Party Chief

AVENTA; Occitanie; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AVENTA is seeking a Party Chief to lead hydrographic and geophysical survey operations on offshore and marine projects in France and Spain. You will prepare, acquire, process, and report high-precision survey data, acting as the on-site focal point for all survey matters and ensuring safe, efficient project execution.

The role requires 7+ years as a Party Chief, expertise in USBL/LBL and MBES, and dual France/Spain eligibility with valid offshore qualifications. English fluent; Dutch a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Surveying, Geomatics, Hydrography or equivalent, or proven experience.
• 7+ years as a Party Chief in marine, dredging or offshore construction.
• Strong knowledge of hydrographic survey techniques and sensor calibration.
• Extensive hands-on experience with offshore navigation and surface positioning systems.
• Experience with USBL/LBL and MBES systems.
• Valid offshore qualification set and medical fitness.
• Eligible to work in France and Spain with valid work permits.

Responsibilities

• Determine and install hydrographic and geophysical measurement equipment per project.
• Oversee calibration and verification of positioning and survey systems.
• Measure, collect and process survey data through project phases.
• Perform field checks and quality control against specs.
• Verify data accuracy and manage structured project survey databases.
• Compile survey reports and present results to management and client.
• Act as on-site technical focal point for survey questions.
• Monitor equipment function and coordinate routine maintenance.
• Troubleshoot sensor issues to minimize downtime.

Skills

Party Chief role

Hydrographic survey

Geophysical survey

Leadership

Client-facing

Quality control

Data interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Surveying/Geomatics/Hydrography

Tools

MBES

USBL/LBL

Offshore navigation systems

Positioning sensors

Hydrographic measurement equipment

Job description

Context

For one of our clients, a world-leading marine contractor active in dredging, offshore energy and infra marine works, we are looking for a Party Chief to lead survey operations on their offshore and marine projects in France and Spain. You will prepare, acquire and process high-precision hydrographic and geophysical survey data, and report results and any deviations to Project Management and client representatives, in line with contractual agreements and technical specifications. As the on-site focal point for all survey matters, you will contribute directly to safe, high-quality and cost-efficient project execution.

What you will do

• Determine, select and install the hydrographic and geophysical measurement equipment required for each project
• Oversee the calibration, configuration and verification of onboard positioning, sensor and survey systems before operations
• Measure, collect and process survey data before, during and after project execution
• Carry out field checks and quality control against project specifications and contractual standards
• Verify accuracy, interpret data, identify deviations and build and maintain structured project survey databases
• Compile survey reports and deliverables, and present and explain the results to Project Management and client representatives
• Act as the key technical focal point on site for survey questions and operational progress
• Monitor the functioning and accuracy of measurement equipment and organise routine and preventivemaintenance
• Troubleshoot operational and sensor issues in real time to keep project downtime to a minimum

What you bring

• Bachelor's degree in Surveying, Geomatics, Hydrography, Oceanography or equivalent, or equivalent proven experience
• 7+ years of experience as a Party Chief in marine, dredging or offshore construction environments
• In-depth knowledge of hydrographic survey techniques, sensor calibration and marine measurement equipment
• Extensive hands-on experience with offshore navigation and surface positioning systems
• Proven experience with subsea acoustic positioning (USBL / LBL) and multibeam echo sounders (MBES)
• Full GWO, BOSIET / HUET with CA-EBS, VCA (or equivalent) and NEBOSH (or equivalent QHSE qualification)
• Valid offshore medical (Fit for Offshore), Chester Step Test and shoulder measurement
• Eligible to work in France and Spain, with a valid passport and any required visa or work permit
• Fluent English, written and spoken; Dutch or other languages are a plus
• Rigour, attention to detail and a constructive, client-facing leadership style

What we offer

• A long-term assignment with a world-leading marine contractor on offshore and marine projects in France and Spain, working on rotation from January to July 2027 as the survey lead on site. Start date: ASAP.