Keeping the S.S. JEREMIAH O'BRIEN running is about as labor intensive
as anyone can imagine. It requires experienced maritime officers
and ordinary sailers, deck hands and cooks, machinists and
medics, and just about any job you would expect to find on
any ship. This is, after all, a running ship capable of carrying
passengers.
Not only is the visitor to this living memorial
intellectually
satisfied, but he or she can feel, in a small way, the
physical and emotional sensation of what it must have been
like to
sail on a liberty ship. But the need is for more than volunteers
with maritime skills. We need administrators, public relations
experts, folks with
office skills, fundraisers, teachers, historians, people
to staff our ship's store -- in other words, anyone who
is willing to volunteer the hours and has a willingness to
work.
JOIN THE CREW AND MAIL IT IN (print
out a form)
**ONLINE APPLICATION NOW AVAILABLE**
CALL US (415) 544-0100 with your questions.
DECK
The Deck Department
is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the cargo
gear, maintenance of the ship's structures, ship handling while
underway and general seamanship. If you have experience or a
desire and talent for learning this, we need you. The
ship has a training program for volunteers seeking to become
able-bodied seaman.
DOCENTS
Members of this department take the money
for admittance to the ship, explain the ship to passersby on
the pier and maintain a watch for pier-side safety. Aboard
the ship, docents lead visitors and school groups in tours,
watch for and modify inappropriate and unsafe visitor behavior
and provide safety and security to the ship. They also give
detailed explanations of the history and use of Liberty Ships
and information about cruises and upcoming events on the ship.
Docents are needed every hour of every day that the ship is
open to the public. On cruises docents do safety and security
assignments and assist with crowd control, boarding and disembarking.
Experience in this department may provide an entry for admittance
and training in other departments.
ENGINE
We
need volunteers for the engine department. It would be good
for applicants to this department to have maritime experience,marine
engine experience and licenses, SCTW qualifications or possess
mechanical, machinery or plumbing skills that the ship needs.
But talk to us, whatever your experience. The ship has a training
program by which candidates may qualify for a license limited
to the SS Jeremiah O’Brien.
GUNS
Members of this department maintain the guns and gun mounts aboard the ship.
Members of this department do work aboard the ship on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
OFFICE
The shore-side office of the National Liberty Ship Memorial provides the administrative
support for the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. Clerical and computer skills are needed here as
well as the ability to deal with the public in a professional manner. Prior experience
working with volunteer organizations, non-profits and fund-raising is a plus. During the
ship’s cruises some members of the office assist with some on-board duties.
STEWARDS
This department prepares the meals for members
of the crew and serves the continental breakfast during cruises.
Also, this department is responsible for the cleanliness of
dining areas and toilet facilities.
STORE
Members
of the ship’s store sell, stock and
take mail orders for merchandise of the SS Jeremiah O’Brien’s
ship store.
