Survey jobs in United Kingdom

Vessel Skipper – Talent Pool (Liverpool)

Future opportunities | Expression of interest. Our marine and survey operations continue to expand, and we are keen to connect with experienced and safety-focused Vessel Skippers who may be interested in future opportunities within our Liverpool region. This advert is intended to build a talent pool for potential upcoming projects. While there may not be an immediate vacancy, we would welcome expressions of interest from qualified professionals who would like to be considered should opportunities arise.

Subject to project and operational demand, successful candidates may have the opportunity to support hydrographic and geophysical survey projects across the UK. The role would involve operating our fleet of modern survey vessels across inland, coastal, and nearshore environments, working closely with hydrographic and geophysical survey teams to deliver safe and effective operations.

You may act as Coxswain on MCA Category II and III commercially endorsed survey vessels, including catamarans (approximately 8–22m) and 7m RIBs.

• Skippering commercial survey vessels in support of hydrographic and geophysical surveys
• Operating vessels in a professional, safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner
• Ensuring vessel safety, compliance, and operational readiness
• Undertaking voyage planning, route management, crew management, and vessel administration
• Carrying out pre-departure checks, risk assessments, and maintaining vessel logs
• Enforcing safety protocols, conducting drills, and ensuring compliance with maritime regulations
• Maintaining effective communication with crew, port authorities, and shore-based teams
• Liaising with survey teams, harbours, and support personnel
• Assisting with mobilisation of vessels to site, including road towing where required

We’re keen to hear from candidates who can demonstrate:

• A relevant MCA, RYA, or STCW commercial qualification
• Proven experience operating vessels commercially in inland or coastal waters
• Strong knowledge of marine safety regulations and operational procedures
• Basic mechanical knowledge with the ability to identify and troubleshoot issues
• A full UK driving licence
• Willingness to travel and stay away from home for site work
• A confident, proactive, and safety-focused approach
• The ability to work collaboratively with technical survey teams

• Towing licence (B+E) for trailers up to 3,500kg
• Experience supporting hydrographic or geophysical survey operations
• First Aid and Sea Survival certification

This talent pool is focused on Liverpool and the surrounding area. Candidates should live within, or be willing to relocate to, a commutable distance should a role become available.

By joining our talent pool, you’ll be among the first to hear about relevant opportunities as they arise. At SOCOTEC UK, we offer structured career pathways, strong support for professional development, and the opportunity to work locally, nationally, or internationally as your career progresses.

Building a safer and more sustainable world is at the heart of everything we do.

If you’d like to be considered for future Vessel Skipper opportunities in the Liverpool area, we’d love to hear from you.

Here at SOCOTEC UK, we have over 2,000 colleagues across our divisions delivering world-class services to our customers. We have several business streams that provide an unrivalled range of testing, inspection, and certification and advisory services throughout the UK, and we deliver excellence to our customers by recruiting and retaining the very best industry talent.

At SOCOTEC, we believe that a driven, inspired and challenged team is the key to success. We promote inclusivity, encourage individuality and have a zero-tolerance policy to discrimination, with the aim that every single member of our team will thrive both in and out of the workplace.

We invest in our people. We push you to grow and we want you to progress. We believe in continued development and the pursuit of ambition. Our open and friendly office space promotes a culture of teamwork and provides the opportunity to ask, listen and learn from those around you. With a young, dynamic and exciting workplace, we are constantly striving, as a team, to develop and succeed.

Think you’ve got what it takes to add value to our success? We would love to hear from you and look forward to receiving your application.

Building a safer and more sustainable world is the core mission we set out to achieve at SOCOTEC, it is at the heart of everything that we do. We are committed to acting as a key player in society, investing in innovative solutions to ensure social and environmental concerns are at the forefront of all of our business operations.