Alaskan Seafood Jobs And Career Opportunities With PPLP
Be Part of the Alaskan Seafood Processing Industry
Current Job Openings
Taking a job on a boat in Alaska can be a big decision! We want our crew members to know what they are getting themselves into before they make the decision to come and work with us. We know it’s difficult leaving your family and friends behind, so we will do everything in our power to make you feel comfortable on the boat. The more informed you are about what to expect, the easier the transition to life at sea will be for you and your family.
Alaska is all about adventure, but it can be physically and mentally difficult living on a boat full time. Housing and meals are provided for all crew members on board. We do our best to keep crew members healthy and strong by having plenty of food for you to choose from. Laundry is done for you once a week and there is some onboard Wi-Fi availability. You can get mail every time you’re in town, so remind your loved ones to send you a note or a care package!
We want our crew members to feel at home when they are with us. The seafood industry is a challenging career, but if you stick it out for at least one contract, you will have some amazing experiences that may change your life forever.
We are lucky to have a great crew that is experienced in their trade and always willing to help the newer crew members when they need it most. Our crew are some of the best in the business, so you will have an excellent mentor aboard our ships whenever you work with us at PPLP.
We want everyone on our vessels to feel like they are part of a team and we don’t treat anyone differently because of their race, gender, or anything else. If you work hard, cooperate with your team, and have a positive attitude, you will earn the respect of your supervisors and teammates and will be a success. It’s about showing us—not telling us— how great a worker you are.
Teamwork and punctuality are extremely important when working at sea and we expect each and every one of our crew members to be on time when they report for duty.
Joining the PPLP team has many benefits. You’ll make steady pay with guaranteed overtime, and off-season time allows for extended family visits or travel; and full-time processors are eligible for a 401(k) with matching, health, dental, and vision insurance.
Good luck, and welcome aboard!
Alaska Fish Processing Jobs Pay Competitive Salaries
In order to leave your home and venture out onto the open ocean, you want to know that you’ll make good money! Alaska fish processing jobs pay competitive salaries and offer lots of opportunities for promotions and growth. The Alaska seafood industry is a place where you can work hard, gain new skills, and build a career to be proud of.
How Much Does a Seafood Processor Make In Alaska?
Here at Phoenix Processor LP, we pay our seafood processors an hourly rate and a production bonus. Your pay can vary slightly from season to season based on the amount of fish caught and the products produced, but starting processors can expect to make approximately $3,500 – $5,000 per month. Our blended pay system means that you get regular, reliable paychecks twice a month, and you also get a bonus based on the value of the catch.
Find Alaska Seafood Processing Jobs That Are Right For You
The Alaskan seafood industry is large and diverse, with many different types of processing jobs. PPLP owns and operates the M/V Excellence, which processes and freezes fish at sea.
Seafood processing jobs are physically and mentally demanding. Not only are you working a hard physical job that will make your body sore until you are conditioned, but you are doing it on a boat that is always moving! Mentally you must be prepared to be away from friends and family for a few months at a time and to live and work with a large, diverse crew of people on board the vessel – people who will quickly become your friends and at-sea family.
PPLP is currently seeking multiple open positions for people who enjoy working with their hands and handling machinery. The Alaskan processing industry is looking for employees from all walks of life, from heavy equipment operators to engineers. If you love being active, working with your hands and are seeking a physically demanding job, then maybe working on a boat is for you!
There are also differences in fishing seasons. Are you looking for a seasonal job, or a year-round seafood job in Alaska? Here at PPLP, our vessels fish in 2 distinct fisheries: pollock in Alaska and Pacific whiting (aka hake) off the Oregon and Washington coast. This creates 4 seasons throughout the year, with our shortest seasons lasting about 30 days and our longer seasons lasting 3-4 months. You choose which seasons you want to work throughout the year!
Pollock fisheries:
Seasons for pollock fishing usually fall during the months of January-April, and June-September. These are peak seasons in Alaska. You’ll get to experience the beautiful Alaskan summer and a true Alaskan winter.
Pacific Whiting (hake) fisheries:
Pacific whiting fishing usually occurs during the spring and fall in the months of May-June and October-November. Hake is fished in the waters off the coast of Washington and Oregon. If the boat’s headed in the right direction, sometimes you’ll even get a cell signal on board!
It’s best to think about when you want to work and choose the fishing seasons that fit your schedule. So make sure you understand when each type of season will be running when you apply or are hired on to a vessel! You will have to pick your dates accordingly. Admittedly, this is not an easy decision. We do our best to keep new crew members informed of the seasons so they can make an informed decision. We ensure all candidates know what they are getting into before they start working with us, especially new crew members.
If you’re still reading and you’re thinking, “Wow, I’d love to work aboard a PPLP vessel!”, then we’ve got news for you: we are actively recruiting for our upcoming seasons, and we just might have the job for you!
What Are the Qualifications To Be a Seafood Processor?
Seafood processing jobs at sea require a strong body, a strong mentality, and a strong work ethic. You do not need to have a degree or any specialized training – you will be trained on the job! Successful processors often have recent experience in fields such as construction, roofing, landscaping, farming/agriculture, oil fields, food production, and manufacturing positions. Processors must be able to stand for long periods of time as well as lift, push, pull, and move pans full of fish up to 50 pounds, and be flexible enough to twist, duck, climb, and kneel in order to navigate the factory and the vessel. Another quality that the most successful processors have is a positive attitude.
The first step to becoming a successful processor is to find an opportunity that fits your schedule and fill out an application. Applications can be filled out online after which candidates will go through a Zoom orientation and a one-on-one interview with one of our recruiters. Recruiters then select from the pool of applicants those who best meet the needs based on fit with work schedule, willingness to travel, and prior work experience. Most processors are offered a verbal commitment after passing a background check and drug test (despite being legal in many states, THC remains a banned substance and will result in a failed test). Once you arrive in Seattle and your contract has been signed it will be time for you to start your adventure!
Once aboard the vessel, processors will be trained in different roles in the factory. The vessel’s experienced crew will be there to train processors in proper safety protocol as well as day-to-day tasks. You may stay in one position to master it, or you may be trained in many different positions during your contract
While there is no exact science to choosing an industry, location, or job title – if you meet these three qualifications: strong body, strong mentality, and a good work ethic – you are ready to apply!
What Do Seafood Processors Do?
Seafood processors work in the factory onboard our vessels turning freshly caught fish into frozen products that will be sold to be made into things like fish sticks, imitation crab, and fish sandwiches. There’s a lot of work that goes into the frozen product, and processors do it all. Do you like challenging yourself to get things “just right”? Machine drivers have to make sure each fish is quickly and correctly aligned to go into the precision machinery used to remove the head, gut, fillet, and skin of the fish. Do you have an eye for detail? Candlers pick out fillets with even the tiniest imperfections. Processors also weigh and package the products, load and unload the plate freezers and stack the boxes safely in the freezer hold. When the boat returns to the dock, all processors help to offload the product.
What Is It Like Being A Seafood Processor?
As part of the crew, you will live and work onboard the vessel for the duration of your contract. Staterooms and bathroom facilities are shared, so you will have roommates. You’ll eat your meals in the mess hall with the other crew members on your shift. The rest of the crew might start off as strangers at first, but by the end of a contract or two, they are more like a second family.
One of the difficult things about working seafood jobs in Alaska is having to leave your friends and family back home while you work on the boat. We do provide Wi-Fi access for crew members on our boats to make it easier to keep in touch with loved ones back home. Internet access at sea is via satellite, has a daily cap, and cannot support high-bandwidth uses such as streaming videos, but it is usually good enough to make calls, send chats or emails, or keep your up with social media feed.