Dock Operations Manager Jobs in Rhode Island (NOW HIRING)

At REGENT, we’re on a mission to revolutionize regional transportation between coastal cities. We're not just building vehicles, we're creating a new category of transportation: the Seaglider. These groundbreaking wing-in-ground-effect craft travel just above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an airplane with the low operating costs of a boat. Capable of 180 miles at 180 mph on today's battery tech (and up to 400 miles with next-gen batteries), Seagliders will unlock fast, affordable, and sustainable coastal transit for passengers and cargo - connecting cities, islands, and communities like never before.

Backed by leading investors and powered by a team of passionate, forward-thinking engineers, builders, and operators, we’re now scaling from a breakthrough prototype to full production - and building the team to make it happen.

As Maritime Operations Manager, you will lead and grow REGENT's Shore Operations Team – responsible for Seaglider test support, vessel and equipment operations, crane and lift operations, and on-water safety. This is a build role: establish training programs, build the internal capability to safely and efficiently execute Seaglider testing.

You will be the leader of maritime operations — from pre-test coordination through execution, to sustaining a world-class operations organization. Before each test event, you'll drive the planning, readiness reviews, and cross-functional alignment that set the team up to succeed. On test days, you'll be the operational authority on site — integrating with Test Ops, Engineering, and Program Management in real time, commanding launches and recoveries, and making go/no-go calls. Beyond individual test events, you'll own the longer arc: building the team, establishing the training and certification infrastructure, and scaling Shore Operations into a function that can support higher-frequency testing, remote demonstrations, and the full lifecycle of REGENT's Seaglider program.

If you're energized by building and leading a high-performing operations team in a fast-moving, high-consequence test environment, we'd be thrilled to have you on ours.

• Lead Day-of-Test Operations: Serve as the operational lead on test days — coordinating Seaglider launches and recoveries, chase boats, crane/lift operations, and on-water safety. Make and own go/no-go decisions. Integrate in real time with Test Ops, Engineering, and Program Management to enable safe, efficient test execution. When you aren’t present, have trained capable individuals to lead operationally.

• Own On-Water Safety: Design, maintain, and drill the team on emergency action plans and on-water safety procedures. Build a proactive safety culture that holds regardless of schedule pressure, and that the team can execute without you in the room.

• Build and Develop the Team: Hire, onboard, and develop a Shore Operations team. Establish the training and certification pipeline — vessel operations, crane/lift, emergency response, and Seaglider-specific procedures. Set a high performance bar and hold it.

• Manage the Maritime Fleet: Own the day-to-day readiness of REGENT's support vessel fleet and dock equipment — maintenance schedules, vendor and marina relationships, safety equipment, and test-day logistics. Keep the fleet mission-ready.

• Scale Shore Operations: Build the processes, documentation, and team depth that allow Shore Ops to support remote demonstrations, higher-frequency testing, and product qualification.

• Operational Leadership Experience: Experienced in leading marine operations teams in high-stakes, high-tempo environments — vehicle test programs, military small craft, flight test, or similar programs where you were the person running operations, not just supporting them.

• Team Building Track Record: Led hiring and developing hands-on technical or operations personnel. Has built training and certification programs, established accountability structures, and held a high performance bar across a growing team.

• Hands-On Technical Depth: Experience operating chase/support vessels around high-value, fragile assets. Experience as a rigger, signal person, or crane operator — can lead a lift and set the standard for the team.

• Safety Plan Ownership: Has designed emergency action plans, run safety tabletops, and built a proactive safety culture on an operational team — not just follow existing procedures.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Can translate between operational constraints and engineering or program requirements. Recognizes risks early and gives clear, honest status to stakeholders across the organization.

• Collaborative Team Player: You believe that great things happen when teams work together. You communicate effectively and collaborate with engineers, stakeholders, and other cross-functional teams to align on goals and move projects forward. You bring people together, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and moving towards a shared vision.

• Creative Problem Solver: You thrive on tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions. You don't just patch issues - you improve processes, anticipate downstream impacts, and help turn one-off fixes into scalable solutions that raise the bar for future builds.

• Adaptable & Agile: In a fast-paced, ever-evolving startup environment, you quickly adapt to changing priorities and requirements. You approach challenges with a calm, resilient mindset, and know how to pivot and adjust your approach as needed, ensuring that progress continues without missing a beat.

• Innovative Mindset: You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You’re passionate about driving continuous improvement, embracing new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance.

• Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance - we cover 100% of your premiums.

• 401(k) with company matching, so you can plan for the future.

• Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks.

• Relocation packages available for those moving to join our team.

• Daily, free catered lunches

• Learning & professional development opportunities

If you’re ready to take on an exciting challenge, grow with us, and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, but you see yourself contributing to our mission, we encourage you to apply! We value diverse skillsets and experiences and believe in the potential of passionate individuals to make a big impact.

Equal Opportunity Employer

REGENT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.