Vice President for Marine Operations

Job Summary

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is the world's leading, independent non-profit organization dedicated to ocean research, exploration, and education. The Institution is at a transformational time in its history. In this age of growing global environmental crises, WHOI is poised to address the most challenging issues facing humanity with a renewed sense of urgency. The ocean is a defining feature of our planet and crucial to life on Earth, yet it remains one of the planet’s last unexplored frontiers. WHOI scientists and engineers take on difficult questions in challenging environments in order to expand our knowledge of this critical part of the earth system.

The WHOI community is dedicated to understanding all facets of the ocean and raising awareness of its complex connections with Earth’s climate, land, and life. WHOI knows the value of basic research and education as well as the critical importance of leveraging scientific knowledge to ensure society’s long-term welfare, to help guide human stewardship of natural resources, and to increase appreciation for the importance of the ocean to global climate, humanity, and the planet.

Founded in 1930 on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, WHOI today is made up of nearly 1,000 employees, including more than 500 scientists, engineers, and technicians. The organization’s facilities are located on two campuses in Woods Hole, covering 233 acres, 77 buildings, and two docks. As it approaches its 100th year, WHOI is committed to engaging a broader network of stakeholders in its mission and to cultivate new sources of funding.

• Organized into five academic departments, several topical research centers, and the Marine Policy Center, WHOI investigators conduct research that addresses pressing science questions covering a wide range of topics related to ocean science, technology, and policy. These questions require interdisciplinary thinking, a combination of science and engineering, and teams focused on important topics such as the warming ocean, the carbon cycle and its relationship to Earth’s climate, the mapping of the ocean’s biodiversity, and understanding the impact of ocean changes on coastal communities.
• Known for ocean exploration and discovery at sea, WHOI operates two seagoing research vessels--the R/V Atlantis and the R/V Neil Armstrong--the coastal research vessel Tioga, and the human-occupied submersible Alvin. WHOI also develops and deploys a broad range of autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicles.

WHOI scientists and engineers collaborate closely to explore the farthest reaches of our ocean planet, designing vehicles to probe deep into the ice-covered seas, collecting samples to understand life around hydrothermal vents, and developing models and sensors to help predict the next big seafloor earthquake. Investigators from all departments are deeply engaged in collaborative research to better understand and predict Earth’s changing climate and its impact on the ocean and our lives. WHOI also has a longstanding and growing relationship with the U.S. Navy, engaging in research in support of national security and developing technology with dual use in scientific and other applications.

• WHOI leads a number of national initiatives including the Ocean Observatories Initiative, a multi-institution, NSF-funded program of sustain ocean observation with a budget in excess of $50 million per year, and is home to national facilities, including the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) and the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility (NOSAMS).
• WHOI offers doctoral degrees in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as M.S. degrees for students from the U.S. Navy. Typical enrollment is 130 students total. The MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering has a history of training future leaders, with many of the over 1,200 alumni occupying leadership positions worldwide in ocean science and related fields. Additionally, at any given time, over 60 postdoctoral researchers are hosted across WHOI's five departments. WHOI offers a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program, which hosts 25-30 undergraduates each summer funded by NSF and other government and private funds.

• ABOUT WHOI MARINE OPERATIONS
• Working in conjunction with the world’s best ocean scientists and engineers, the WHOI Marine Operations professionals have enabled some of the most iconic accomplishments in ocean exploration and research. The quality and scope of service provided remains unrivaled, extending across ship operations, diving, scientific sensor and sampler deployment, remotely operated and autonomous vehicle operation, and project management. Underpinning all aspects is a deep and steadfast commitment to safety and reliability. Excellence in all of these aspects makes the Marine Operations team an active, equal partner in oceangoing scientific research. A highly skilled team of professionals manage vessel operations, shore operations, vessel scheduling and clearances, scientific support services, scientific diving, a community winch pool, the WHOI Pressure Test Facility, a sensor calibration facility, vessel chartering, the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory and the WHOI small boat program. Marine Operations also has highly skilled project managers that manage vessel shipyard periods, vehicle development programs and the redevelopment of the WHOI waterfront.

• FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
• The bulk of funding for WHOI’s annual operating budget of approximately $300 million comes from government grants and contracts, with the balance coming from its approximately $450 million endowment and private philanthropy (individuals, foundations, industry)—an increasingly important source of funds.

Job Description

The Vice President for Marine Operations (VP) at WHOI is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic oversight and management of WHOI’s extensive marine assets and operational infrastructure. This position directs a multidisciplinary team of approximately 150 staff, including engineers, technicians, and operational personnel, ensuring the safe, efficient, and innovative use of the institution’s fleet of research vessels, submersibles, and marine laboratories. The VP oversees all facets of marine facilities management, including vessel operations, maintenance, logistics, regulatory compliance, and the coordination of shipboard science support, enabling cutting-edge oceanographic research worldwide.

In addition to operational management, this role involves long-term planning and budgetary oversight for a multimillion-dollar asset portfolio encompassing WHOI’s advanced research vessels, underwater vehicles, and shore-side marine support facilities. The VP oversees an annual operating budget of approximately $60 million and serves as a critical liaison with federal agencies, funding bodies, and scientific collaborators to ensure adequate funding. The VP also seeks opportunities to create new capabilities and initiate special projects that align with the Institution’s strategic objectives and help build new business. The Marine Operations assets are of great interest to donors, and the VP is a key partner with WHOI’s VP of Advancement in fundraising Through leadership, innovation, and collaboration, the VP ensures WHOI maintains its position as a global leader in ocean science by providing world-class marine platforms and services.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to President and Director

Direct reports

Director of Ship Operations

Director of National Deep Submergence Facility

Chief Scientist for Deep Submergence

Director of Scientific Services

Director of Ocean Imaging

Director Ocean Systems Laboratory

Dive Safety Officer

Senior Manager Marine Operations

Finance Manager

Other Key Relationships

Vice Presidents and members of the President’s Leadership Team

Department Chairs

Chief Scien