Chief Engineer - Marine Operations

Hornblower Group; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation, spanning a 100-year history across water- and land-based offerings. The Chief Engineer role in the San Francisco Bay Area requires Coast Guard licensure, extensive marine experience, and strong leadership to manage engineering and maintenance teams, budgets, and safety compliance.

Responsibilities include repairs and upgrades, preventive maintenance, and capital planning for vessels while ensuring adherence to regulations.

Qualifications

• USCG licensed Chief Engineer or Limited Chief Engineer credential.
• 10+ years marine experience with 5 years in chief/lead engineer roles.
• Strong leadership, budgeting, and crew management capabilities.
• Proven ability to train staff and maintain safety compliance.

Responsibilities

• Perform repairs, overhauls and upgrades to vessel engineering systems.
• Lead Engineering and Maintenance teams; schedule preventive maintenance.
• Manage budgets, track costs, and develop drydock plans.
• Ensure compliance with Coast Guard and regulations; document plans.
• Coordinate with Port Captains, Chief Engineer and Directors for support.
• Identify cost savings and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Team management

Budgeting

Problem solving

Safety compliance

Training

Microsoft apps

Education

Coast Guard Licensed Chief Engineer (or Limited Chief Engineer)

High school diploma or equivalent (college preferred)

Tools

Maintenance Management Systems

Job description

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experienceand transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems. Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfront logistics and management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity,provides reservation, ticketing and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit hornblowercorp.com.

Position Summary

Executes routine and maintenance and engineering of both the vessels and facilities. Follows up on jobs and consults with Port Captains, Chief Engineer and Directors for support. Manages daily job assignments and duties and reports back status of work assignments. Schedules preventive maintenance and records jobs status in appropriate programs and maintains records with accuracy. The right person will be adaptable, dynamic, and follow Hornblower’s RESPECT Service System.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Perform repairs, overhauls, and upgrades to engineering machinery and equipment in accordance with Coast Guard regulatory requirements.
• Specify and purchase equipment and materials to repair and upgrade dining yachts while meeting or exceeding Coast Guard regulatory requirements.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose main engine, generator, shaft line, ancillary equipment, and minor electrical problems.
• Maintain a comprehensive preventative maintenance program for all equipment.
• Maintain an accurate record of all engineering repairs and overhauls.
• Assist with the renovation and rebuilding of existing Hornblower fleet facilities located within the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Manages Engineering and Maintenance teams to successfully accomplish assigned duties.
• Assists the Director of Operations with the preparation of detailed plans of significant R&M and capital projects for all vessels in Northern California. Plans should include timelines, man-hours, and contingencies. Plans must be revised frequently during the execution period.
• Ensures all Preventative Maintenance tasks are completed.
• Identifies maintenance issues and ensures they are documented within the Maintenance Management Systems and promptly addressed.
• Ensures adherence to Coast Guard rules and regulations, and other federal and local rules and regulations.
• Establishes department priorities and executes against them based on long-term vision.
• Monitors and controls all costs associated with the operation of the Maintenance and Engineering Department in accordance with budget.
• Work with Director of Operations to develop Drydock packages for all vessels.
• Finds and recommends cost savings that are consistent with company objectives.
• Additional job duties assigned.

Requirements & Qualifications

• United States Coast Guard Licensed Chief Engineer on vessels of at least 4,000 hp, and/or 1,600 gross tons, will accept Limited Chief Engineer license.
• Lifeboat, advanced firefighting, and STCW ratings.
• Must possess valid TWIC.
• First Aid/CPR Certified.
• Minimum of 10 years of marine experience. Must include 5 years as a licensed Chief Engineer or First Assistant Chief Engineer and 5 years’ experience managing crew.
• High school diploma or equivalent, college degree preferred.
• Detailed working knowledge of all ship’s systems and their proper maintenance: gangways, diesel, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, water (potable, raw, black, and gray), fire suppression.
• Mathematical skills necessary to interpret reports and budgets.
• Maintain immaculate record.
• Successfully manage crew.
• Communicate effectively in oral and written form.
• Train and develop staff.
• Analyze and solve problems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities/tasks.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships as required by job responsibility.
• Provide advice/opinion and exercise discretion concerning confidential and sensitive matters.
• Persuade and influence people.
• Listen effectively, assess the situation, determine relevant issues, identify solutions, and gain consensus.
• Set aside emotional factors and/or validate them to discover key/relevant issues.
• Work with Microsoft applications.
• Must submit to pre-employment and ongoing random drug and alcohol testing.
• As per USCG regulation, must be a US citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Pre-employment background and drug testing required.

The RESPECT Service System embodies our mission, vision, values and operating principles. By creating a company culture that puts RESPECT at its core, we believe it will drive us to achieve our goal of becoming a Global Experiences and Transportation Leader.

EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Hornblower is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibit discrimination and/or harassment of any type, including but not limited to discrimination and or harassment based upon race, religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, pregnancy or relation medical conditions, childbirth, breastfeeding, parental status, veteran and/or military status, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, political affiliation, domestic violence survivor status, marital status, or other characteristics prohibited by federal, state, or local law. Additionally, as a federal, state, and local contractor, Hornblower complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals, where and as they apply. The company also participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations.