How one of L.A.'s highest-paying jobs went to the boss' son

For seasoned mariners, it was the job opportunity of a lifetime.

A rare opening last year in the city of Los Angeles’ small corps of port pilots, who guide cargo ships and oil tankers into the harbor in San Pedro, drew more than 50 applicants, including ship’s captains and tugboat skippers with many years of experience.

That was no surprise, considering L.A.’s full-time port pilots averaged $434,000 in salary and bonuses last year, making them by far the city’s highest-paid employees.

The surprise came when the job went to 33-year-old Michael J. Rubino, whose father is Chief Port Pilot Michael R. Rubino.

_____


It turned out Rubino’s application overstated his tenure as a tugboat captain in San Pedro Bay, a key job requirement, according to Harbor Department emails obtained by The Times. As a result, about a month after Rubino began work in September 2015, he was terminated for “failure to meet the minimum qualifications,” city records show.

______


Port piloting consists of boating out to ships waiting to enter the harbor, climbing a rope ladder to the deck and then standing on the bridge to provide local knowledge, including advice on currents and navigational hazards, as the the vessel is steered through the congested waterway to the dock.

The stakes are high. Misdirection from a pilot while docking a massive container ship could cause millions of dollars in damage and endanger lives, while an error with an oil tanker could trigger an environmental disaster.


http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-adv-port-pilots-snap-story.html