Military Sealift Command Career Fairs in Hampton Roads: Oct. 20 to Nov. 17

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — The Navy's civilian fleet is recruiting on this side of the water again. Military Sealift Command, the Navy organization that crews roughly 110 non-combatant ships with civil service mariners, has four in-person career fairs on its Hampton Roads calendar between Tuesday, Oct. 20 and Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Suffolk, Hampton and Norfolk. Each runs from 10 a.m. to noon, and the first one is two days away.

Four morning sessions, three cities, one employer: deck, engine, culinary, logistics and entry-level seagoing careers with the federal government, no prior sea time required to apply.

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📍 At a Glance

Event	Military Sealift Command (MSC) Career Fairs
Dates	Tuesday, Oct. 20 · Thursday, Oct. 22 · Tuesday, Oct. 27 · Tuesday, Nov. 17
Time	10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at every session
Locations	Suffolk, Hampton and Norfolk (full addresses below)
Format	In person
Registration	Optional RSVP on each event's MSC page, which triggers an email reminder
Employer	Military Sealift Command, U.S. Navy

📅 The Hampton Roads Schedule

Pick the session closest to you; the hours are the same at every stop.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, Suffolk: Workforce Development Center, Suffolk, 157 N. Main St., Suffolk, VA 23434. Event page and RSVP
Thursday, Oct. 22, Hampton: Peninsula Workforce Development Center, 600 College Drive (formerly 600 Butler Farm Road), Suite 1301, Hampton, VA 23666. Event page and RSVP
Tuesday, Oct. 27, Norfolk: Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center, Norfolk, 861 Glenrock Road, Norfolk, VA 23502. Event page and RSVP
Tuesday, Nov. 17, Norfolk: Same Glenrock Road center, same hours. Event page and RSVP

For Virginia Beach residents, the Norfolk sessions are the shortest trip. MSC also runs online sessions and keeps its full calendar on its career fairs page, which is worth checking the night before in case anything moves.

💼 What MSC Is Hiring For

MSC's ships are run by civilians, not sailors in uniform, and the jobs are federal civil service positions. The command organizes its seagoing work into six departments: deck, engine, culinary, communications, logistics and medical, plus shore-side roles. The listings don't say which openings each fair will cover, so come ready to talk about the department that fits you.

The front door for newcomers is the entry-level track. New hires are placed as a Supply Utilityman in the galley and stores side, an Ordinary Seaman on deck, or a Wiper in the engine room. Ordinary Seamen can work toward Able Seaman, and Wipers toward Engine Utilityman, based on evaluations, reviews and open billets. MSC says sea-going experience isn't required, though it helps.

On pay, MSC posts average annual earnings for each rating on its own job pages. Those averages fold in overtime and premium pay, so they aren't base salary. Ask a recruiter what base pay and time at sea look like for the specific job you want.

✅ The Paperwork That Decides Your Timeline

Seagoing federal work comes with credentials, and they take time to get. MSC's own listings point to these:

U.S. citizenship and age 18 or older for seagoing ratings
A TWIC card (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) and/or a DoD CAC; you need the TWIC before you can apply for the next item
A Merchant Mariner Credential from the U.S. Coast Guard's National Maritime Center, plus a Coast Guard medical certificate
A U.S. tourist passport, separate from any military passport
A pre-application profile on MSC's application site

Veterans should also bring their history of assignments and any records of maritime courses. If you don't have the credentials yet, go anyway: a recruiter can tell you which ones to start first.

⚠️ Different Event, Different Rules: Oct. 29 at Naval Station Norfolk

MSC is also exhibiting at a separate multi-employer job fair at Naval Station Norfolk on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Vista Point Center. That one is on base, and only job seekers with a military ID or CAC will be let through the gate; the organizer does not sponsor base access. If you don't carry one, the four sessions above are your events.

🔎 Start Your Maritime Job Search

MSC is one door into Hampton Roads' maritime economy. These searches cover the shore side while you work on your credentials.

Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to RSVP for the MSC career fairs?

Each event page has an RSVP form that sends an email reminder. The listings don't say an RSVP is required, but it takes a minute.

Do I have to be a veteran?

The four sessions don't list a veteran requirement, even the two at the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center in Norfolk. The separate Oct. 29 fair at Naval Station Norfolk is different and requires a military ID or CAC to get on base.

Can I get hired with no time at sea?

Yes. MSC's entry-level track places newcomers as a Supply Utilityman, Ordinary Seaman or Wiper, and says sea-going experience is not required, though it improves your chances.

Are these jobs in Hampton Roads?

These are seagoing jobs aboard ships that operate worldwide. Ask about rotation length and time away before you commit.

Line Up Your Next Move Before the Fair

Whether you're headed to sea or staying ashore, create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get new Virginia Beach-area openings first, and explore the Career Center for more local career paths.

Employers: Hiring in Hampton Roads? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach local job seekers this fall.