Ship Maintenance Lead
at Thales Canada Inc., Defence and Security

Job Description

Location: Halifax - Wilkinson, Canada

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

Ship Maintenance Lead

Halifax, N.S. – Onsite

Position Summary

Thales is looking for a Ship Maintenance Lead (SML) to oversee the planning, execution, and closeout activities for each vessel Short Work Period or Docking Work Period. As the Work Package Manager, you will be responsible for managing the integrated schedule and worksite during structured work periods, while coordinating internal and external teams, including customers, contractors (TSNs), and strategic partners, throughout all phases of the work period to ensure successful execution and completion of maintenance activities.

In this position, you will also be responsible for directing, monitoring, and managing all work period activities through completion, while preparing and delivering regular reports on schedule progress, costs, and risks. Acting as the Ship Maintenance Lead, you will ensure that all work executed during each work period adheres to established worksite safety plans and procedures.

Regulatory Compliance Requirements

This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List, the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, the Canadian Industrial Security Program, the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access including eligibility to the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and able to obtain a Canadian NATO Secret clearance.

This position also requires the COVID-19 vaccination.  All successful candidates for this role will be required to submit proof of vaccination or submit a request for a vaccine exemption within 60 days of their start date.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Lead work period project planning activities, including preparation, organization, and validation, to ensure a successful transition from planning through project launch. Execute, monitor, and control projects through completion, managing scheduled maintenance activities, ad-hoc tasking, and on-site technical support during Short Work Periods and Docking Work Periods.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for stakeholders regarding ship maintenance execution. Coordinate pre-maintenance activities, including subcontractor kickoff meetings, purchase requisitions, and purchase orders. Oversee maintenance execution to achieve platform material readiness objectives, manage the investigation and rectification of Operational Defects (OPDEF) within agreed timelines, and provide whole-ship project management support to the Halifax Waterfront Manager to meet availability standards and Full Mission Capability requirements under the ISS Contract.
• Monitor and report maintenance progress daily, weekly, and upon completion, including OPDEF status and contractual reporting requirements. Assess warranty implications and financial claims, verify and certify subcontractor payments, review maintenance systems and support documentation, and oversee the recording, collection, and acceptance of planned and corrective maintenance data and objective quality evidence in Thales data management systems for performance tracking, invoicing, and project closeout.
• Supervise, coach, mentor, and develop Thales personnel, subcontractors, and Service Delivery employees in accordance with organizational policies and delegated responsibilities. Provide direction, support, and effective delegation to achieve project objectives, assist with employee onboarding, and foster teamwork, accountability, productivity, quality, and continuous improvement across the department.
• Coordinate technical assistance and advice to Ship's Staff and Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) personnel, ensuring maintenance-related issues are resolved at the appropriate level and escalated promptly, particularly those affecting operational availability or safety. Participate in departmental meetings, maintain effective communication with stakeholders, update procedures and templates, conduct lessons-learned and internal wash-up meetings, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with AJISS procedures and applicable Health, Safety, and Environmental (HS&E) legislation, policies, and frameworks. Demonstrate HS&E leadership by promoting safe work practices, minimizing risks to personnel and the environment, and reinforcing compliance through effective communication and teamwork. Travel as required to manage on-site ship technical support and deployed maintenance periods and perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5 + years of experience managing projects and teams in Naval environments.
• Possess a minimum 3-Year Technical Program diploma offered by a recognized technical institute or certified as a technologist by a recognized provincial, state, or federal (national) licensing body in a relevant field or certified to the QL-6B level or RQ-PO1 of military technical training.
• Experience in the supervision of teams undertaking maintenance activities.
• Strong computer literacy, with proven experience with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience collaborating with various internal and external project stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to balance multiple priorities.

If you're excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community!

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within or leading In Service Support Projects advantageous.
• Experience working within a defence environment with active defence force personnel is desirable.
• Experience within procurement, project management or warehouse environments desirable.
• Experience with the Defense Resource Management Information System (DRMIS), or comparable document management system is advantageous.
• Accreditation as a Certified Practicing Project Manager or equivalent is advantageous.

Special Position Requirements

• Schedule: Core business hours are Monday through Friday, with flexibility in working hours required to accommodate occasional after-hours work as business needs arise.
• Physical Environment: This position is primarily onsite in an office or onboard Naval ships alongside in harbor, or at sea, therefore must meet all federal government requirements to access Canadian government facilities, including naval dockyards.
• Physical Demands: Predominantly working onsite in the Naval Dockyard and onboard Naval Vessels, will also be required to work from the office or from home. Will be required to undertake inspections, including confined space entry, on Naval ships involving bending and twisting. Tasks may also require working at heights.  Must meet all federal government requirements to access Canadian government facilities, including naval dockyards.
• Travel: Occasional domestic travel may be required.

 

What We Offer

The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between Total Target Cash (TTC) $80,000 – 100,000 CAD Annual.

 

This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee's career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company's annual salary budget, the customer's program requirements, and the company's internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant's status protected by local, state, or federal law.

 

AI

We use artificial intelligence–enabled tools as part of our recruitment process to support activities such as candidate discovery, résumé matching, and interview scheduling. These tools may help screen and assess applications and recommend potential matches based on the requirements within the job description.  All hiring decisions, including candidate evaluation, selection, and disposition, are made by human recruiters. Artificial intelligence does not make hiring decisions on our behalf.

 

Why Join Us?

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Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 24 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following: 

• Company paid Extended Health, Dental, HSA, Life, AD&D, Short-term Disability, Cancer Care Program, travel insurance, Employee Assistance Plan and Well-Being program.

• Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP, DCPP, TFSA) with a company contribution and a match to a DCPP, with no vesting period.

• Company paid holidays, vacation days, and paid sick leave. 

• Voluntary Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Long-Term Disability.

• Employee Discounts on home, auto, and gym membership.

Thales is an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Thales is committed to providing accommodations in all parts of the interview process. Applicants selected for an interview who require accommodation are asked to advise accordingly upon the invitation for an interview. We will work with you to meet your needs. All accommodation information provided will be treated as confidential and used only for the purpose of providing an accessible candidate experience.

This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List, the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, the Canadian Industrial Security Program, the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access including eligibility to the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and able to obtain a Canadian NATO Secret clearance.