Shipyard Contractor & Trade Partner Integration

NightDragon Acquisition Corp.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Paid maternity and paternity leave

Equity options

Competitive Salary

401(k) Plan

Stock Options

Life and Disability Insurance

Pet Insurance

Open cafeteria benefits

Job summary

A maritime technology leader is seeking a Director of Contractor & Trade Partner Integration in Austin, Texas. This critical role involves managing contractor performance, ensuring safety and quality standards, and integrating external labor into shipyard operations. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in industrial environments and a background in contractor management. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical insurance and competitive salary.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in shipyard, heavy industrial, or construction environments.
• 5+ years experience managing subcontractors or contract labor programs.
• Demonstrated experience integrating external labor into production environments.
• Proven ability to align external labor with internal production and safety standards.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and field execution.

Responsibilities

• Own contractor integration into shipyard operations.
• Establish performance metrics for contractors.
• Ensure contractors meet yard standards for safety and quality.
• Lead onboarding and standards deployment for contractors.
• Escalate contractor performance issues impacting production.
• Coordinate with Production, Planning, Quality, EHS, and Procurement.
• Develop governance for contractor usage and escalation.

Skills

Shipyard or industrial safety requirements

Quality and workmanship standards

Multi-trade production sequencing

Cross-functional team leadership

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Permit-to-work systems

SIMOPS coordination

Quality management systems

Root cause analysis

Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Position Summary

The Director of Contractor & Trade Partner Integration owns the performance, onboarding, safety, and quality execution of all external labor, specialty trades, and subcontractors supporting shipyard operations. This role ensures contract workforce activity is fully aligned with internal production, safety, quality, and schedule expectations.

The Director is accountable for preventing misalignment between internal teams and contract labor by establishing clear standards, disciplined onboarding, and strong field-level integration. Success in this role ensures contractors operate as an extension of the yard, not as parallel or disconnected organizations.

Core Accountability Areas

• Contract Workforce Integration & Performance
• Safety and Quality Alignment for External Labor
• Onboarding, Standards, and Field Execution Discipline
• Risk Reduction from Contract Misalignment

Responsibilities:

• Contractor & Trade Partner Integration
• Own integration of all external labor, specialty trades, and subcontractors into shipyard operations
• Establish clear expectations for contractor performance, supervision, and accountability
• Ensure contractors are aligned with yard standards for safety, quality, productivity, and conduct
• Act as the primary escalation point for contractor performance issues impacting production
• Onboarding & Standards Deployment
• Design and enforce standardized onboarding for all contractors, including:
• Safety orientation and site-specific requirements
• Quality expectations and workmanship standards
• Work rules, access controls, and communication protocols
• Ensure contractors understand how work is planned, sequenced, and released in the yard
• Prevent gaps between contract scope language and actual execution requirements
• Safety & Compliance Alignment
• Partner with EHS to ensure contractor compliance with:
• Shipyard safety rules and procedures
• Permit-to-work systems (hot work, confined space, work at height)
• SIMOPS coordination and exclusion zones
• Ensure contractor supervision actively manages safety execution on the deckplates
• Support incident investigations involving contract labor and drive corrective actions
• Quality & Workmanship Control
• Partner with Quality and Production to ensure contractor work meets yard standards
• Ensure contractor crews are qualified for assigned scopes (welding, coatings, electrical, etc.)
• Own prevention of rework caused by poor contractor integration or unclear expectations
• Support inspections, punch list resolution, and acceptance activities
• Performance Management & Accountability
• Establish contractor performance metrics tied to:
• Safety outcomes
• Quality and rework
• Schedule adherence
• Productivity and workforce reliability
• Lead regular contractor performance reviews and improvement plans
• Support decisions related to contractor continuation, expansion, or removal
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Coordinate closely with Production, Planning, Quality, EHS, and Procurement
• Ensure contractor scopes are sequenced properly with internal work
• Prevent conflict between internal crews and external labor by clarifying ownership and interfaces
• Support rapid resolution of field-level issues impacting schedule
• Team Leadership & Governance
• Lead contractor integration managers, coordinators, or field representatives
• Establish governance models for contractor usage, oversight, and escalation
• Develop internal capability to manage contract labor at scale

Qualifications:

• Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Industrial Management, or related discipline
• 10+ years experience in shipyard, heavy industrial, or construction environments
• 5+ years experience managing subcontractors, specialty trades, or contract labor programs
• Demonstrated experience integrating external labor into active production environments
• Strong understanding of:
• Shipyard or industrial safety requirements
• Quality and workmanship standards
• Multi-trade production sequencing and interfaces
• Proven ability to resolve contractor performance issues without disrupting production
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and field-level execution
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting high-throughput or serial production shipyards
• Familiarity with labor agreements, union environments, or mixed labor models
• Experience managing specialty trade contractors (welding, joinery, electrical, machinery, etc.)
• Background in contractor safety programs and field compliance auditing
• Experience supporting startup or major production ramp-ups
• Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience
• What Success Looks Like
• Contractors operate as integrated extensions of the shipyard workforce
• Reduced safety incidents, quality escapes, and rework tied to contract labor
• Clear accountability and predictable contractor performance
• Minimal friction between internal teams and external trades
• Contractor utilization enables production throughput instead of creating risk

Benefits:

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services. Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
• Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care. Saronic pays 100% of the premium under the basic plan for employees and 80% for dependents
• Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays
• Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents
• Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses
• Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan with company match
• Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
• Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage
• Pet Insurance: Discounted pet insurance options including 24/7 Telehealth helpline
• Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

This role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.