Careers
Pilot
The job at a glance
| Where | McKees Rocks, PA · Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny rivers |
|---|---|
| Pay | Call for pay: (412) 628-5087 |
| Hitch | Set by the boat and the run. Call the office for the rotation on the boat you would run. |
| Shift | Watch schedule set by the boat. Call the office. |
| Start date | Always hiring |
What you will do
- Navigate the boat and tow on watch
- Plan tow makeup and barge order for the run
- Work locks and lockages on the three rivers
- Direct the deck crew by radio
- Keep the logs and the required paperwork
- Report equipment problems to the engineer and the office
- Train steersmen and new deckhands on watch
What you need
Required
- At least 18 years old
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Federal law requires it for vessel crew.
- TWIC card in hand, or able to get one before orientation
- Pass a pre-employment drug screen and take part in random testing
- Reliable transportation to crew change
- Merchant Mariner Credential with a towing endorsement: Master of Towing Vessels, Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or Apprentice Mate (Steersman)
- Western Rivers or Inland route on the credential
- Current Medical Certificate
- Current Radar Observer endorsement
Nice to have
- Time on the upper Ohio, Mon, and Allegheny pools
- Experience on tows of six loads or more
- Harbor and fleet experience
- Rose Point or similar electronic charting
- A record of training steersmen
Nothing on this list is required. Apply without it.
Your TWIC
You must be able to obtain a TWIC before orientation. A TWIC is a federal ID card from the TSA. It takes a few weeks to get, so start early if you do not have one.
The physical work
This job is hard on the body. On any day you can expect to do all of this, with or without a reasonable accommodation:
- Climb ladders and stairs between the deck and the wheelhouse
- Stand a full watch
- Work outdoors on deck in all weather when needed
- See and hear well enough to keep a lookout, with correction
If a disability makes part of this hard, tell us and we will look at what can be done. Call (412) 628-5087.
Benefits
- 401(k) with company match
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Life insurance
Before you apply
Drug and alcohol testing
Every safety-sensitive crew member is in a drug and alcohol testing program that meets 46 CFR Part 16. You will take a pre-employment drug screen before you start, you will be enrolled in random testing while you work here, and you may be tested after a serious marine incident or for reasonable cause. Applying means you understand this. You sign the actual consents when the sample is collected.
Equal opportunity
Borghese Lane is an equal-opportunity employer. We hire on ability. We do not make employment decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Citizenship or permanent residency
We ask about citizenship or permanent residency only for jobs on a vessel. Federal law (46 U.S.C. 8103) requires licensed officers on U.S.-flag vessels to be U.S. citizens, and other crew to be citizens or lawful permanent residents.