Marine & Shipyard Recruiters
At Skilled Trades Headhunters, this is what we do all day: recruit skilled trades professionals.
Working marine & shipyard candidates who are not applying, checked and briefed in writing.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Tell us who you need.
Role and contact first. The rest is optional.
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Skilled trades only
- We reach tradespeople who aren't on job boards
- Replacement guarantee on standard searches
Marine & Shipyard titles we fill
8 titles in this family. Read the family hiring guide.
- Marine Technician
Troubleshoot and repair electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems located on recreational or commercial watercraft in dock environments.
- Marine Diesel Technician
Perform complex service and engine overhauls on inboard marine diesel power plants for commercial or private vessels.
- Fiberglass & Gelcoat Repair Technician
Patch, sand, and finish boat hulls to repair cracks or collision damage while matching custom color tones.
- Shipfitter
Cut, layout, and fabricate metal hull plates and deck structures during ship construction or major vessel repair.
- Marine Joiner / Marine Carpenter
Install interior wood trim, cabinetry, furniture, and decking materials specifically designed for ship and boat cabins.
- Marine Technician Apprentice
Support basic vessel engine maintenance and boat electrical system troubleshooting while learning specialized marine craft repair techniques daily.
- Lead Marine Technician
Execute high level engine rebuilds and complex navigation electronics installation for various commercial and private watercraft systems.
- Shipyard Welding Foreman
Manage structural metal fabrication sequences and weld testing protocols on large maritime hulls while overseeing skilled production crews.
Where we find them
We do not wait for applications and we do not rely on job postings. We search these kinds of pools, and we do not name the employers we search.
- Crews at peer contractors, service businesses, plants and facilities that do the same work
- Public license and certification lookups, where the trade has them
- Apprenticeship and training program graduates who are now working
- Veterans with related military trade training
- Referrals from tradespeople we have already talked to
Industries that hire these trades
How the search runs
Work at the waterline
The marine and shipyard family covers people who build, repair and maintain vessels. Marine technicians service engines, steering and electrical systems on boats. Marine diesel technicians handle larger propulsion. Fiberglass specialists repair hulls and decks. Shipfitters shape and align steel. Marine joiners build interior woodwork in confined spaces and moving environments. Salt, vibration and moisture punish every shortcut, so quality shows over seasons. We recruit working people, qualify them in conversation and brief employers in writing.
Yacht and commercial work feel very different. A yard that builds and refits large yachts values finish, discretion and long projects with demanding owners. A commercial repair yard values speed, structural work and tight dry dock windows. Small boat dealers value quick turnaround and friendly service. We ask clients which environment they run, since a person who thrives in one may not stay in another.
Titles we fill
We fill Marine Technician, Marine Diesel Technician, Fiberglass and Gelcoat Repair Technician, Shipfitter and Marine Joiner or Marine Carpenter. Marine Technician and Shipfitter have dedicated role pages with alternate titles and screening detail. The other three titles are covered within this family and can be requested by name. If a yard uses another name, such as boat rigger, hull fitter or yacht finisher, describe the daily work and we will map it and say so plainly.
Licensing and certification distinctions
Marine technicians usually need no statewide license, but certifications matter. ABYC offers technician credentials in marine systems and electrical work, and engine makers certify technicians on their products. Welding qualifications under AWS or classification societies apply to shipfitters who also weld. TWIC is a federal credential for unescorted access at secure maritime facilities. Diesel work may require emissions training, and vessel moves may call for boat operator licensing. We treat each as something to confirm for the job location.
Where these trades work
Employers include boat dealers and marinas, yacht yards, commercial repair yards, new construction shipyards, barge and offshore fabrication yards, boat builders and marine service fleets. A marina technician works in a seasonal rhythm and talks to owners. A shipyard fitter works to a hull schedule with large crews. A yacht joiner works to fine tolerances for demanding clients. We ask clients about season, yard layout and vessel type first, because candidates choose by those things.
Dry dock and haul-out schedules are costly, so employers lose money every day a vessel sits idle. Candidates ask how deadlines are managed and whether overtime is steady or sporadic.
How we qualify people
We ask about the largest vessel or project each person worked on and what went wrong on a hard day. For technicians we ask about diagnosis and sea trials. For diesel roles we ask about service intervals and overhauls. For fiberglass we ask about laminate schedules and fairing. For fitters we ask about drawings and tolerance. For joiners we ask about scribing to curved hulls. Employer-run background, drug and access checks apply to candidates who consent, and we do not run them.
We also ask about their comfort with fumes, resin, dust, confined compartments and cold or hot weather on the water, since honest limits keep everyone safe.
Permanent hire by default
Every person we present joins your organization directly on your own internal books from their first shift. You retain full control over their onboarding and benefits. We focus on finding individuals who prioritize long term stability. Even in high turnover seasonal settings, we look for candidates who value consistent year round placement and realistic site expectations, ensuring they remain committed when the yard slows down.
Sources and talent pools
The main pools are working technicians, fitters and finishers at comparable yards, dealers and builders. Marine school graduates with early work experience form another. Former naval engine and hull technicians bring training and discipline, and may need civilian credentials added. Automotive, diesel and cabinet trades sometimes cross over with training. We describe pools by type only and never name employers, and we approach working people directly because many rarely read postings.
Career paths and where to go next
A marine technician can become a lead, service manager, surveyor or shop owner. A diesel technician can become a field service specialist. A fiberglass technician can become a production lead or a custom builder. A shipfitter can become a leadman, foreman or planner. A joiner can become a shop foreman or a designer. Browse the title lists, industries and related role pages below, then send us the open role when you are ready.
What happens next
- You send the trade, scope and location. Two short steps.
- Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
- We search, qualify people live, and send a written brief on each person we present.
Details on our process and recruiting fees.
Questions
What does a marine & shipyard hire search cost?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Fee terms are set out in the signed agreement.
When is the fee due?
A fee is due only when you hire a candidate we presented, as set out in the signed agreement.
What if the hire does not work out?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How do you verify candidates?
Where a license or certification is required for the work, we confirm it with the issuing authority for the jurisdiction of the work. We discuss the scope in a live conversation. Any MVR, drug or background check that the role requires is handled by the employer with the candidate's authorization. We do not administer those checks.
Do you recruit union or open shop?
Either. Tell us which applies. Union referral rules and signatory agreements stay between you and the local, and we scope the search around them.
Is the search confidential?
Yes. We do not name your company to a candidate before they agree to a conversation, and we do not contact a candidate's current employer about them.
Do you recruit nationwide?
Yes, for local and traveling roles. We search by scope, not by city page.
Open roles
What happens in The Six-Step Search?
Every Skilled Trades Headhunters client search follows the same six named steps. Here is what happens at each one and what you get from it.
- 1
Intake and calibration
We agree on the work, location, pay, schedule and credentials before contacting anyone.
What you get: You get a clear role profile with the deal breakers named up front.
- 2
Targeted market research
We map the trade backgrounds and local or traveling talent that fit. We use relevant employer types, referrals and public license lookups where available.
What you get: You get a search aimed at the actual work, not a job title alone.
- 3
Personal outreach
We contact working tradespeople individually about the opening and what would make a move worthwhile.
What you get: You reach people who are not replying to your job advertisement.
- 4
Live qualification
Each person is talked through the scope, equipment and schedule in a live conversation. Applicable licenses are checked with the issuing authority.
What you get: You only hear about people who understand the job and want it.
- 5
Written shortlist insight
We present a short list with a written brief on each person: what they do now, what they want and what to probe.
What you get: You interview a few people instead of reading a stack.
- 6
Interview and offer support
We help you prepare interviews, discuss the offer and address counteroffers. We stay in touch through the agreed start.
What you get: You have support for the hiring decision. The signed agreement sets the replacement terms.
What we do not do
- No hourly billing and no workers on our payroll.
- No retainer unless agreed in writing.
- No reposting your opening on job boards.
- Not a same-day labor hall.
- No drug, MVR or background checks; your company runs any the role requires.
Details on how our fee works.
Start a Search
Tell us the trade and where the work is. Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
Contingency search. No fee unless you hire.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.