Dive Safety Officer and Project Maritime Archaeologist

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, Inc. (The Museum) is seeking a full-time Dive Safety Officer (DSO). The DSO will also serve as a project maritime archaeologist in addition to overseeing Museum safety programs for scientific diving operations. 

Successful candidate must be an experienced underwater archaeologist who has worked on a variety of submerged archaeological sites overseeing the application of rigorous dive and waterfront safety standards and training. He or she must have experience in underwater archaeological excavation and survey activities. Must be a certified AAUS or equivalent scientific diver or be able to qualify as such by the beginning of this job.

USCG Merchant Mariner Credential (OPUV or higher) preferred. In addition, he or she must be familiar with the use of archaeological dredging systems and probing systems, and other equipment such as hookah systems, small engines including water pumps and portable generators, weight belt/harness systems, remote sensing gear including magnetometer, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, HYPACK and SonarWiz softwares, and experience in small and medium sized boat and trailer operations. He or she must be a trained and experienced diver, with appropriate dive leadership qualifications and experience. The DSO is responsible for overall diving safety for the program as a whole. This is an administrative position that also often entails going into the field to supervise diving, to support scientific or training operations as a diver, and to conduct remote sensing or other non-diving archaeological operations. The DSO might be present at major operations or particular ones as he/she feels are appropriate. We would normally have the DSO on site in the field at all times providing oversight but also supporting operations as an active diver, again as the DSO feels is appropriate.

The DSO shall have the responsibility for diving safety and the absolute right to cancel or terminate a dive if needed for the safety of the divers, crew, and volunteers. He or she works under the authority and standards established by the Diving Control Board, of which he or she will be a voting member.