The Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild (PSPG) provides educational and community-building programs that connect communities with maritime heritage through the stewardship of historic ships. This includes the barkentine Gazela Primeiro, the tugboat Jupiter, and the barge Poplar, which serve as living, interactive museums and classrooms along the Delaware River waterfront, offering immersive learning experiences that inspire interest in maritime trades and the STEM fields.

For over fifty years PSPG has provided hands-on skills training for volunteers to lead ongoing ship maintenance and restoration projects. Building on this tradition, the Guild facilitates a portfolio of education and training programs designed to provide hands-on learning, create on-ramps to meaningful careers, and inspire the next generation of maritime enthusiasts. Primary activities include high school internships, pre-apprenticeship trades training, youth field trips and drop-in programming, workshops and classes, and community engagement events.

Position Overview

The Program and Education Manager plays a central role in bringing the Guild’s mission to life through hands-on programming aboard our historic vessels. Working alongside the Vessel Manager, crew volunteers, and staff, this position plans and delivers a wide range of educational and community-focused programs.

This role serves as both educator and community liaison, building meaningful partnerships with schools, youth organizations, and community groups to expand access to our historic vessels and enriching programs. This position requires equal comfort on the dock, on deck, and in the community, connecting people of all backgrounds to maritime spaces through engaging, inclusive programming.

PSPG encourages candidates from all backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels to apply – experience on the water is a plus but not required. We value unique perspectives and are dedicated to supporting our staff’s professional development and individual career journeys. We look forward to seeing what you can bring to our team.

This position begins as part-time and is expected to grow into a full-time role within a few months as programming ramps up.

Full job description and application information.