Company Overview
Western Towboat Company is a family-owned business established in 1948, operating tugs and barges across some of the most demanding waterways in the Western Hemisphere, from Puget Sound to the Aleutian Islands, Arctic Alaska to the Hawaiian Islands, and the Panama Canal.
Position Summary
The Vessel Provisioning, Yard Support & Equipment Maintenance Specialist supports vessel and shipyard operations by pulling parts, supplies, and delivery groceries for long-haul and harbor vessels; performing parts runs and pickups; maintaining warehouse, yard, and vehicle cleanliness; and helping keep shipyard activities organized, safe, and on schedule. This role also supports inventory control, purchasing coordination, forklift operation, crew support logistics, and basic mechanical upkeep of forklifts, work vehicles, and shipyard equipment to help keep maintenance activities on schedule.
Key Responsibilities
- Pull, stage, and load provisions, parts, and other supplies for long-haul and harbor vessels in accordance with trip requirements and established procedures.
- Maintain inventory levels in warehouse and supply areas; check stock routinely and notify supervision or order approved supplies when needed.
- Perform parts runs, pickups, and drop-offs for the yard and vessels, confirming items against purchase orders or packing slips and delivering them to the correct locations.
- Support the purchasing manager as a secondary point of contact, including basic purchasing coordination and generating or supporting purchase orders through company purchasing software as directed.
- Receive, sign for, organize, stage, and distribute time-sensitive packages, groceries, parts, and materials during scheduled operating hours.
- Safely operate forklifts, flatbed yard trucks, and other approved company vehicles and equipment in support of yard and vessel operations.
- Keep warehouse spaces, stock supply areas, work trucks, forklifts, docks, loading areas, and storage locations clean, organized, and ready for daily operations.
- Safely return, stack, and store empty pallets and related materials in designated areas to maintain clear walkways and workspaces.
- Assist with general shipyard housekeeping, including sweeping, debris removal, organizing storage areas, and reducing slip, trip, and fall hazards.
- Shuttle vessel crews as needed, assist with crew pickup and drop-off coordination, and organize crew parking and related assignments.
- Support crews as they prepare for vessel departures, including helping verify checklists are complete and assisting with last-minute logistics.
- Attend weekly employee safety meetings and follow all health, safety, security, and environmental expectations, including proper PPE use, safe material-handling techniques, and timely reporting of hazards, near misses, and maintenance concerns.
- Schedule routine service for work vehicles and support tracking of preventative maintenance intervals for forklifts, yard trucks, and other assigned equipment.
- Perform basic preventative maintenance and equipment care tasks such as fluid level checks, battery checks, tire inspections, lubrication, cleaning, fueling/charging, and identifying wear items needing repair.
- Coordinate with supervisors or maintenance vendors to report mechanical issues promptly and help keep fleet forklifts and shipyard equipment maintenance on schedule.
- Maintain cleanliness inside and outside of flatbed yard trucks and other assigned vehicles.
Desired Skills and Experience
- Time management, reliability, and strong attendance.
- Self-motivated, adaptable, and able to shift priorities with changing operational needs.
- Strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
- Basic computer skills and organizational ability, including inventory tracking and purchase order support.
- Experience operating forklifts and safely moving materials in an active yard or warehouse environment.
- Familiarity with warehouse organization, stock control, and vessel or industrial supply support.
- Mechanical aptitude and hands-on experience with basic maintenance of forklifts, yard trucks, trailers, small engines, pumps, compressors, and similar shipyard support equipment.
- Ability to perform routine preventative maintenance tasks, identify mechanical deficiencies early, and communicate repair needs clearly.
- Ability to help maintain service records, coordinate maintenance scheduling, and support equipment uptime.
- Willingness to learn new systems, take on added responsibilities, and contribute positively to the team.
Qualifications
- Valid TWIC card.
- Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
- Ability to safely operate forklifts and company vehicles; forklift experience preferred.
- Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials, parts, and boxes up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to perform physically demanding work in a shipyard environment, indoors and outdoors, in varying weather conditions.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining a clean, organized, and safe work environment.
- Ability to consistently follow assigned work schedules aligned with shipyard operations.
Preferred Mechanical Qualifications
- Experience supporting preventative maintenance programs for forklifts and yard equipment.
- Familiarity with maintenance scheduling, service logs, inspection checklists, and equipment downtime reporting.
- Ability to inspect hydraulic systems, batteries, tires, forks, chains, filters, belts, hoses, and fluid levels for serviceability.
- Ability to recognize when equipment should be removed from service and escalated for repair.
- Experience coordinating outside service vendors or internal maintenance support to keep equipment available and compliant.
Schedule
- Monday through Friday.
- Typical schedule may align with shipyard operating needs, including shifts such as 6:00–14:30, 6:30–15:00, 7:00–15:30, or 7:30–16:00, as assigned.
Work Environment
This position works in an active shipyard environment and supports waterfront, warehouse, and vessel operations. Consistent on-site presence during scheduled hours is important to support vessel provisioning, package receipt, parts movement, crew logistics, inventory control, and equipment readiness.
Pay: $26.00 - $36.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- forklift: 1 year (Required)
License/Certification:
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Seattle, WA 98107 (Required)
Work Location: In person
