Canadian Coast Guard (an Agency of Fisheries and Oceans Canada) – Fleet
Selection Process Number: 23-DFO-ACCG-EA-609707
Closing date: January 4, 2026 -23:59, Pacific Time
Job Title: Commanding Officer - Small Vessel Fleet - Marine
Classification: SO-MAO-04 and SO-MAO-06
Tenure: Casual, Deployment, Secondment, Specified Period, Indeterminate
Locations: Various Locations in Atlantic Canada
Rates of pay: SO-MAO-04: $43.50 to $48.58 per hour
SO-MAO-06: $48.64 to $53.89 per hour
Who can apply: Persons residing in Canada and Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents residing abroad.
About the Job:
Your Canadian Coast Guard Adventure Awaits!
Embark on an extraordinary maritime adventure with the Canadian Coast Guard! Join our elite team and embrace a career of courage, resilience, and purpose. As a guardian of Canada's vast coastal waters, you'll experience the thrill of saving lives, protecting our marine ecosystems, and ensuring maritime safety. Unleash your skills and be part of a tight-knit community that fosters personal growth and professional development. Answer the call, and let the Canadian Coast Guard be your gateway to an exhilarating career on the high seas!
Get to know us:
Want a career where you help save lives?
The Canadian Coast Guard offers a sea of careers that few can emulate. We are an organization that offers its employees the chance to save lives, protect Canada’s pristine environment, and travel to areas so remote that your only neighbor is wildlife. In short, we are anything but ordinary!
As an organization, we oversee ships of all types; cutting-edge helicopters; and employ about 4,500 people, who work tirelessly to protect and secure 243,000 kilometers of Canada’s vast and rugged coastline.
The Canadian Coast Guard has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People in 2023! Apply now so you don’t miss the boat!
Who you are:
What you’ll be doing as key activities:
Working with us:
The intent of this selection process is to create an inventory of qualified candidates to be used to staff casual, term and indeterminate opportunities within the Canadian Coast Guard.
Our offer to you:
Benefits of working at the Canadian Coast Guard include:
Canadian Merchant Service Guild.
Essential Qualifications
Various language requirements
English essential
Bilingual Imperative (--B/--B)
Information on language requirements
Certification
■ Possession of Transport Canada Master, 150GT Domestic with Contiguous Waters Endorsement or higher certificate
Competencies
■ Communication Skills
■ Uphold Integrity and Respect
■ Mobilize People
■ Collaborate with Partners and Stakeholders
■ Create Vision and Strategy
■ Promote Change and Innovation
■ Achieve Results
Asset Qualifications
DEPENDING ON THE POSITION BEING STAFFED, ANY OF THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS MAY ALSO BE DEEMED AS AN ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATION AND ONLY CANDIDATES AND PERSONS WITH A PRIORITY ENTITLEMENT WHO POSSESS THOSE QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THAT SPECIFIC VACANCY
Certification
■ Valid Transport Canada Master, 500GT Domestic or higher
■ Successful completion of Simulated Electronic Navigation O (SEN 1A and 1B) training.
■ Successful completion of the Canadian Coast Guard Small Vessel Command Course.
Experience
■ Experience as a Commanding Officer on a Small Fleet Coast Guard vessel involved in one or more of the following operations:
■ Experience on Fishing Vessels.
■ Experience in carrying out the requirements of the ship’s Safety Management System
Conditions of Employment
■ Maintain valid Secret Security Clearance.
■ Maintain valid Health Canada Medical for seagoing personnel.
■ Maintain a valid Certificate of Competency.
■ Requirement to go to sea for prolonged periods of time and in adverse weather conditions.
■ Requirement to wear and maintain a uniform, safety footwear, and personal protective equipment to Canadian Coast Guard standards.
■ Compliance with the Canadian Coast Guard Safety Management System and Standards.
■ Adherence to the Canadian Coast Guard Respiratory Protection Program.
■ Willingness and ability to work overtime as required.
■ Willingness to be deployed within the Atlantic Region.
■ Must be willing and able to travel by air, land or by sea.
■ Valid Canadian Passport (for identified positions). For Canadian Permanent Residents: valid Permanent Resident card.
■ For vessels assigned primarily to Search and Rescue operations, employees must be within 30 minutes response time to the vessel during assigned work period.
Organizational Need
At Fisheries and Oceans Canada, diversity is our strength. In support of achieving a diverse workforce, selection may be limited to candidates who self-declare as a member of one of more of the following Employment Equity groups. If you are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a visible minority, let us know by completing the Employment Equity (EE) section in your application.
Self-declaring. Because you count.
By completing the Employment Equity section in your application, you help create a Public Service that is diverse, inclusive and representative of identities, cultures, perspectives and experiences that make up Canada.
Important Messages
We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you are a person with a disability (e.g. a learning difficulty or a visual or auditory impairment) and require accommodation during any phase of the evaluation process (including the submission of your application), please notify the person listed in the ‘Contact Information’ section below to request an accommodation measure. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Connect with us
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Canadian Coast Guard
Contact information:
Candice Reath, Atlantic Region Project Coordinator - Fleet
We are committed to hiring military and Veteran spouses and encourage you to identify your connection with the MSEN when reaching out to us or applying to any of our open roles.
Have questions or want to learn more about us? We would love to hear from you!
DFO.TalentRecruitment-RecrutementdeTalent.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
We are a federal institution, responsible for safeguarding our waters and managing Canada's fisheries and oceans resources. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) helps to ensure healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystems through habitat protection and sound science.
We support economic growth in the marine and fisheries sectors, and innovation in areas such as aquaculture and biotechnology. We work at the crossroads of science, policy, economics, conservation, environmental protection, enforcement and corporate services.
At DFO, we foster a workplace that is diverse, representative and welcoming. We encourage open dialogue and value accessibility, inclusion, equity and respect for all, and we understand the unique strengths that military spouses bring—resilience, adaptability, and a strong sense of purpose.
DFO offers candidates a variety of different career paths, from office work to field work Canada-wide! Our employees are: o scientists o administrative officers, human resources professionals, finance o professionals, safety & security officers o policy analysts o program managers o oceanographers o fishery officers o engineers o Canadian Coast Guard members at-sea and ashore o and so much more DFO is proud to be recognized as one of Canada's best employers, as Canada's Top Employers for Young People, and one of the National Capital Region's Top Employers. Your journey starts here. Join us today!