Diving Safety Officer
Position Announcement
Center for Marine Resource Studies
Turks & Caicos Islands, B.W.I.
Position Summary: Under the general direction of the Center Director, the Diving Safety Officer/Marine Operations Coordinator (DSO/MOC) is responsible for a variety of support duties associated with SFS/CMRS sponsored academic and scientific activities on and underwater in order to ensure these activities are carried out in an effective and safe manner in accordance with SFS and CMRS specific policies.
Required Qualifications:
- Active status SCUBA diving instructor's certification from a nationally recognized agency (i.e., PADI, NAUI, and NOAA, CMAS
- First Aid/CPR instructor.
- Oxygen administration instructor.
- Extensive small boat handling experience.
- Experience in outboard engine troubleshooting and mechanics.
- Related experience with an academic institution.
- Experience with marine rescue and hazard identification
Preferred Qualifications:
- Captain's License.
- Bachelor's degree (highly desirable, marine related discipline an advantage).
- Experience in leadership (management) and personnel supervision.
- Caribbean diving experience and knowledge of marine life highly desirable.
- Certified in visual inspection for cylinders.
- Experience in group living situations.
- EMT qualified.
- Wilderness First Aid Responder
- Tank inspection capability
- Shallow water diving experience
Other Expectations:
- Willingness to work flexible hours and live on site at the field station with a small team of permanent staff, groups of US undergraduate students and visiting researchers or programs, and participate in all center activities.
- Represent SFS at local and international conferences.
Reports To: Center Director
Start Date: January 2011
To Apply for this position: Email resume and cover letter to Human Resources at jobs@fieldstudies.org. Faxes and hardcopies not accepted. SFS in an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Diving Safety Officer
Institutional Mission: The School for Field Studies (SFS), founded in 1980, operates a university-level study abroad program that focuses on teaching and conducting community-based environmental research. SFS is committed to providing hands-on, interdisciplinary education and environmental research in partnership with natural resource dependent communities. Our goals are to provide students with a unique and challenging educational and life experience that assist them in successfully advancing their careers as skilled professionals and globally aware citizens, and work with local community stakeholders to develop models for the sustainable management of their natural resources.
Center Objective: The Center for Marine Resource Studies strives to develop scientifically and environmentally sound, culturally and politically acceptable and economically feasible policy recommendations that will lead to the sustainable use, development and stewardship of the marine and coastal resources of the Turks and Caicos Islands, in particular for South Caicos in the light of a possible increase in tourism to the island.
Duties and Responsibilities:
General -The routine operational authority for the diving and waterfront programs, including conducting training, leading dives (and snorkels), certification, and skill assessment for activities based out of the waterfront including but not limited to swimming, snorkeling, boat driving, and SCUBA diving. This is a hands-on position and involves frequent SCUBA diving and boat driving.
- Responsible for all purchases made pertaining to boating and diving at the Center as approved by the Center Director. This includes the development, submission, revision and adherence to an annual DSO budget approved by the Center Director.
- Responsible for the coordination of safety, scheduling, and management of tasks for prudent diving and boating practices at all times including visits by researchers, guests, and during related business opportunity programs.
- Responsible for all vessel safety requirements, maintenance and repair (with assistance of the Site Manager)
- Responsible for ensuring base-site radio coverage and safety support during all student boat activities
- Maintains or facilitates the maintenance of the Center's air compressor and ensures breathing media is in compliance with compressed breathing air specifications.
- Ensures that all SCUBA equipment used at the Center has been serviced annually (facilitates servicing where possible).
- Facilitates all tank servicing including visual and hydrostatic testing.
- Responsible for the development of prudent seamanship and dive master skills for staff as required (usually consisting of 3 Dive masters).
- Train all staff in small boat navigational principles and related operational skills.
- Supervises the organization of all student diving and snorkeling trips and frequently leads activities.
- Works with the Safety Director and Student Affairs Manager to screen all student medical records, and reports to the Center Director with a summary each semester.
- Participate in preparation of the Final Reports, SFS-CMRS Dive Manual revisions and other required reports.
- Reporting all boat, scuba and waterfront related incidents to the Center Director and HQ in a timely manner using the standard ‘Incidence Report' forms.
- Management of student compliance with all waterfront policies.
Program Support
- Participate in planning activities prior to the program start and in review/analysis following students' departure.
- Participate in training activities for new center staff prior to and during the program.
- Participate in and lead parts of the orientation and re-entry components of the program presented to students at the beginning and end of each program period.
In cooperation with other Center staff, provide day-to-day coordination of Interns as delegated by the Center Director and contribute to Intern performance reviews.
- Participate in resolving group management issues and student discipline problems.
- As requested by the Center Director, assist with other logistical, group management and administrative tasks.
Daily Center Life
- Live on-site for the duration of each program period and take meals with the students.
- On a rotating basis, take responsibility for Center-specific "staff of the day" duties.
- Take part in, and occasionally lead, Center upkeep projects, social and field activities.
- At the request of the Center Director, serve as caretaker for Center during program breaks and center rentals.
- Drive standard transmission vehicles and boats as needed.
- Adhere to, actively model and enforce all SFS and Center policies and procedures.
- At all times, work to ensure good relations between the Center and local community.
Katlyn Osgood Armstrong
Program Manager
The School for Field Studies
10 Federal Street
Suite 24
Salem, MA 01970-3876
