Chief is a common designation for leading officers and enlisted people aboard Federation starships and installations. When used as a title referring to an officer it denotes positional authority, or department head status. In reference to an enlisted person, it refers directly to rank specifically to the rank of Chief Petty Officer or above.

Starfleet ranks and titles

• Chief engineer, head of the engineering department on a starship
  • Assistant chief engineer, second-in-command of the engineering department on a starship
• Chief medical officer, head of the medical department on a starship
• Chief of operations, head of the operations on a starbase or space station
• Chief petty officer, rank given to senior petty officers
  • Master chief petty officer, the highest CPO rank
  • Senior chief petty officer, a senior CPO rank
• Chief tactical officer, in charge of Tactical stations on a starship
• Commander in chief, in charge of Starfleet
  • Chief of staff, in charge of Starfleet personnel
  • Chief of Starfleet Intelligence, in charge of Starfleet Intelligence
  • Chief of Starfleet Operations, in charge of Starfleet Operations
• Transporter chief, in charge of transporter operation on a starship
• Security chief, in charge of security on a starship or at a Starfleet facility

Other cultures

• Chief Archon, a Cardassian judge
• Chief Financial Officer, a senior position in the Ferengi Alliance