MARINE CARGO SPECIALIST I (OAHU)

State of Hawaiʻi; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 51,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Holidays

Paid Vacation

Health Insurance

Group Life Insurance

Retirement Plan

Job summary

The Marine Cargo Specialist I position with the State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation, involves coordinating, controlling and assuring the expeditious and safe movement, handling and stowage of incoming and outgoing cargo within harbor areas. You will coordinate traffic movement to prevent congestion and delays, performing related duties as assigned.

Applicants must be available for rotating shifts, including evenings, weekends and holidays, and meet extensive qualification requirements

Qualifications

• Basic reading, comprehension and application of oral/written directions.
• Ability to perform basic arithmetic computations.
• Experience or familiarity with waterfront cargo handling and marine terminal operations.
• Substitution of a high school diploma for experience is allowed per requirements.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee the expeditious and safe movement, handling and stowage of cargo.
• Manage traffic flow at terminal areas to prevent congestion and delays.
• Perform duties as assigned by harbor operations and supervisors.

Skills

Reading comprehension

Arithmetic

Maritime cargo handling

Marine terminal activities

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Applicants must be available to work rotating shifts, including evenings, weekends and holidays.

Recruitment Information

Recruitment Number DOT-HAR-2025-07.

Salary: $4,563 to $5,768 per month (SR-17, Step C to I).

Note: Hiring rates will be based on availability of funds, the applicant's qualifications, and other relevant factors.

This job posting is for the State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation (DOT). If you have any questions regarding this civil service recruitment, contact the DOT Personnel Office at [phone] - Monday - Friday, 7:45 am - 4:30 pm (HST). The Department of Human Resources Development - State Recruiting Office will refer all inquiries regarding this recruitment to the DOT Personnel Office.

This continuous recruitment may be closed at any time. The notice of the last day to file applications will be posted on the State of Hawaii's Civil Service Job Opportunities Listing page of the Department of Human Resources Development's website: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/hawaii

Duties Summary

The Marine Cargo Specialist I is responsible for the day to day activities of coordinating, controlling and assuring the expeditious and safe movement, handling and stowage of incoming and outgoing cargo and coordinating traffic movement at terminal areas to prevent undue congestion and delay within assigned harbor areas and performs other related duties as assigned.

Applicants must be available to work rotating shifts, including evenings, weekends and holidays.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify, applicants must meet ALL of the following requirements:

Basic Experience: One (1) year of work experience which demonstrated the ability to read, comprehend and apply oral and written directions, and perform basic arithmetic computations. Graduation from high school, or equivalent, may be substituted for the experience.

General Experience: Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in waterfront cargo handling or waterfront cargo layout and planning operations. The experience must demonstrate knowledge of cargo loading and unloading aboard ships, and familiarity with marine terminal activities. This type of experience may be gained in such positions as ship checker, dock checker, lead stevedore, vessel timekeeper, boatswain, or as a junior deck officer, performing the duties mentioned above.

Specialized Experience: Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in one or a combination of the following activities:

• Preparation of preliminary marine cargo stowage plans;
• Overseeing marine loading, stowage, and discharge operations to make certain that these activities conform to preliminary plans. In either case, the experience MUST have included work involving vessels of not less than 5,000 deadweight tons and clearly demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of marine rules and regulations pertaining to cargo movement. In addition, the experience must demonstrate the ability to solve problems, make recommendations and write reports.

Substitutions Allowed: Relevant substitutions as described in the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements, will apply.

Driver's License: Valid State Hawaii Driver's License, Class 3.

Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Clearance - Federal Criminal History Records Check: In accordance with Federal regulations, persons who are being considered for employment in positions which require unescorted access to secured areas at the harbor must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint-based criminal history record check. In order to be granted the TWIC clearance, prospective employees must not have been convicted, or found "not guilty by reason of insanity," of a disqualifying criminal offense within seven years from the date of appointment. Upon recommendation for hire, prospective employees will be required to successfully undergo the fingerprint-based criminal history record check and be found free of disqualifying convictions during the preceding seven years. The cost for the records check will be the applicant's responsibility. However, upon hire, the employee will be reimbursed provided he/she submit the TWIC receipt to his/her supervisor.

Legal Authorization To Work: The State of Hawaii requires all persons seeking employment with the government of the State shall be citizens, nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States, or eligible under federal law for unrestricted employment in the United States.

Other Information: The State of Hawai'i complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please call the DOT Personnel Office at [phone] for assistance.

ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS: The Department of Transportation will use electronic mail (email) to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of their applications. Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails or fail to check your email-box in a timely manner. In addition, please be aware that you may no longer receive notification about applications submitted if you choose to disable the Job Application Emails feature in your Account Settings.

TESTING INFORMATION: The examination for this recruitment will be conducted on an unassembled basis where the examination score is based on an evaluation and rating of your education and experience. It is therefore important that your employment application provide a clear and detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of each position you held. In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawaii may be required at the discretion of the hiring agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing is a requirement, applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are referred to the vacancy must be available to participate in person and at their own expense in this required phase of the selection process. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. In addition to employment availability and score, the referral of qualified applicants may be based upon other factors including date of receipt of application.

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF) PROGRAM: The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. For more information, please visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.

YOUR JOB BENEFITS WITH THE STATE OF HAWAI'I

• Paid Holidays: You may be eligible for 13 paid holidays each year; 14 holidays during an election year.
• Paid Vacation: You may earn vacation leave at a rate that other employers find tough to match – 21 days each full year from the FIRST year of employment. This compares to an average of 10 days offered by private companies. You may accumulate up to a total of 90 days (720 hours) of vacation.
• Paid Sick Leave: You may earn sick leave at the same rate as vacation – 21 days per year from the FIRST year, and there is no limit on the amount you can accumulate. Expectant mothers may also use sick leave for pre-natal or post-natal check-ups or any illness related to pregnancy. Plus, unused accumulated sick leave may eventually be used to increase your retirement benefits in certain situations.
• Other Leaves: Reasonable time off with pay may be provided for jury or witness duty, a death in the family, some military duty, and donation to the Blood Bank. Leave sharing donations may be granted to eligible employees who have serious personal illnesses or injuries or need to care for a seriously ill or injured family member. Various leaves without pay may also be granted with full re-employment rights.
• Health Insurance: The State pays a part of the premiums for each employee's enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Dental Plan. For more information, visit the Employer Union Trust Fund website www.eutf.hawaii.gov for coverage and options.
• Group Life Insurance: The State provides a free life insurance policy for employees.
• Retirement Plan: The State contributes to a retirement plan for eligible employees. Generally, employees under the Hybrid Plan with 10 years of credited service and who have reached 65 years of age or have 30 years of credited service and have reached 60 years of age may retire and receive benefits. To find out more about the options you have, go to http://ers.ehawaii.gov.
• Premium Conversion Plan: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Eligible employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes through a tax-savings benefit program called Island Flex. This program allows employees to set aside money from their paychecks to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and eligible dependent care expenses on a BEFORE-TAX basis.
• Transportation Benefits: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct qualified transportation expenses (i.e. eligible parking fees, monthly bus passes for TheBus, fare coupons for The Handi-Van, Vanpool Hawaii participation fee, etc.) through pre-tax payroll deductions.
• Deferred Compensation: The State offers employees a voluntary pre-tax retirement savings plan designed to give employees a tax break today and an opportunity to build a retirement nest egg through voluntary payroll deductions. Several types of investment options are available.
• Temporary Disability Insurance: Qualified employees may be eligible to receive benefits for a disability caused by a non-work related injury or illness under this program.
• Social Security: As an employer, the State also contributes to an employee's social security account.
• Promotions & Transfers: For employees with membership in the civil service, the State offers promotion and transfer opportunities throughout the State Executive Branch.
• Training & Continuing Education: The State supports developmental activities related to an employee's work. In many departments there are numerous in-service training opportunities available. Sabbatical leaves with pay are available for qualified employees.
• Travel Expenses: The State may pay for certain business related travel expenses including mileage reimbursement for use of a personal car during work, airfare, meals and lodging expenses for trips to neighbor islands or out of state.
• Incentive & Service Awards: The State has a program that recognizes employees for their years of service and provides cash awards for their superior accomplishments and other contributions that improve State operations.
• Union & Collective Bargaining: Employees have the right to join the union for collective bargaining with the State and employee representation. Some employee unions provide discounts, insurance and other opportunities. Employees may also decide not to join a union, however, employees are required to pay union service fees unless the employee's job is excluded from collective bargaining.

The State of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Employer

01

APPLICANT'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT - REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

These responses you provide will be used in combination with your application to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements and/or your final score. Failure to provide detailed and complete information may result in your application being rejected or receiving a lower score.

Please do not submit a resume in place of completing the Supplemental Questions.

You must submit verification (e.g., copies of official transcripts or diploma as instructed below) in order to receive credit for education. In general, proof of education downloaded from and/or submitted through the internet will not be accepted. Education obtained outside the United States must be comparable to education earned at an accredited school in the United States. We also reserve the right to request further information about your academic program, evidence of comparability, or an original transcript.

To receive credit for substitute, temporary assignment, or volunteer experience, you must submit an official letter of verification. The letter should include the job title, employment dates, number of hours worked, a description of the duties performed, and a contact name and phone number.

Any information you submit may be verified.

Supporting documents must be either electronically attached to your application or emailed to [e-mail] with the recruitment number and job title in the subject line.

• I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to all of the above.

02

APPLICANT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (Continued)

Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified.

In general, concurrent experiences and/or education will not be double credited unless otherwise specified.

Your possession of the required amount of experience will not in and of itself be accepted as proof of qualification for the position. The overall paid or unpaid experience must be of such scope and responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that you have the ability to perform the duties of the position.

Our calculation of experience will be based upon a full-time, 40-hour work week. Part-time experience will be pro-rated.

Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week will be pro-rated to six months of experience. Also, hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be extra credited.

Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week will be credited as one year of experience, not one and a half years.

• I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to all of the above.

03

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (Complete Information And Details)

A link to the Minimum Qualification Requirements has been provided in the job announcement. Please review the requirements in their entirety.

• I acknowledge that I have accessed the link provided, and have read and understand the Minimum Qualification Requirements in their entirety.

04

BASIC EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT

Do you possess at least ONE (1) YEAR of experience which demonstrated the ability to read, comprehend and apply oral and written directions, and perform basic arithmetic computations?

OR

Do you possess a high school diploma or equivalent?

• Yes
• No

05

BASIC EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT (Continued)

If you answered 'No' to the above question, indicate 'N/A' below.

If you possess the required Basic Education/Experience, please provide the following information to address your relevant background.

The Information For Each Employer Should Include:

• Employer's name; your official job title; complete dates of employment (month/year to month/year) and average number of hours per week spent collectively on duties stated in 'B'.
• A detailed description of the primary function of your position, including your major duties and responsibilities as they demonstrated the required knowledge and abilities.

OR

If you possess a high school diploma or GED, provide the name of your high school or organization and the city/state where you earned your diploma.

06

GENERAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT

Do you possess at least THREE (3) YEARS of progressively responsible experience in waterfront cargo handling or waterfront cargo layout and planning operations as described in the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements?

If you do not possess the required experience, write 'N/A' below.

If yes, please provide the following information in the format and order listed below; otherwise your application may be rejected.

All employers listed below must also be listed on your application.

Any information you submit may be verified.

NOTE: Address each change of employer or position separately.

The Information For Each Employer Should Include:

• Employer's name, your official job title, complete dates of employment (month/year to month/year), and average number of hours per week spent collectively on job duties stated in 'C'.
• Describe this employer. Was this a government agency, private shipping company, private warehouse operations, etc.? What kinds of services did it provide? To whom (describe clientele)?
• What was the primary function of your position? What were your major duties and responsibilities?
• What was your specific involvement and duties, if any, with this employer in each of the following areas?
• Waterfront cargo handling.
• Waterfront cargo layout and planning operations.
• Describe your duties, if any, with this employer as they demonstrated your knowledge in each of the following areas. Include your specific role, the steps you took and give relevant examples.
• Cargo loading and unloading aboard ships. Include the types of cargo and ships.
• Marine terminal activities.
• How did your responsibilities and level of authority differ from those of your supervisor?

Be specific and complete in your responses. To receive credit, the employer(s) and each position held must be identified in the Work Experience section of your application.

A resume submitted in lieu of answering each supplemental question completely will not be accepted. We do not make assumptions.

If your write up is unclear, you may be asked to provide a copy of your official Job/Position Description.

07

SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

Please indicate if you are using a substitution to meet the General Experience Requirement by selecting one of the following choices. (Refer to the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements for more detailed information.)

In order to receive credit, you MUST SUBMIT a legible copy of your OFFICIAL CREDENTIALS (i.e., certificate, diploma, license, etc.) by attaching it to your online application.

• I am not using substitution
• I graduated from a Deck Officers course given by a Federal or State maritime school
• I possess a U.S. Coast Guard unlimited (any tonnage, any waters) license
• I possess excess Specialized Experience as described in the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements

08

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT

Do you possess at least TWO (2) YEARS of progressively responsible work experience in one or a combination of the following activities (1) preparation of preliminary marine cargo stowage plans -OR- (2) overseeing marine loading, stowage, and discharge operations, as described in the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements?

If you do not possess the required Specialized Experience, write 'N/A' below.

If yes, please identify each experience you would like us to consider and provide the following information in the format and order listed below; or your application may be rejected.

All employers listed below must also be listed on your application.

Any information you submit may be verified.

NOTE: Address each change of employer or position separately.

The Information For Each Employer Should Include:

• Employer's name, your official job title, complete dates of employment (month/year to month/year), average number of hours per week spent collectively on job duties stated in 'D'.
• Description of this employer. Was this a government agency, private shipping company, etc.? What kinds of services did it provide? To whom (clientele)?
• What kind of port or harbor were you situated at, e.g., commercial, recreational, etc.? What kinds of boats or ships did it service? How many (daily average)?
• What was the primary function of your position? What were your major duties and responsibilities?
• Please describe your experience, if any, with this employer as it involved the following activities. Include your specific role, the steps you took, and give relevant examples.
• Preparation of preliminary marine cargo stowage plans.
• Overseeing marine loading and discharge operations to make certain that these activities conform to preliminary plans.
• What size and what kinds of vessels did you work with?
• Describe your duties, if any, with this employer as they demonstrated your possession of knowledge of marine rules and regulations pertaining to cargo movement.
• How did your duties and level of authority differ from those of your supervisor?

Be specific and complete in your responses. To receive credit, the employer(s) and each position held must be identified in the Work Experience section of your application.

A resume submitted in lieu of answering each supplemental question completely will not be accepted. We do not make assumptions.

If your write up is unclear, you may be asked to provide a copy of your official Job/Position Description.

• Required Question