Steen Pedersen joined the Royal Danish Navy in 1981. After graduating from the Royal Danish Naval Academy in 1986, he has served in various positions primarily at the tactical/operational level.
Steen completed the Royal Danish Naval Academy in 1986 and served upon graduation on Fast Patrol Boats of the WILLEMOES-class. He took command of HDMS HUITFELDT in 1990 and served in the Fast Patrol Boats for 12 years, ending his tour as Senior Officer Fast Patrol Boats.
In 2009 he took command of the frigate HDMS ESBERN SNARE. During his tour, amongst other tasks, he served as Flag Captain in SNMG1 and took part in anti-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.
In 2014 he took command of Royal Danish Navy Task Group 420.01 in Operation RECSYR in the Eastern Mediterranean, a Danish led UN/OPCW operation tasked to remove chemical weapons and substances out of Syria.
Ashore he has served as Chief Exercise Branch in Admiral Danish Fleet Headquarters in Aarhus and Staff Officer Exercises in NATO NAVNORTH Headquarters in Northwood, UK. During this posting he served a 6-month tour at the NATO KFOR HQ in Pristina, Kosovo. Upon graduating from the Naval Command Course at the US Naval War College, Newport RI in 2003, he returned to national service as Chief of Executive Office in Admiral Danish Fleet Headquarters. Subsequently he served as Branch Head of National Operations at the joint Defence Command Denmark and from 2014 as Deputy Chief of Staff Support at the Joint Operations Staff, Defence Command Denmark.
In 2019 he took command of the Royal Danish Navy 3rd Squadron primarily tasked with operations in the Danish part of the Baltic Approaches.
Steen was appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff Support Directorate, Joint Force Command Norfolk in October 2022.