That sounds like a sweet gig. I think this gig is an actual city job, under the department of environmental protection
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Those dudes sounded like they enjoyed their job.
A merchant sailor in 1955 took a job on a NYC “Honey Barge” so he could be home to be with his wife more.
After a week or two he was back to cargo ships in the trade between NYC and the Mediterranean.
Is this even legal? Can a city or US state force you to live their as a condition of employment??
Yes. Seen it before with regards to municipal employment.
Elected officials are required to live in their district/state.
I don’t know the pay specifics, but it’s a tit job. Had I not gone the route I went I’d be lobbying for that gig. Keep in mind that if you find the pay scale published, it’s likely far more than that as most city jobs in NY have built in overtime. It’s not uncommon for guys to nearly double that posted salary.
Many years ago the NYC jobs required employees to live in NYC. Nowadays it’s NYC, Rockland County, Nassau County, etc. Everyone pictures skyscrapers and traffic when they hear NYC, but there are plenty of nice suburban places to live around here. You’d live comfortably and know that you’ll have an actual city pension for the rest of your life upon retirement. That’s worth more than the most fully funded 401k in my opinion.
Someone else posted about the legality of requiring employees to live in a specific place, the justification is that those people need to be within a close distance in the event of an emergency, think 9/11 or something. I know if there was a fire or explosion requiring all available firemen, I wouldn’t want to wait for them to drive two hours to work…
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This was informative and super helpful. I guess I will try my hand at finding out when they hire etc.
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This showed up in my inbox awhile back. Salary is $94K
Job details
Job Type
Full-time
Full Job Description
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects public health and the environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. We deliver 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water per day to 8.5 million New York City residents and more than 1 million people in Upstate New York, and we collect and treat an average of 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater per day.
The Bureau of Wastewater Treatment is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all facilities related to the treatment of sewage, including wastewater treatment plants, collections facilities (pumping stations, combined sewer overflow retention facilities, regulators, tide gates), wastewater laboratories, harbor vessels and sludge dewatering facilities.
The selected candidate shall act as the Marine Section’s Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Coordinator. Examples of typical tasks could include: perform or direct activities to monitor and
coordinate Marine Section conformance with EH&S policies and procedures established within the safety management system; perform duties of a Spill management Team (SMT) member; maintain all EH&S related records and support document control; obtain and maintain all required licenses relevant to position; coordinate mandatory training and provide toolbox training on EH&S issues to crew members; implement environmental health and safety assessments and job safety analyses to maintain regulatory compliance; enforce all department and United States Coast Guard rules and regulations and those of other cognizant regulatory bodies.
The selected candidate may be tasked in an emergency to take command of an assigned vessel and its crew and act as the department’s representative in all matters concerning the vessel and its crew and perform related work. Examples of typical tasks are as follows: exercise independent judgment under way; pilot the sludge vessel; assign duties and responsibilities of the licensed officers and crew; assume responsibility for the safe operation of the vessel at all times under way and in port; direct all personnel involved in mooring and unmooring vessel; use proper loading and unloading operations and proper storage and care of ship’s supplies and equipment; keep ship’s logs and make necessary reports; inspect the ship at frequent intervals; and maintain proper upkeep of the vessel. In addition, candidate will instruct junior officers and crew in the proper performance of their duties and prepare them for assumption of higher duties; keep supervisor fully informed in all matters affecting the vessel and its crew.
Minimum Qual Requirements
A valid U.S. Coast License as Master of Coastwise steam or motor vessels of at least 2,700 gross tons, or a higher license; plus a Radio-Telephone Third Class Operator’s Permit for operation of a ship radio station issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
In addition, all candidates must obtain a valid First Class Pilot’s License on all waters sailed by the department’s sludge boats within a year following appointment.
Candidates must obtain a valid First Class (Pilot’s License) Pilotage Endorsement to their USCG Master License on all waters sailed by the department’s sludge boats within a year following appointment. These include, but not limited to the following: New York Harbor Upper and Lower Bay from Sea to the Batter; Jamaica Bay from Rockaway Inlet to include Head of Bay; Kill Van Kull from Robbins Reef to Elizabeth Port; Newark Bay from Kill Van Kull to Junction of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers; Passaic River from the Junction of the Hackensack River to Point No Point; Hudson River from Battery to the George Washington Bridge; East River from the Battery to Tallman Island.
Preferred Skills
- Knowledge of and experience with maritime Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) issues, inspections, monitoring equipment and requisite standards and protocols.
- Experience in training personnel on EH&S issues would also be preferred.
- Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
Additional Information
Appointments are subject to OMB approval.
For additional information about DEP, visit Department of Environmental Protection.
DEP is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to the diversity of our organization and workforce. Your voluntary response to the NYCAPS on-line application section for referral information will assist us tremendously in our ability to track the success of our outreach and recruitment efforts. Please be sure to indicate your source of referral to this job.
NOTE: This position is open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate on your resume or cover letter that you would like to be considered under the 55-a Program. This position is also open to non 55-a Program candidates who meet the education and experience requirements as listed in the job posting notice.
To Apply
Click “Apply Now” button.
Hours/Shift
40 hours per week / day
Work Location
Wards Island, N.Y.
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
Recruitment Contact
Recruitment Contact: Grace Pigott
Recruitment Email: recruit@dep.nyc.gov
I could never work on that boat. I chew my fingernails.
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If you like to fish offshore, you could probably hook up some of the guys that run to the canyons with tuna intel. Word on where the fish are is a big deal in the Northeast. Or drag some lures and catch some yourself.
The one thing I know about those jobs is that they have been around forever. Guys have talked about working there back in the 70s, and New York will never fund the infrastructure to eliminate them.
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Some of the Sludge tankers are ok looking little ships. Some look like self propelled barges with a pilot house added as an afterthought.
The ship looking ones are holdovers from when the used to travel to the offshore dumps. The last one I believe was 106 miles out.
The newer barge looking ships hold more “product” and are easier to maneuver with both bow and stern thrusters.
Since the entire route is inland there is no more need for a ship like hull. Since it’s wastewater there is no need to waste any fuel on speed.
I don’t work there, I deliver their bunkers. From all accounts it’s a very good gig with an excellent benefit package.
My first experiences with the NYC DEP Sludge Tankers was in 1989 while performing class and load lines on the Newtown Creek and the North River, also a load line only survey on a former HESS VLCB Thatch Cay which was bought and converted into the Hallett’s Point (?) or Tibbett’s Brook (?) The barge was towed by Moran Tugs- did a load lone only survey on one of those also- and she headed straight to Caddell’s DD because of extensive holes and wastage in the Lazerette shell plating…
The old tankers had Nordberg Diesels and an antiquated engine room- no automation to speak of. At that time they only traveled outside the 12 mile limit and were fined every time they dumped… until they were moved to 106 miles out. The Moran Tugs had Upper “wheelhouses” with a separate control system to dump the barge- which also had a MRU (Motorolla Radio Unit) which transmitted the opening sequence to the USCG at Governor’s Island…
But I guess all of that has changed these days- new vessels and barges and probably would be a good job…
An inland license should cover these vessels. I don’t know why they are requiring a coastwise license.
I’ve heard that the major problem with these sludge tanker jobs is that they require new hires to live in the expensive City, and they deduct the high state and city income tax.
These are probably good jobs for a mariner that already lives in NYC, perhaps in a rent controlled apartment.
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At least some of the old defunct boats had Cooper-Bessemer engines.
