The Australian ranched tuna industry is a dynamic industry, involving a variety of jobs requiring different levels of experience and skills. Full time long-term opportunities exist for those wishing to pursue a career in this innovative and exiting area of aquaculture. Seasonal work is available between February and August.
Industry Profile
A profile of the Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry is available through the seafood jobs website www.seafoodjobs.com.au.
This website introduces you to a new generation of seafood industry personalities and they explain their current roles, how they got to where they are today and why they love their career in the seafood industry!
Education and Training Opportunities
Education and training can be undertaken through accredited training organisations such as TAFE SA or the Australian Maritime and Fisheries Academy.
Download a report that explains careers pathways, training and jobs available in the tuna industry – 2009:302 Linking careers, research and training.
Or, click on the icons below to find out more about working in the tuna industry!
Fishing and Farming
A Dive Supervisor ensures that dive teams work tasks are undertaken efficiently, effectively and safely.
A Farm Manager manages daily farm operations.
A Commercial Diver undertakes a wide range of tasks in and around sea farms.
A Marine Engineer fits, assembles, maintains and repairs engines on vessels and other equipment and machinery.
A Snorkeler harvests fish, conducts stock inspections and prepares and maintains farm enclosures.
A Skipper operates, maintains and manages commercial vessels. Skippers are in charge on a vessel and are responsible for preparing the vessel to go to sea, vessel and crew safety, day-to-day maintenance of equipment and housekeeping on board. They ensure all fishing and farming operations are maintained to a high level.
A skipper must operate and maintain a vessel in an appropriate manner whilst at sea, issuing timely, relevant and reliable reporting and recording mechanisms and maintenance logs.
ADVANCED SKIPPER – operates vessels less than 35m in length
SKIPPER – operates vessels less than 24m in length
BOAT OPERATOR – operates vessels less than 12m in length
Qualifications and Experience
Skippers are required to have a Master Class Ticket (3, 4 or 5), a Hiab Operations Ticket, a Forklift Licence, Senior First Aid and a Current Drivers Licence.
Personal attributes of a Skipper include good leadership skills, innovation, discretion and sound judgement.
A deckhand undertakes tasks on board vessels. They are responsible for general maintenance, ensuring fishing/aquaculture operations and equipment is maintained to a high level, and that and safe operating procedures are adheared to.
Duties may include:
- Feeding tuna
- Assisting with daily loading and unloading of vessel/s
- Ensuring vessels (both interior and exterior) and all other work areas are clean and tidy
- Maintaining farm and vessel plant, equipment, ropes, nets etc
- May undertake seasonal towing operations
Qualifications and Experience
Qualifications in shipboard safety are desirable. Experience in working at sea and other similar roles is also advantageous.
Human Resources and Administration
A Financial Controller manages the finances and oversees the administration of the organisation.
An Administrator Officer / Receptionist provides a variety of administrative tasks including reception duties to ensure administrative, accounts and customer support for all functional departments is maintained to a high level.
Duties may include:
- Collect and review employee time records
- Ensure time records are properly authorised
- Process pays and produce reports
- Maintain filing system for records
- Checking processing of invoices and timely payments
- Supervising Accounts Payable and assisting with any queries or problems
- Update and maintain sundry equipment register
- Relief reception / telephone as required
Relevant work experience in similar roles is desirable. Sound knowledge of accounts payable and payroll processes is essential. Administration Officers must be competent with the suite of Microsoft office products and have good word processing skills.
Processing
Information for Truck Driver coming soon.
Information for Process Supervisor coming soon.
A Leading Hand undertakes processing and freezing duties and supervisors Process Workers. Leading Hands assist with all plant operations, including refrigeration, plate freezing and equipment maintenance.
Qualifications & Experience
Qualifications in plant services and maintenance, refrigerant handling, and factory procedures are desirable. Sound knowledge of supervisory, seafood processing and maintenance roles and responsibilities is required. Relevant work experience in similar roles is preferred. A forklift licence is essential.
A Process Worker conducts a variety of processing operations and shifts product in the factory. Duties include product handling, cleaning and ensuring hygiene procedures are followed. The use of processing equipment and packaging of tuna for transport is also required.
