study of new and old languages and text in an attempt to better understand and interpret there meaning.

* Geophysics Specialist: Geophysics Specialists study the subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of planets and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis.

* Physicist: Specialized Science Officer in charge of the Physics Section. This role entails the study of mathematical calculations and there implication and viability on the natural physics of the universe. It also involves the study of the natural physics of the universe and attempts to decipher them.

* Botanist: Botanists are scientists who study plants, including flowering plants, and plant-like things such as moss and seaweed. Botany is a scientific study of plants along with their growth, structure, evolution, and uses.

* Geologist: A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes the Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them.

* Gravimetric Scientist: A Gravimetric Scientist studies the measurements of gravity. Particularly, it focuses on the variations in gravity fields and the graviton subatomic particles.

* Photonic Studies Scientist: A Photonic Studies Scientist is the study of the elementary particle of light responsible for the transmission of electromagnetic energy. Further, this scientist also studies the sentient form of life-based on particles of light and energy.

* Research/Development Lab Scientist: A Research/Development Laboratory Scientist is a general researcher who assists scientists in a particular field of research.

## *Medical Career Field*

When push comes to shove, not everyone comes out scot-free. There always wounds to heal, injuries to treat, and life-saving procedures to perform. Not as openly respected as their Tactical or Engineering counterparts, Medical Officers are non-verbally regarded as literal good-luck charms, often times providing that reckoning many a Captain has needed to come back from the brink. From the Chief Medical Officer, to the Ship's Counselor, here are many titles a Medical Officer can have.

### Doctor

* General Physician: A Doctor who offers treatment for mild conditions.
* Emergeny Doctor: On call 24/7 and specializes with emergency room practice.
* Intensive Care Specialist: Treats life threatening conditions in need of invasive monitoring and organ support.
* Surgeon: Performs surgeries that are related to different areas of medicine.
* Cardiologist: Diagnoses and treats conditions related to the heart and vessels of the blood.
* Neurosugeon: Specializes in the treatment of diseases affecting the nervous system and the brain.
* Orthopedist: Repairs and replaces broken bones. Treats bone, tendons, and joint problems.
* Orthopedic Surgeon: Offers surgical treatment for joint, muscles, and bone complications.
* Opthalmologist: Specializes in treating eye vision, and performing simple eye surgeries.
* General Psychiatrist: Specializes in the study, treatment, and diagnosis of mental disorder and behavioral problems.
* Parasitologist: Studies biology and pathology of parasites, as well as parasitic diseases.
* Epidemiologist: Studies the causes and patterns of diseases in a population or area, and make efforts to prevent epidemics/pandemics from happening again.

### Medical

* Biochemist: Biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms; Study DNA, proteins and cell parts; research how certain chemical reactions happen in cells and tissues and observe and record the effects of products in food additives and medicines.

* Counselor: A Counselor is a person who works with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health. They may help individuals deal with issues associated with addictions and substance abuse; family, parenting, and marital problems; stress management; self-esteem; and aging.

* Combat Medic: The combat medic specialist is primarily responsible for providing emergency medical treatment at the point of wounding on the battlefield, limited primary care, and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury or illness.

* Nurse: A Nurse focuses on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses develop a plan of care, working collaboratively with physicians, therapists, the patient, the patient's family, and other team members, that focuses on treating illness to improve quality of life.

* Medical Officer: Medical Officer undertakes the majority of the work aboard the ship/facility, examining the crew, and administering medical care.

* Medical Lab Scientist: Medical Lab Scientist are healthcare professionals who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, histopathological, cytopathological, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens.

## *Civilian Careers*

Not all roles on a starship require a career officer to fulfill. The following are various civilian positions that can be found on a starship

* Civilian: A civilian is a person who is not a member of the military, a police force, or firefighting force.

* Child: A child is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty. Further, known as a person younger than the age of majority.

* Frieghter Captain: A Civilian Captain commanding a freighter ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another.

* Luxary Liner/Civilian Transport Captain: A Civilian Captain commanding a dedicated transport-oriented ship and do "line voyages" and typically transport passengers from one point to another.

* Courier: Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization, and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for most everyday mail services. As a premium service, couriers are usually more expensive than standard mail services, and their use is normally limited to packages where one or more of these features are considered important enough to warrant the cost.

* Bartender: Also known as a barkeep, barman, barmaid, bar chef, tapster, mixologist, alcohol server, flairman or an alcohol chef, is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the bar, usually in a licensed establishment. Bartenders also usually maintain the supplies and inventory for the bar.

* Chef: A Chef is a trained professional cook who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine.

* Colonist: A Colonist or settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area.

* Diplomat: A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or international organizations. The main functions of diplomats are representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state; initiation and facilitation of strategic agreements; treaties and conventions; promotion of information; trade and commerce; technology; and friendly relations.

* Entertainer: An Entertainer is someone who provides entertainment in many different forms. Examples include Actor, illusionist, impressionist, musician, and/or stunt performer.

* Miner: A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, or other mineral from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face; cutting, blasting, or otherwise working and removing the rock. In a broader sense, a "miner" is anyone working within a mine, not just a worker at the rock face.

* Trader: A Trader or merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people.

* Reporter/Journalist: A Reporter or journalist is a person who collects, writes, or distributes news or other current information to the public.

* Contractor: A contractor is a person or company that performs work on a contract basis. Several types of contractors are:

* Defense Contractor: Arms industry which provides weapons or military goods to a government.

* General Contractor: An individual or organization that contracts with another individual or organization for the construction of a buildings or facilities.

* Government Contractor: A private company which produces goods or services for the government.

* Independent Contractor: an individual, business, or corporation which provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract.

* Subcontractor: An individual or business that signs a contract to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract.

* Consultant/Advisor: A professional who provides expert advice in a particular domain or area of expertise

* Permatemp: A person who works for an organization for an extended period via a staffing agency