Eco-Vessel Crew & Marine Reserve Guide

Responsibilities

• Operate small vessel transfers between eco-resort properties along the Tulum beach road: the coastline's limited road access means that marine transport is used for goods and guests between some properties — safe small-vessel operation in coastal conditions is the core skill
• Crew marine reserve snorkeling tours from Tulum's beach launch points: prepare the vessel, manage guest boarding, navigate to the snorkel site within the Tulum Marine Reserve, and assist guests with water entry and exit
• Apply SEMARNAT marine reserve protocols: approved approach routes to the reef, reef-safe snorkel gear provision, zero-touch standards, approved anchorage positions that don't damage the reef, and waste management during all marine operations
• Maintain the eco-resort's small vessel fleet: hull and motor inspection, fuel management, safety equipment inspection, and coordination with marine mechanics for servicing
• Conduct morning weather and sea condition assessment: the Tulum coast can experience unexpected swell from tropical systems — the crew member assesses conditions before each departure and communicates clearly with the property if conditions are not safe for guest operations
• Manage guest equipment and boarding for snorkeling tours: reef-safe snorkel gear provision, basic snorkeling instruction for first-timers, and in-water safety observation during tours

Requirements

• Small vessel operator experience; SEMAR recreational boat certification
• SEMARNAT marine reserve protocol knowledge
• Strong swimmer; lifeguard or rescue swimmer certification preferred
• Ecological product knowledge of Tulum's marine reserve reef ecosystem
• English fluency for international eco-resort guest demographic

Benefits

• IMSS, aguinaldo, paid vacation + premium
• Housing support in Tulum
• Fixed monthly + eco-tour tip income
• Daily coastal and reef access
• Career development in Tulum's growing eco-marine tourism sector

Work environment

Small eco-vessel operations along the Tulum coast and in the Tulum Marine Reserve. Artisanal-scale marine operations in an ecological protection zone with daily guest snorkeling tours.

About the role

The Tulum marine crew who launches at dawn to move supplies between properties — when the Caribbean is completely flat, the morning light on the water, the ruins visible on the cliff to the north — before returning for the morning snorkel tour departure — is working in one of the most visually extraordinary maritime environments in Mexico at a scale and pace that allows the environment to actually be noticed. That's unusual in a marine crew career, and it's specific to Tulum.