Marine Safety Coordinator
Category: Classified
Pay Grade: C25
Job Code: 02402
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.
JOB SUMMARY
Performs specialized professional and technical field and office work, with delegated supervisory responsibility, coordinating the County’s waterway markers program with responsibility for permitting, inspecting, and maintaining waterway markers demarcating restricted speed zones, navigational hazards, sensitive environmental resources, and channels throughout Pinellas County waterways; ensuring that markers comply with federal and state laws and criteria; coordinating the County’s derelict vessel removal program; and collaborating with local, state, and federal officials (including law enforcement officers).
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)
- Manages the County’s waterway marker system consisting of uniform waterway markers demarcating the boundaries of restricted speed zones and marking navigational hazards and environmental resources (such as seagrasses and manatees);
- Manages the County’s channel marker system consisting of private aids to navigation (daybeacons) marking channels;
- Coordinates with law enforcement agencies and municipal officials to best design, mark, and maintain waterway markers, including private aids to navigation;
- Secures permits from applicable federal, state, and other regulatory agencies; secures and manages contracts with marine contractors; and supervises installation of approved waterway markers and private aids to navigation;
- Conducts routine inspection and maintenance on markers such as sign repair and replacement and the reaffixing of reflective tape;
- Maintains an inventory of all waterway markers and private aids to navigation, and identifies requirements and protocols for inspection, cleaning, and repair or replacement as needed;
- Manages the derelict vessel removal program, which includes coordinating with state and local law enforcement agencies on identification of abandoned vessels, applying for state grant funds, and securing and managing contracts with marine salvage vendors to remove the vessels;
- Determines requirements for the establishment of waterway regulatory zones, coordinating with local law enforcement and municipalities;
- Represents the County before various boards, citizen groups, businesses, government agencies, and judicial hearings on matters pertaining to marine safety activities;
- Interacts regularly with the public in providing assistance and education with respect to the design, permitting, and legal requirements regarding boating restricted areas, sign installation, and derelict vessel removal;
- Assists in developing and implementing the County’s manatee protection program;
- Assists the County’s Marine Construction Inspector as needed in reviewing proposed projects for navigational concerns and construction criteria;
- Acts as a liaison between the County and Federal, State and Local regulatory agencies and represents the County at Federal, State and Local marine meetings;
- Supervises the work of delegated subordinate staff, colleagues, and volunteers by scheduling, assigning, training, and reviewing work;
- Coordinates with staff from other jurisdictions to assist in the development and implementation of best practices;
- Responds to reports of navigational obstructions and debris to protect public safety by removing the hazard and/or coordinating the removal via private contractor or other agency;
- Performs administrative duties as necessary such as managing marker inspections and inventory in the County’s asset management system, ordering of signs and supplies, budgeting, and updating/retrieving documents using the County’s records management system;
- Conducts minor vessel repairs and coordinates maintenance activities on vessels with the County’s fleet department as well as with private mechanics;
- Ensures compliance with all safety protocols, especially with respect to operating and working on vessels;
- Performs other related duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree with major course work in physical, natural, or biological science, environmental engineering, or related field and two (2) years of professional level experience in the assigned field of environmental management; or Associates degree with major course work in physical, natural, or biological science, environmental engineering, or related field and four (4) years of professional level experience in the assigned field of environmental management; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.
Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):
- Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
- Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
- Other knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.
- Competency in small and medium sized boat handling, trailering, and launching.
- U.S. Coast Guard Boater safety course certification or equivalent.
- Advanced proficiency, competency, and satisfactory completion of regularly assigned work in an independent manner.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of marine safety issues;
- Knowledge of Federal, State, and local marine safety laws, regulations, and policies;
- Knowledge of marine construction practices, materials, methods, equipment, specifications, codes, and regulations;
- Skill in the analysis and resolution of marine safety issues;
- Skill in the use of computers, related software, and marine electronics including Microsoft office products, GIS applications and GPS systems;
- Skill in the use of power and hand tools or equipment;
- Ability to safely operate a medium sized power boat;
- Ability to swim;
- Ability to plan, organize, and manage complex projects;
- Ability to work effectively with others;
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing;
- Ability to read and interpret blueprints, diagrams, sketches, maps, nautical charts, and aerial photos;
- Ability to testify in court as an expert witness;
- Ability to diagnose defects and hazards in marine signage, buoys, and piling;
- Ability to work outdoors and on the water, in both cold and hot environments, with possible exposure to inclement weather and suboptimal boating conditions.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS
The work is light work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:
- Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
- Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
- Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
- Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
- Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
- Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
- Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
- Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
- Visual acuity: Have close visual acuity such as color differentiation, depth perception, and adequate field vision. Sufficient to effectively operate office equipment including copier, computer, etc.; and to read and write reports, correspondence, instructions, etc.
- Hearing: Sufficient to hold a conversation with other individuals both in person and over a telephone; and to hear recording on transcription device. Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction; ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.
- Speaking: Sufficient to communicate effectively with other individuals in person and over a telephone.
- Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
- Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
- Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
- Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
- Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
- Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
- Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
- Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
- Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
- Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs. Work is frequently performed in an environment with heavy equipment and machinery that could result in bodily harm to co-workers or others.