Seeking Director of Operations & Director of Engineering
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Lead safe, reliable passenger-vessel service.
FULL-TIME | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA | REPORTS TO THE PRESIDENT
Position Summary
Reporting to the President, the Director of Operations leads the safe, reliable, efficient, and guest-focused daily operation of Water Taxi’s passenger fleet. This hands-on leader directs captains, deckhands, and dock staff; owns service execution, crew readiness, training, safety, and regulatory compliance; and builds scalable operating practices for continued growth.
Core Responsibilities
Service Delivery and Operational Control
• Direct daily maritime operations across Pompano, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami, and future service areas, ensuring vessels depart safely and on schedule.
• Monitor real-time operations; resolve delays, staffing gaps, weather impacts, dock issues, and service disruptions; and communicate timely updates to employees, leadership, and guests.
• Own vessel deployment, crew scheduling, route and stop execution, docking standards, dock security, and Manager-on-Duty coverage.
• Partner with Engineering on vessel readiness, startup and shutdown procedures, maintenance priorities, and service-recovery plans.
People, Safety, and Guest Experience
• Lead, coach, schedule, and evaluate captains, deckhands, and dock staff; conduct crew meetings and address performance or disciplinary matters consistently.
• Build captain and crew development programs, qualification pathways, vessel checkoffs, and succession plans that support safe staffing and expansion.
• Ensure compliance with USCG, OSHA, company safety, security, alcohol-service, and emergency-response requirements; maintain complete training and qualification records.
• Investigate and document incidents independently, determine root causes, implement corrective actions, and communicate with leadership and regulatory authorities as required.
• Set and uphold standards for vessel cleanliness, employee professionalism, clear passenger communication, and excellent customer service.
What Success Looks Like
• Safe, on-time, dependable service with fast, well-communicated recovery from disruptions.
• Qualified crews are scheduled effectively, trained consistently, and prepared for growth.
• Strong inspection readiness, accurate records, disciplined incident follow-up, and continuous improvement.
• Clean, welcoming vessels and docks—and a consistently excellent guest experience.
Candidate Profile
• Valid USCG Master credential for steam or motor vessels of not more than 100 gross tons, or higher.
• Current FCC radio operator license, TWIC, CPR certification, and recognized first-aid certification.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in passenger-vessel operations, marine transportation, or a comparable high-tempo, safety-critical environment.
• Strong maritime judgment, problem-solving, organization, communication, coaching, documentation, and conflict-management skills.
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and work effectively with crews, guests, regulators, and senior leadership.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English and Microsoft Word and Excel; valid driver’s license; high school diploma or equivalent.
• Ability to meet Florida alcohol-service requirements and support cash or credit-card transactions when operationally necessary.
Preferred Qualifications
• Five or more years in maritime operations, including progressive responsibility for crew leadership, scheduling, training, safety, and service delivery.
• Post-secondary education and experience with USCG-inspected passenger vessels, multi-location service, operational expansion, or structured safety-management systems.
Schedule and Work Environment
This full-time, shore-based position is primarily on site in Fort Lauderdale, with local travel among Water Taxi operating locations and no routine offshore rotations or extended travel. A flexible schedule, rotating Manager-on-Duty coverage, and availability during operational disruptions are required. The Director must be prepared to act as Captain when needed and work aboard vessels and on docks in varied weather and marine conditions, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
Compensation and Application
Submit a resume and brief cover letter highlighting your marine operations leadership experience and an example of improving safety, reliability, or customer service and send to [email protected]
Water Taxi is an equal opportunity employer. This description may be revised as business and operational needs evolve and is not a contract of employment.
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING
Lead fleet reliability and technical readiness.
FULL-TIME | FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA | REPORTS TO THE PRESIDENT
Position Summary
Reporting to the President, the Director of Engineering owns fleet reliability, regulatory readiness, maintenance personnel, contractors, dry docks, capital projects, inventory, and shoreside facilities. This hands-on leader combines marine technical expertise with disciplined planning, financial management, and urgent troubleshooting.
Core Responsibilities
Fleet Reliability, Safety, and Compliance
• Direct preventive and corrective maintenance for the fleet, including propulsion, diesel, generator, electrical, fuel, hydraulic, plumbing, HVAC, and auxiliary systems.
• Set maintenance priorities and lead root-cause analysis for failures, repeat deficiencies, and vessel downtime.
• Maintain USCG compliance and prepare vessels for inspections, surveys, dry docks, and corrective-action closeout.
• Ensure work orders, maintenance records, equipment histories, and the computerized maintenance system are accurate and current.
Leadership, Projects, and Cost Control
• Lead, schedule, coach, and evaluate engineering personnel, mechanics, shipwrights, cleaning personnel, and contractors.
• Develop maintenance, dry-dock, major-repair, and capital plans; deliver projects safely, on time, and within budget.
• Manage budgets, purchasing, vendors, shipyards, contractors, critical spares, tools, and inventory controls.
• Coordinate with Operations to minimize service disruptions; oversee vessel presentation and shoreside maintenance; report fleet status, risks, projects, and spending to senior leadership.
What Success Looks Like
• High vessel availability with fewer preventable failures and repeat repairs.
• Consistent preventive-maintenance completion, accurate documentation, and successful USCG inspections.
• Predictable project delivery and effective control of labor, parts, contractor, and inventory costs.
• An accountable engineering team with clear priorities, standards, and development plans.
Candidate Profile
• Five or more years of progressively responsible marine engineering, vessel-maintenance, fleet-maintenance, or related technical experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading maintenance personnel, contractors, projects, and competing operational priorities.
• Strong knowledge of marine diesel propulsion, generators, electrical systems, fuel, hydraulics, plumbing, and auxiliary machinery.
• Proven problem-solving, organization, communication, documentation, budgeting, and project-management skills.
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and drive work through completion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and maintenance-management systems; valid driver's license; and ability to obtain and maintain a TWIC.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with USCG-inspected passenger vessels under Subchapter T and/or K and with dry docks, repowers, refits, or capital projects.
• Marine engineering license, technical degree, military-maritime background, manufacturer certification, or equivalent advanced training.
Schedule and Work Environment
Schedule and Work Environment
This full-time, shore-based position is primarily on site in Fort Lauderdale, with no routine offshore rotations or extended travel. Flexible scheduling and assigned on-call coverage are required. The Director must be able to board vessels, climb ladders, enter machinery spaces, work around marine hazards and weather, and lift up to [insert required weight] pounds, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.
Compensation and Application
Submit a resume and brief cover letter highlighting your marine operations leadership experience and an example of improving safety, reliability, or customer service and send to [email protected]
Water Taxi is an equal opportunity employer. This description may be revised as business and operational needs evolve and is not a contract of employment.
For more than 30 years, Water Taxi has provided scheduled service, sightseeing, charters, and special-event transportation. Based in the Yachting Capital of the World, we operate 15 passenger vessels ranging from 26-foot launches to 64-foot high-speed catamarans, supported by more than 100 employees. Had over 1.6 Million boarding in 2025.
Stay in the marine industry without offshore rotations or extended travel. This Fort Lauderdale-based leadership role offers significant technical responsibility while allowing you to return home each day.
