Heavy Lift Manager

Built on Experience. Built for Skill. Built for You.

Keel was formed by bringing together three industry leaders combining generations of hands-on expertise in steel fabrication, shipbuilding, aerospace, and defense manufacturing.

That means when you join Keel, you’re joining a team backed by decades of proven craftsmanship and real-world results.

We build ships, defense systems, aerospace components, and heavy steel structures that serve critical missions — and we do it with pride.

Your Mission:

The Heavy Lift Manager is responsible for supervising and coordinating all heavy lift, rigging, crane, and drydocking operations across government ship repair, DOD, and commercial fabrication projects. This role ensures the safe, efficient, and timely execution of heavy lifts, rotations, transfers, dockings, undockings, and barge load-outs for waterfront transport. The Heavy Lift Manager works closely with riggers, signalmen, crane operators, drydock personnel, and safety teams to maintain compliance with NAVSEA, OSHA, and ASME standards.

Explore the Depth of the Role:

Crew Leadership & Oversight

• Supervise crews including riggers, crane operators, heavy equipment operators, and drydock personnel.
• Assign personnel to tasks, approve rigging and docking methods, and ensure all team members are properly trained and certified.
• Promote safety culture by reinforcing teamwork, accountability, and adherence to protocols.
• Direct operations including crane activities, rigging methods, lift planning, drydock sequencing, and barge load-outs.

Safety & Compliance

• Enforce strict safety protocols and oversee job hazard analyses (JHAs).
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, NAVSEA, ASME B30 standards, load charts, engineered lift plans, and critical lift packages.
• Investigate incidents or near misses, implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Collaborate with safety teams, engineers, and project managers to align safety with project schedules.

Technical & Planning Responsibilities

• Review drawings, vessel plans, and lift/docking strategies for modular construction, large assemblies, and marine movements.
• Approve engineered lift plans and coordinate critical lift packages.
• Plan heavy lifts including lifting, flipping, docking, undocking, and setting large fabricated structures and vessels.
• Coordinate vessel scheduling, dock occupancy, hull stability, and barge loading to minimize project delays.

Equipment & Documentation

• Maintain certifications, inspections, and documentation for cranes, rigging equipment, and drydock systems.
• Oversee preventative maintenance activities to ensure reliability and readiness.
• Ensure inspections are completed and documented for all lifting and docking equipment.

Project & Operational Management

• Manage heavy lift and drydock activities across government and commercial projects.
• Direct barge load-outs for fabricated products requiring waterfront transport.
• Support project schedules by coordinating with engineering and project management teams.
• All other duties as assigned.