River Operations Manager

Join The Ocean Cleanup’s Mission

MISSION TO METRICS

The mission of The Ocean Cleanup is to develop advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. One part of the solution is to design, develop, and deploy river plastic interceptor systems to stop plastic from reaching our oceans. With the 30 Cities Program, The Ocean Cleanup will transition from single river deployments to citywide solutions, tackling the main plastic emitting waterways within each selected city.

"Operations focus on maximizing the river cleanup by effectively aligning technology, local infrastructure, resources, and operational costs to achieve the highest impact in a safe and efficient manner." — Onno van de Sande, Rivers Operations Director.

ASSIGNMENT

As our Senior River Operations Manager, you will lead the installation, operational optimization, and scaling of our Interceptor solutions. We are looking for an operations manager with a connection to water bodies who wants to take on the challenge of bringing operational excellence to a still-new territory. This is not just a job; it’s a hands-on battle against one of the planet’s greatest environmental crises.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and lead the installation and commissioning of our Interceptor systems in rivers worldwide, turning blueprints into real-world impact. This will include travel to our sites and partnering with local teams. Installation plans involve heavy machinery and marine logistics; ensuring safety and environmental protocols are held to our standards.
• Craft detailed designs of the actual operations of catching and transporting plastic waste, covering everything from logistics to local operator training.
• Be the critical link between our engineers, local partners and global teams - making sure everyone is aligned for success.
• Continuously analyze system performance to develop smarter, safer and more efficient ways to maximise catch.
• Develop accurate cost models that help us maximize our environmental return on investment.
• Perfect the handoff process to local operators, ensuring long-term success beyond our initial deployment.
• Turn field insights into actionable strategies that help scale our operations to hundreds of rivers.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS 

“Even if you don’t meet every professional qualification listed, we strongly encourage you to apply if you believe you have the right skills, experience, and motivation to contribute to our mission. We recognize that talent and potential come in many forms, and we value diverse perspectives and unconventional career paths. If you’re passionate about the work we do and confident in your ability to make an impact, don’t hesitate to submit your application—we’d love to hear from you.”

• A relevant technical bachelor’s or master’s degree (for example, in naval engineering, mechanical engineering, or civil engineering). While possessing a degree or higher-level qualification is advantageous, our primary focus is on individuals with strong intellectual capacity and quick thinking.
• Around 7-12 years of relevant field work experience in an operational role in the maritime world or river civil works. Such as: Marine/dewatering equipment, Heavy machinery installations, River/civil engineering projects and/or barge operations.
• Managed deployments in developing regions (Asia/Latin America/Africa).
• Experience with subcontracting, outsourcing, or collaborating with external partners.
• Experience with repair & maintenance or asset management is preferred.
• Fluent in English. Knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese, or Bahasa is a plus.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS 

• Hands-on; yes, we can attitude.
• An intrinsic motivation to work on our ambitious and meaningful mission.
• Willing to travel.
• Practical way of working with good foresight.
• Excellent communication and social skills, including a strong multicultural cultural awareness and ability to communicate on all levels (operational to political).

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

• Work permit: A valid European Union work permit is mandatory for this position (the role is based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands).
• Starting date: January 2025.
• Conducting a pre-employment check may be part of our recruitment process.