Relief Captain

South Street Seaport Museum; New York (NY); On-site; USD 44,083; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Skill development in vessel operation

Training and career development assistance

Job summary

A maritime heritage organization in New York is seeking a part-time seasonal Relief Captain for the Schooner Pioneer. This role involves ensuring the safety of guests and crew, running harbor tours, and mentoring crew members. Required certifications include a Master license with a 100-ton capacity and CPR. The position offers $32/hour, with opportunities for skill development in vessel operation. This role may require work on nights and weekends from April until mid-November 2026.

Qualifications

• Master license required with a minimum of 100 gross tons.
• CPR, AED, and First Aid certified.
• Experience in command of a vessel in New York waterways preferred.

Responsibilities

• Run scheduled sailings and ensure vessel safety.
• Perform routine inspections and comply with regulations.
• Interact with guests to provide comfort and safety.

Skills

Seamanship

Leadership

Safety management

Education

Merchant Mariners Credential, Master of Inland Vessels

Job description

Job Summary

Join the South Street Seaport Museum Relief Crew! The 1885 Schooner Pioneer, TSA Sail Training Program of the Year 2012, has a 50+ year history of advancing careers on tall ships and in the maritime industry.

Description

The Relief Captain works under the direction of the full‑time Captain. Captains are responsible for the safety of the vessel, guests, and crew while in command. They run harbor tours and charters, which provide guests with an experience consistent with the goals of the program and the Museum. They effectively manage, lead, and mentor crew to help meet the vessel’s operational needs and the Museum’s mission.

This is a part‑time seasonal position. Relief Captains will typically be expected to operate on nights and weekends, but may also be asked to work education sails and charters during the day.

Program and Itinerary

The South Street Seaport Museum inspires exploration of New York City by preserving and interpreting the city’s origins and growth as a world port, a place where goods, labor, and cultures are exchanged through work, commerce, and the interaction of diverse communities.

Aboard the Museum’s operational vessel, participants of all backgrounds and ages engage in history, environmental, social, and other curricular subjects during two‑hour and three‑hour, hands‑on sailing programs. Pioneer also offers corporate and private charters and ticketed public excursion sails Wednesday through Sunday from May to October.

Occasional trips beyond New York Harbor on both operational vessels with similar programming occur each season as well.

Learn more about the ships:
seaportmuseum.org/about-pioneer
seaportmuseum.org/about-decker

Requirements

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Run scheduled sailings to established standards in a safe and timely manner.
• Ensure guest, crew, and vessel safety through prudent seamanship.
• Perform routine inspections of vessels to meet ongoing preventative maintenance standards and identify any issues or deficiencies.
• Comply with all applicable regulations (USCG, state, and local) and Museum policies, procedures, and rules.
• Interact with guests to provide for comfort and safety.
• Facilitate and encourage guest connection with the opportunities and experiences encountered on each sail and at the Museum.
• Control heavy objects and their movements, and work in environmentally challenging conditions. Unstable, cold, slippery, etc. is part of the job. The Captain is expected to maintain personal safety both for themselves and for others in dealing with these challenges.
• While aboard and in other situations where there is a connection to the Museum and its meet, conduct oneself in a manner that represents the professionalism of the ships and the Museum in the best possible light.

Required Certifications

• License Required: Master
• Tonnage: 100‑ton
• Where Sails: Inland
• Medical: CPR

Preferred But Non‑Mandatory Qualifications

• Two years of relevant experience on waterways of New York, preferably in command of a vessel.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and work with crew at varying levels of experience.

Personal Qualifications

• Current Merchant Mariners Credential, Master of Inland Vessels with minimum 100 Gross Tons and Aux. Sail endorsement.
• Marine Radio Operators Permit.
• CPR, AED, and First Aid certified.
• Demonstrated ability to operate vessels in a safe and seaman‑like manner in the New York Harbor environment.

The professional crew leads volunteer trainees and passengers. Above all, a safe, healthy, collaborative, and respectful workplace is the cornerstone of our program.

South Street Seaport Museum strongly encourages applications from members of groups underrepresented both in museums and maritime careers. Non‑traditional applicants and/or those with suitable alternatives to the above criteria are encouraged to apply.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

Applicants Must Be Able To

• Work effectively under a variety of conditions, including heat, sun, wind, cold, and darkness.
• Move safely on the moving deck and in the confined spaces below with sufficient agility.
• Haul on lines under strain and lift up to 40 pounds.

Compensation/Benefits

This is a seasonal position lasting from April until mid‑November 2026.

Compensation is: $32/hour

Benefits

• Learn and develop skills and experience in vessel operation and historic ship care in New York Harbor—one of the busiest waterways in the country.
• Training and career development assistance is available through the Museum. **Note that this is not a live‑aboard position**