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Espaço Talassa has been running whale watching trips in Lajes do Pico, Pico Island, Azores, since 1989: more than 35 years of cetaceans, research and responsible tourism. We’re a team of many nationalities, looking for people who love the sea and respect it.
About the Place
In Lajes do Pico, the last whalers were the first to take people out to see whales, and Espaço Talassa grew out of that story. Whale watching here isn’t a tourist product bolted onto a pretty coastline: it’s how the village stays connected to the sea since hunting ended in 1984.
No two days at sea are the same. One day it’s a sperm whale breathing next to the boat; the next, a whole morning of waiting and a swell that wasn’t in the forecast. Working here means living both. To get an idea, follow us on Instagram: @espacotalassa.
Why Work With Us
Open Position
What you’ll do
- Go out on the morning and afternoon trips and talk to guests on board: the species, their behaviour, what we are seeing
- Log the sightings of every trip
- Help the skipper: get the boat ready, moor it, help guests on and off safely
- Keep the boats and gear clean and in good order
- If you have an interesting topic, you can also give talks (paid extra)
What we’re looking for
- Fluent German is required: you’ll be the voice on board for our German-speaking guests
- Good English
- No biology degree needed: a real interest in whales and dolphins, and the will to learn
- Experience at sea or as a guide is preferred; if not, plenty of motivation
- A boating licence is required: Marinheiro or higher
- Friendly, polite and happy talking with people
Schedule
What we offer
- Contract from 1 April to 30 September 2027
- Sales commissions, which make a real difference over the season
- Extra pay for extra trips
- Lunch on every working day
- Accommodation if you’re coming from off-island
- Discounts on our products, and free trips to sea like any guest
Applications until 31 January 2027; we start going through them in February. Apply with the form at the bottom of the page, or send your CV to espacotalassa@espacotalassa.com with the subject “Second Skipper German 2027”.
Apply for this positionWhat you’ll do
- Go out on the morning and afternoon trips and talk to guests on board: the species, their behaviour, what we are seeing
- Help the skipper: get the boat ready, moor it, help guests on and off safely
- Keep the boats, gear and sea operations spaces clean and in good order
What we’re looking for
- English is required
- Any other language counts in your favour, especially Italian or Spanish
- General knowledge of whales and dolphins, and a real wish to talk with guests
- Experience at sea is preferred; if not, plenty of motivation
- A boating licence is required: Marinheiro or higher
- Friendly and polite: summer is our busiest season and guests come first
Schedule
What we offer
- Contract from 1 July to 31 August 2027
- Sales commissions, which make a real difference over the season
- Extra pay for extra trips
- Lunch on every working day
- Accommodation if you’re coming from off-island
- Discounts on our products, and free trips to sea like any guest
Applications until 31 January 2027; we start going through them in February. Apply with the form at the bottom of the page, or send your CV to espacotalassa@espacotalassa.com with the subject “Second Skipper Summer 2027”.
Apply for this positionWhat you’ll do
- Skipper our boats on the morning and afternoon whale watching trips
- Get the boats ready before each trip and secure them after, with guests’ safety always first
- Keep the boats, gear and sea operations spaces clean and in good order
- Welcome guests on board and help them on and off the boat safely
- Everything else that comes with being a skipper here, from the harbour to the open sea
What we’re looking for
- A maritime certificate that allows you to skipper our boats in this activity (Patrão Local or higher)
- English is required for dealing with guests on board (the guides do most of the talking)
- Portuguese is a plus, and any other language counts in your favour; our guests come from all over the world
- Experience with RIBs (semi-rigid boats) is appreciated
Schedule
What we offer
- Contract from 1 July to 31 August 2027
- Sales commissions, which make a real difference over the season
- Extra pay for extra trips
- Lunch on every working day
- Accommodation if you’re coming from off-island
- Discounts on our products, and free trips to sea like any guest
Applications until 31 January 2027; we start going through them in February. Apply with the form at the bottom of the page, or send your CV to espacotalassa@espacotalassa.com with the subject “Skipper 2027”.
Apply for this positionSpontaneous Applications
Don’t see the right opening? Send us your CV anyway. We’ll keep it and think of you when something comes up.
Internships
We welcome students for internships through programmes such as Eurodysseia, Erasmus+ or L/T traineeships, in marine biology, nature tourism, hotel and catering, multimedia and communications. Duration is flexible. You’ll do real work, not just photocopies, and you may stay on afterwards. A full scholarship is available for selected candidates.
Recruitment Policy
Employment is governed by Portuguese labour law, with salaries adjusted according to each candidate’s experience. Priority is given to Azorean applicants whenever possible. Non-residents are provided with accommodation on Pico Island. English is required for all customer-facing roles — our visitors come from all over the world and English is the primary language of our operation. Portuguese is spoken internally but is not a requirement to apply.
Send us your CV; that’s all we need to get started. A short letter telling us why is optional, but we like reading them. We reply within a few days.