About us

At Sanford, we are proud of our 100+ years of seafood history, passionate about our industry and excited about our future. Our vision is Leadership in New Zealand Seafood, achieving this through a value led approach of care, passion, integrity and achieving together in all that we do.

About the role

Discover our mussel farming division in some of New Zealand's most scenic locations, where pristine waters have ideal conditions for Greenshell Mussels. We lead integrated operations with advanced vessels for seeding, maintenance, and harvest, supported by monitoring and testing. We harvest our Greenshell Mussels in the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, Coromandel, Golden Bay and Stewart Island region.

This role is located at Stewart Island. Reporting into the Mussel Farms Manager, the Skipper plays a multifaceted role that involves managing operations, ensuring compliance with regulations, maintaining equipment, and overseeing the well-being of the farm's environment and workforce. Your expertise is essential for the success of the farm and the production of high-quality mussels. You will carry out duties and operations ensuring the supply of mussels to the Havelock Processing Plant for sale and distribution.

Responsibilities:

• Operating Skipper Line Boat & the Harvest Barge Erin 24.3mtr. vessel
• Maintaining floatation of all lines. Liaising with harvest and reseeding crews
• Liaising with harvest and reseeding crews
• Contribute to regular seeding and the seeding of spat
• Carry out line maintenance and contribute to daily mussel harvest process. Undertaking engineering maintenance and cleaning of equipment
• Reporting any known or observed defects on the mussel farm vessels to the Mussel Farm Manager

About you:


You will be an experienced maritime professional with strong leadership skills and a background in aquaculture, particularly mussel farming. You will have a valid skipper's license, extensive experience in vessel handling, and the ability to navigate in various sea conditions. Knowledge of mussel farming operations, including seed collection, farm equipment use, and environmental factors affecting mussel growth, is essential. You will also possess relevant safety certifications, be adept at managing a team, and be committed to sustainable farming practices, ensuring efficient and eco-friendly operations.

What we're looking:

• Vessel maintenance experience
• Commercial Launch master (CLM)
• Excellent communication skills for conveying instructions clearly and maintaining open communication with the crew and farm management
• 2 years' experience operating vessels (preferred not essential)
• Vessel maintenance experience, Basic Engineering ticket
• We work outside in all weather conditions, so you need to be comfortable in the elements and at ease on the water

Sanford offers endless opportunities, with a diverse team of over 1500 people working in various roles, including remote locations like the seas surrounding Antarctica. Join us to deliver the highest quality seafood to plates worldwide.

You must be eligible to work in New Zealand. Our recruitment process includes pre-employment checks including criminal history check, drug and alcohol testing, and a medical assessment.