Communications / Radio Officer
The Communications or Radio Officer keeps a large yacht talking to the outside world. That means satellite internet, GMDSS and VHF radio, phones, crew Wi-Fi and the network that ties it all together. It is a specialist job found mostly on yachts over 80m. Guests judge the boat on whether their video call drops, so the job gets noticed far more often than people expect.
The jobWhat fills the day
The work covers every link between the yacht and the shore. You look after VSAT domes, Starlink terminals, 4G and 5G routers and the bandwidth management that shares them out. You also maintain the GMDSS station, MF/HF and VHF sets, EPIRBs, SARTs and the Inmarsat backup. On top of that sit the phone system, crew and guest Wi-Fi, firewalls and the cyber security records that flag states and insurers now expect to see.
With guests aboard, the job is about keeping things running. Owners stream, trade and hold board meetings from the sundeck, and security teams want reliable links. You watch traffic, change satellite beams before the yacht moves out of coverage, and fix problems quietly. In the yard or over the winter you do the bigger work. You upgrade firmware, recable racks, renew licences, carry out the annual radio survey and test the backups. Below about 80m this job is folded into the ETO or AV/IT role.
Most people hired come from merchant navy radio or ETO backgrounds, telecoms companies, or IT network jobs ashore. Captains want someone holding a GMDSS General Operator's Certificate who also knows a router from a modem at the command line. Proven work on Intellian, Cobham Sailor or KVH kit counts for a lot. So does a calm manner, because you will be explaining dropped calls to principals and their staff.
Progress usually runs sideways into the wider AV/IT officer job, then on to ETO once you add the electrical side and an ETO Certificate of Competency. Some move ashore to satellite airtime providers or yacht IT integrators in Antibes, Palma and Fort Lauderdale. Others join management companies as fleet IT and cyber leads. Your pay keeps rising for as long as you keep your network and security certifications up to date.
Skills captains look for
- GMDSS radio operation
- VSAT and Starlink management
- Network and firewall setup
- Maritime cyber security
- VoIP and phone systems
- Bandwidth and airtime budgeting
- Discreet guest support
A day aboardGuest trip, 95m motor yacht, Maldives
Check overnight logs on the satellite modems and firewall. Confirm the VSAT is locked on and Starlink is carrying the guest network.
Brief the bridge on the beam switch due once the yacht heads south of Malé, and agree when the dome can be briefly masked.
Sort out a guest laptop that will not join the secure VLAN, working through the chief stew so you do not disturb anyone in the cabins.
Lunch in the crew mess and a short rest in the cabin.
Test the GMDSS station each week. Check the DSC, battery backup and NAVTEX, then sign off the radio log.
Bring the tender radios and handheld VHFs up to date before the beach set-up, and check the tenders' satellite tracker.
Dinner and a workout in the crew gym while the principal's evening call runs on the reserved bandwidth.
Watch traffic during the guests' film night. Throttle crew streaming and log the day's airtime against the monthly budget.
Check the alerts one last time, hand the on-call phone to the ETO and finish for the night.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Rotational posts on 100m+ yachts often pay full salary on a 2:2 or 10:10 week rotation. Charter tips are shared out among all crew, but private yachts may give an annual bonus in place of tips. See the ETO & AV/IT salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- GMDSS General Operator's Certificate (GOC)
- PDSD or Ship Security Awareness
Gets you hired
- Cisco CCNA or CompTIA Network+
- Maritime cyber security course
- Vendor training (Intellian, Cobham Sailor, KVH)
- ETO Certificate of Competency
- Crestron or AV integration certification
Visas
- Schengen right to work or visa
- US C1/D crew visa
- Passport valid for worldwide travel
Where it leadsA typical career path
ETO & AV/IT jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do small yachts hire dedicated radio officers?
Rarely. Under about 80m the ETO, AV/IT officer or the bridge team covers communications. Most dedicated posts are on 90m+ yachts with heavy guest and security demands.
Is a GMDSS certificate enough to get hired?
It gets you past the ticket check. Captains also want proven network skills, whether you got them in IT, telecoms or a previous technical role. Experience with satellite kit is what usually decides between two candidates.
Can I move from shore IT into this job?
Yes. It is one of the more common routes in. Do your STCW, ENG1 and GMDSS GOC first, then apply to yachts and to the integrators that fit them out in Antibes or Palma.
How does this differ from an AV/IT officer?
This job centres on outside links, radio and network security. An AV/IT officer also handles cinemas, audio, lighting control and guest entertainment. On many yachts the two jobs merge, so having both skill sets widens your options.