Unlimited Second Mate with STCW Polar Code

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is hiring a Second Mate with STCW polar code endorsements for a short-term position from 28 June to 26 July 2026. Reporting to the Master, the Second Mate is a watch officer in the Deck Department who assists the Master and Chief Mate with duties, serves as the ship’s designated navigation officer, and maintains all navigation equipment, publications, charts, and bridge information.

Day-to-day duties include standing the 12-4 bridge watch, posting qualified and alert lookouts at sea to ensure a properly maintained and efficient watch, ensuring the quartermaster steers the correct course and that lookouts carry out orders, and manoeuvring the ship under the Master’s general supervision to carry out scientific operations. The Second Mate verifies that all charts and navigational publications needed are on board, maintains and corrects nautical charts and publications as specified by notice to mariners, and plots voyage tracks for the Master’s approval. They provide the Master with navigational information for transit routes to ports of call, ensure bridge electronics, navigational and alarm systems, and lights are in good working order, that all required flags are aboard and in good condition, and that sufficient spare parts are onboard.

Required qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited sea service academy with two years of sea duty as a deck officer (or equivalent work experience in the absence of a formal degree); computer literacy with word-processing, inventory management, and electronic mail programs; and a high level of training as evidenced by a US Coast Guard licence, preferably Second Mate Unlimited, Ocean. Minimum licensing for R/V Neil Armstrong is Second Mate Unlimited, Ocean or Third Mate Unlimited, Ocean plus experience and demonstrated proficiency to the Master’s satisfaction; R/V Atlantis requires unlimited Second Mate, Ocean. All WHOI Ships require a valid Radar Observer Certificate (Unlimited) and an FCC licence as GMDSS Operator.

All licensed officers must have all applicable training required by the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 95), possess a valid US Coast Guard Merchant Mariners Credential, Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC), and an unexpired Passport. Candidates must pass a Pre-employment DOT drug screen and hold an unexpired USCG Medical Certificate. The role involves sea deployments of three to five months continuously, cramped quarters, bad weather, and violent ship motion, with significant physical capacity requirements including lifting over 50 pounds and working in confined spaces and extreme temperatures.

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Original posting: https://whoi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/WHOI-External/details/Unlimited-Second-Mate-w–STCW-Polar-Code_JR100543