Movies - TV
Every Starfleet Rank & Job In Star Trek, Explained
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In Charge
The head of Starfleet, the Commander in Chief, has the top rank of Fleet Admiral, followed by regular Admirals, which are plentiful in "Star Trek," Vice and Rear Admirals.
We don't see too many Commodores on "Star Trek," but they are the rank between Captain and Admiral. Below them are Captains, who, as we all know, tend to command starships.
Directly below the Captains are Commanders then Lieutenant Commanders. A ship's first officer is a Commander, as are Chief Medical Officers or Counselors.
Taking Orders
Mere Lieutenants are immediately below Lieutenant Commanders. They may lead special projects or work on the bridge, but they take more orders than they give.
Below them are officers ranked Lieutenant (Junior Grade), followed by Ensigns. To become a Starfleet officer, one must spend at least four years at Starfleet Academy as a cadet.
Not every officer on a ship graduates from the Academy. Petty Officers enlist and have their own ranking system up to Chief, Senior Chief, and finally, Master Chief.
The Bridge
The captain is the Commanding Officer. The Executive or First Officer answers directly to the captain, communicates most with the crew, and is usually ranked a commander.
Third in command is the 2nd Officer, who can also hold other operational positions. On "Star Trek: Voyager," for instance, Tuvok serves as both 2nd Officer and Security Chief.
The helmsman at conn, to the captain's right, and the operations officer at Ops, to the captain's left, sit in front of the captain and pilot the ship.
Science & Medicine
Most Starfleet vessels focus on research and exploration. Multiple departments and corresponding commanding officers are tasked with overseeing the details.
A ship's Science Officer is in charge of research and serves as coordinator of specialized science fields. The Chief Operations Officer oversees the technical aspects of the ship.
Every ship has a medical department led by a Chief Medical Officer — the only one who can give orders to the Captain. There may be a Head of Surgery or a dedicated specialist.
Security & Combat
Starfleet vessels are dedicated to peace, diplomacy, and study, but there are violent, antagonistic species in the galaxy, so ships will have a Chief of Security.
The Chief Security Officer is responsible for confronting intruders, enforcing the on-ship laws, throwing ruffians into cells, and often serves as the Strategic Operations Officer.
The Chief of Security often sits in the tactical position and fires weapons at the captain's command. They are the only officers on the ship who are always armed.