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Boatswain (Coxswain), Flagship Niagara

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Boatswain (Coxswain), Flagship Niagara

Salary

$45,907.00 - $69,203.00 Annually

Location

Erie County, PA

Job Type

Non-Civil Service Seasonal Full-Time

Job Number

N-2025-37357

Department

Historical & Museum Commission

Division

HM Erie Maritime Ctr

Opening Date

12/18/2025

Closing Date

1/1/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code

27617

Position Number

50702151

Union

AFSCME

Bargaining Unit

J1

Pay Group

ST05

Bureau / Division Code

00300828

Bureau / Division

Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums/Western Division/Erie Maritime Museum

Worksite Address

150 East Front Street, Suite 100

City

Erie, Pennsylvania

Zip Code

16507

Contact Name

MegAnn Carey

Contact Email

[email protected]

+ Description

+ Benefits

+ Questions

THE POSITION

Are you an experienced rigger looking to expand and hone your skills in square rig seamanship while taking on supervisory responsibilities? Do you enjoy sharing your sailing knowledge with others? If so, we have an exciting, seasonal position for you!

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is looking for an enthusiastic, energetic, and hard-working Boatswain to join the crew of the U.S. Brig Niagara, Pennsylvania's Flagship. In this position, you will be engaged in all aspects of ship maintenance and operation, allowing you to build upon the skills you have already acquired in your maritime career. This seasonal position is expected to begin in late-March 2026 and end in mid-October 2026.

If you want to be part of keeping the tradition of square rig seamanship alive for current and future generations, apply today to serve aboard the U.S. Brig Niagara!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

Sailing from her homeport at the Erie Maritime Museum in Erie, PA, the U.S. Brig Niagara is a fully functional, traditionally rigged brig engaged in sail training and historical interpretation. Through the up rig, maintenance, operation, and down rig of the ship, the Niagara program preserves, interprets, and passes on the traditions of what life was like for sailors living, working, and fighting aboard a square-rigged sailing ship in the early 19th century.

As Boatswain, you will serve as deck crew leader and the foreman for all non-engineering maintenance operations. This role calls for you to apply your knowledge of seamanship, in particular your knowledge of square rig, to carry out all operations and maintenance of Niagara in a supervisory as well as hands-on role. Your responsibilities will include maintaining a neat and organized ship, ensuring that tools are in good working order, keeping an inventory of necessary supplies, creating and maintaining work lists, and carrying out the work involved in rigging up, sailing, and maintaining Niagara. You will assign and supervise various tasks in service of the ship while training less experienced crew, volunteers, and trainees in those tasks and in seamanship in general.

Additionally, this role involves assisting in the historical interpretation of the ship, offering museum guests a glimpse into life aboard a 19th century sailing vessel. You will also be responsible for ensuring that the ship, shop, and berthing area are clean, tidy, and presentable to museum guests and the general public.

The 2026 Niagara sailing season (late-March through mid-October) will include a 2,000 nautical mile journey from Maine to Erie, PA via the North Atlantic Ocean and the St. Lawrence Seaway as well as Sailing School Vessel programs in Lake Erie.

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description (https://careers.employment.pa.gov/pd/PD\_NEOGOV.asp?p=50702151) .

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

+ This limited-term, seasonal position is expected to start in late-March 2026 and end mid-October 2026.

+ Work hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Wednesday - Sunday, with a 60-minute lunch. This position's schedule will vary per the needs of the ship and programming.

+ Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.

+ Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.

+ Note: This position includes room and board. A daily charge of $9.00 (totaling $126.00) will be automatically deducted from each bi-weekly paycheck for the duration of employment.

+ You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

+ One year experience working aboard a sailing vessel, including six months experience as a ship's carpenter, and eligibility for a United States Coast Guard Able-Bodied Seaman's Sailing Card.

Additional Requirements:

+ This position requires possession of a USCG Able-Bodied Seaman Certification.

+ You must possess at least one year of experience sailing in a traditional rig.

+ You must possess at least six months of experience as a rigger.

+ You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

+ This position is subject to initial, ongoing random, and reasonable cause drug screenings. Employment in this position is conditioned on successfully passing an initial drug screening upon appointment to the position. Ongoing employment will require compliance with ongoing random and reasonable cause drug screenings in alignment with US Coast Guard Regulation: CFR Title 46, Chapter 1, Subchapter B, Part 16. and Commonwealth procedures.

+ This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.

+ Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

How to Apply:

+ Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents willnotbe reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).

+ If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

+ Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.

+ Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Veterans:

+ Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

+ 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

Learn more about our Total Rewards by watching this shortvideo (https://www.youtube.com/embed/HtcSRnndflc?rel=0) !

See the total value of your benefits package by exploring ourbenefits calculator.

Health & Wellness

We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*

Compensation & Financial Planning

We invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.

Work/Life Balance

We know there’s more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, eight weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.*

Values and Culture

We believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.

Employee Perks

Sometimes, it is the little “extras” that make a big difference. Our employees receive special employee-only discounts and rates on a variety of services and memberships.

For more information on all of these Total Rewards benefits, please visitwww.employment.pa.gov and click on the benefits box.

*Eligibility rules apply.

01

Do you possess one or more years of full-time experience working aboard a sailing vessel which includes six months of experience as a ship's carpenter?

+ Yes

+ No

02

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.

03

Are you eligible for a United States Coast Guard Able-Bodied Seaman's Sailing Card?

+ Yes

+ No

04

If you answered yes to the above question, please provide your United States Coast Guard AB license number and expiration date. If you answered no, type N/A in the text box below.

05

Additional Requirement- Do you possess a USCG Able-Bodied Seaman Certification?

+ Yes

+ No

06

If you answered "Yes" to the above question, please provide your certification number and expiration date. If you answered "No", type N/A in the text box below.

07

Additional Requirement- Do you have at least one year of experience sailing in a traditional rig?

+ Yes

+ No

08

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.

09

Additional Requirement- Do you have at least six months of professional experience as a rigger?

+ Yes

+ No

10

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.

Required Question

Employer

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Address

613 North Street

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120

Website

http://www.employment.pa.gov