What Does a Marine Operations Supervisor Do?
Whether the job is a week-long research cruise, a dive survey, or a class trip on the harbor, a marine program needs boats that leave the dock ready, crewed and safe. Marine operations supervisors run that program at universities, marine labs and survey firms, and the job is distinguished from a boat operator's in that it covers the whole fleet: its schedule, crews, budget and safety record.
Also known as: Marine Supervisor
Marine Operations Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a marine operations supervisor include:
- Schedule research vessels and small boats around cruise requests, crew availability and maintenance.
- Supervise captains, mates, deckhands and marine technicians, and approve their hours and training.
- Command vessels on research cruises when needed, holding the right Coast Guard license.
- Plan cruises with scientists, checking equipment loads, deck space, permits and weather windows.
- Keep vessels in compliance with Coast Guard inspections and required safety drills.
- Manage the marine operations budget, including fuel, dockage, repairs and shipyard periods.
- Oversee haul-outs, engine overhauls and equipment installs with shipyards and contractors.
- Run the small-boat program, including operator training, float plans and boat checkouts.
- Lead the response to groundings, injuries, spills and person-overboard incidents, and file reports.
- Maintain the dock, moorings, trailers and shore-side gear used by research teams.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a marine operations supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Coast Guard master's license with the tonnage and route endorsements the fleet needs
- STCW training where vessels work offshore
- Crew supervision and scheduling
- Vessel maintenance planning
- Knowledge of Coast Guard rules for inspected and uninspected vessels
- Budget management
- Clear communication with scientists who are not mariners
- Sound judgment about weather and sea state
Education and Training
The usual path runs through a captain's or mate's license, but some supervisors start out as marine technicians and earn their licenses along the way. Getting the post without a Coast Guard master's license might be possible at some labs, but licensed candidates will have a clear advantage over other applicants. License courses at maritime schools offer another route.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $63,880 - $127,180 per year, with a median of $92,460.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
According to BLS, employment of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels, the wider group that includes marine operations supervisors, is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. The group should see about 3,800 openings a year, few of them in research fleets. Given that research budgets rise and fall with grants, supervisors with both a license and shipyard experience are more likely to stay employed through lean years.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.