Lead Diver & Dive Safety Officer

Texas-State-Aquarium; Corpus Christi (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Disability insurance

Life insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Job summary

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, TX, seeks an experienced Dive Coordinator to lead the Dive Department and oversee our dive program. This working leadership role combines active diving with safety, training, and staff development in a vibrant aquarium setting.

The Dive Coordinator serves as Dive Safety Officer, coordinating training, equipment, emergency planning, and compliance with OSHA and accreditation standards. Strong leadership and collaboration across departments are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of professional diving experience, with significant experience in aquarium, zoo, scientific, or comparable institutional diving operations.
• Minimum two years of experience supervising divers, managing dive operations, or providing leadership within a professional dive program.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating diver knowledge and in-water skills and providing training, coaching, or remediation.
• Experience with dive equipment, maintenance programs, emergency preparedness, and dive safety.
• Current scuba certification with training and professional diving experience appropriate to the scope of the Aquarium's dive program.
• Current First Aid, CPR, AED, and emergency oxygen administration certification.
• Ability to pass and maintain required professional diving medical clearance.
• Valid driver's license with an insurable driving record.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the Aquarium's dive program and Dive Department.
• Serve as the Aquarium's appointed Dive Safety Officer.
• Participate regularly as a working diver in aquarium dive operations.
• Supervise, train, develop, schedule, and evaluate Dive Department staff and volunteers.
• Evaluate diver knowledge and in-water competency and provide or coordinate training and remediation.
• Plan and supervise dive operations and exercise authority to modify or suspend operations when safety concerns arise.
• Develop and maintain dive policies, procedures, training programs, and emergency response protocols.
• Oversee dive equipment, breathing-air systems, inspections, maintenance, testing, inventory, and associated records.
• Conduct and evaluate dive emergency drills and response training.
• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA requirements, accreditation standards, and institutional policies.
• Collaborate with Animal Care and other departments to support animal care, exhibit maintenance, underwater inspections, repairs, and projects.
• Manage departmental personnel, goals, budget, equipment needs, purchasing, and other resources.
• Support occasional open-water or field diving operations as needed.

Job description

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, TX, seeks an experienced Dive Coordinator to lead the Dive Department and oversee our dive program. This working leadership role combines active diving with safety, training, and staff development in a vibrant aquarium setting.

The Dive Coordinator serves as Dive Safety Officer, coordinating training, equipment, emergency planning, and compliance with OSHA and accreditation standards. Strong leadership and collaboration across departments are essential.