Marine Superintendent at NATO in La Spezia, Liguria, IT

1. POST CONTEXT

This is a position within the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), an organization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). CMRE is an established, world-class scientific research and experimentation facility that organizes and conducts scientific research and technology development, centred on the maritime domain, delivering innovative and field tested Science & Technology (S&T) solutions to address defence and security needs of the Alliance. As per the STO Charter, CMRE operates under a Customer Funding Regime, whereby customers are charged the direct costs of the services provided plus an overhead to cover general and administrative expenditures, recuperation of capital investments (if applicable) and the Centre operating and running costs. Customers are comprised of NATO bodies, NATO Nations and other parties consistent with NATO policy. The CMRE consists of four divisions: Research Division (RD), Experimentation and Rapid Adoption (ERA) Division, Engineering and IT Division (EITD) and Operational Support (OS) Division. The post is located within the Operational Support Division and the Marine Operations Branch (MAROPS) and reports to the Head, MAROPS. The Marine Operations Branch provides safe, effective and compliant operations to CMRE research vessels and coordinates NATO and nations requirements for sea-going programmes of work. The Marine Superintendent provides professional marine expertise, assurance and operational support to the two NATO-owned research vessels, with particular responsibility for marine safety, regulatory compliance, operational readiness and marine operational standards. The position is hands-on and requires a high degree of professional autonomy, sound judgement and demonstrated ability to deliver practical results. The incumbent works closely with the Ship Operations Manager, Marine Technical Superintendent, Masters and crews.

2. PRINCIPAL DUTIES

The incumbent’s duties are: Marine Safety, Compliance & Readiness

• Monitor marine safety, statutory and regulatory compliance and the operational readiness of CMRE vessels.
• Provide professional marine advice on operational planning, risk mitigation, safety procedures and SMS implementation.

Onboard Marine Assurance

• Conduct regular hands-on onboard visits, audits, inspections, trials and operational readiness assessments, reporting findings and recommendations to MAROPS management.
• Monitor navigation, bridge practices and onboard marine standards, providing professional advice to Masters and crews.

Emergency Preparedness & Incident Follow-up

• Review emergency preparedness, safety drills and exercises, and monitor relevant corrective actions.
• Contribute to the preparation and review of marine incident and near-miss reports from the marine operational and safety perspective, and follow up agreed corrective and preventive actions. Technical investigations remain under the Marine Technical Superintendent.

Marine Regulatory & Stakeholder Interface

• Provide marine expertise and professional support to the Ship Operations Manager in dealings with Flag State, Classification Society, Port Authorities and other statutory and relevant maritime stakeholders.
• Provide professional advice on applicable marine regulations, statutory requirements and industry standards relevant to marine operations.

3. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL DUTIES

a. Flexibility Clause The incumbent may be required to perform other related duties as directed. All other related duties should correspond with the required competencies for the job.

b. Deployment/Travel The incumbent may be required to perform their duties onboard Centre or chartered vessels. The incumbent may be required to undertake TDY assignments within and outside NATO boundaries.

c. Certification The incumbent needs to hold a fit for sea certificate in line with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) standards before taking up duty.

4. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

a. Professional Experience

• Relevant professional experience in marine operations, vessel operations, marine safety, statutory compliance, shipboard inspections or vessel supervision, including practical onboard and/or shore-based marine operational experience.
• Valid IMO STCW Certificate of Competency (CoC), at Operational level or higher appropriate to the marine operational responsibilities of the position.
• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable IMO conventions and requirements including STCW, ISM, ISPS, SOLAS, MARPOL and relevant Flag State requirements.
• Practical experience with marine safety, compliance and operational readiness assessment, on-board inspections and/or incident management.
• Demonstrated ability to assess vessel operational condition and compliance, and to identify and follow up appropriate corrective actions.

b. Education

• Bachelor’s degree at a nationally recognised/certified University in Nautical Science, Marine Operations, Maritime Studies or a related discipline and 3 years post-related experience;

or

• Equivalent combinations of relevant education, professional qualifications and at least 5 years practical marine experience may be considered in accordance with applicable NATO recruitment rules.

c. Language Requirements A thorough knowledge of one of the two NATO languages, both written and spoken, is essential and some knowledge of the other is desirable. English SLP 3333 NOTE: Most of the work of CMRE is conducted in the English language.

5. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Recent or current sea-going experience in commercial, research, survey, offshore support or other marine operations.
• Experience gained as a deck officer or in another operational marine role under an IMO/STCW framework.
• Previous shore-based experience as a Marine Superintendent, Marine Operations Officer, Vessel Superintendent or comparable marine operational role.
• Experience with Flag State authorities, Classification Societies, SMS/ISM, onboard inspections, emergency drills or marine incident investigation.
• Experience in an international and multicultural environment and, preferably, with research, survey or offshore support vessels.
• Knowledge of Italian in order to support marine business with the Host Nation and Flag State is desirable.

6. ATTRIBUTES/COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate possess the following competencies / personal attributes:

• Professional Judgement: Sound judgement in marine safety, compliance, operational readiness and escalation of issues.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to assess marine operational risks and translate requirements into practical solutions.
• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Clear communication and effective coordination with Masters, crews, colleagues, management and external stakeholders.
• Teamwork: Cooperative approach and ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Achieving Objectives & Follow-up: Strong work ethic and ability to deliver results and close agreed actions under operational pressure.

All CMRE personnel are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the current NATO Code of Conduct agreed by the North Atlantic Council (NAC), and thus display the core values of integrity, impartiality, loyalty, accountability, and professionalism.

7. REMARKS

The duties are performed in an office, laboratory, workshop environment or on-board Centre ships or chartered vessels. Slightly undesirable working conditions may apply. The incumbent is expected to maintain a practical, hands-on approach to marine operations, including regular on-board inspections, trials, drills and interaction with vessel personnel.

About Us: The Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) is part of the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO). The mission of the STO is to help position both national and NATO science and technology investments as a strategic enabler and technology advantage for the defence and security posture of NATO Allies and partners. The Centre conducts scientific research and technology development and delivers innovative field-tested S&T solutions to address the defence and security needs of the Alliance. CMRE has more than 60 years of experience and has produced a cadre of leaders in ocean science, modelling and simulation, acoustics and other disciplines, as well as producing critical results and understanding that have been built into the operational concepts of NATO and the Nations.

What we offer:

• Salary (Pay Basis): 4,723.81 (EUR) Monthly*. *Salary value as per 2026. Subject to future adjustments in accordance with North Atlantic Council decisions.
• Grade ABCL grade B5 / NATO grade G12
• A world class research facility located in the sea port of La Spezia, Italy supported by two specialised research vessels.
• An exciting place in which to work situated at an ideal location, the port of La Spezia, Italy, enabling synergy with regional and global academic institutes and industry.
• Salary and conditions of employment will be in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations (NCPR), which includes a rewarding salary and a comprehensive system of allowances, supplements and insurances to support families and, in case of expatriated staff, offers an interesting “expatriate” package.
• A generous annual leave and, (where eligible) home leave.
• The successful candidate will be offered a three years’ definite duration contract which may be renewed for subsequent periods subject to business needs, satisfactory performance and the need to rotate skills and talent within the Organization.
• Applicants who prove to be competent for the post but who are not successful in this competition may be offered an appointment to another post of a similar nature, which might become vacant in the near future, albeit at the same or a lower grade, provided they meet the necessary requirements.

Our recruitment process:

• Please note that we can only accept applications from nationals of NATO member countries.
• Applications (including the most relevant publications, the diplomas - stating the highest level of education - and a CV) for this vacancy are to be submitted using the E-recruitment system;
• Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate) and approval of the candidate’s medical file by the CMRE Medical Adviser.

Additional information:

• CMRE values diverse backgrounds and perspectives and is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce. We welcome applications of nationals from all Member States and strongly encourage women to apply.
• Selected candidates are expected to be role models of integrity, and to promote good governance through ongoing efforts in their work.

For more information on how to apply: How to apply for posts within NATO 6 tips to apply for posts within NATO

NOTE: NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.