Search and Rescue Team Member – Roster Position

As a maritime, humanitarian international organisation, SOS-Mediterranee’s mission is to:

• Rescue people in distress at sea through maritime search and rescue activities,
• Protect those rescued and assist them by facilitating contact to support networks,
• Give testimony to the realities and many faces of migration.

Our operation in the central Mediterranean Sea started with a ship called the “Aquarius” in 2016 but our current vessel is the “Ocean Viking” since 2019. SOS-Mediterranee manages rescue operations and care of survivors (including medical treatment). We have rendered assistance to more than 35 000 people since the start of our operations.

The vessel is chartered so the management of the Ocean Viking (bridge, deck, engine, and catering) is carried out by the marine crew hired by the ship owner. None of the sailors and officers on watch on the deck or in the engine are SOS-Mediterranee staff members. The Master (Captain) is responsible for the safety of the ship and all the people on-board.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Croissant (IFRC) is our operational partner onboard for the medical and care of the survivors’ parts since 2021.

SAR-Team member position:
The SAR-Team members are the hands and the eyes of SOS-Mediterranee. Their job is to train, maintain equipment, rescue people in distress and take care of them onboard. They are under the responsibility of the Search and Rescue Coordinator (SARCO), who oversees the mission on-board. They are under the coordination of the Search and Rescue Team Leader (STL) during rescue operations and the daily routine jobs on deck, and under the coordination of the Communication officer for all media activities. They must collaborate with other team members to achieve best results for survivors.
SAR-team roles and position during rescue are defined based on operational needs and skills present in the team.

Duties and responsibilities linked to the operations:

• Perform bridge watch during patrol and searching periods.
• Perform and record maintenance tasks on SOS-Mediterranee equipment.
• Demonstrate and utilise basic seafaring skills and competencies and observe safety and security policies and guidelines.
• Could be part of the rhibs’ crew to approach and recover the people in distress or to transfer the rescued people to/from another vessel and/or can be part of the deck crew to prepare the rescue equipment and to coordinate the reception of the rescued people on deck.
• After the recovery of people to the mother ship, the SAR team members will take care of the survivors during the transit, the standby and the disembarkation periods and will have the following missions:
• Food, water, and non-food items distributions,
• Humanity and attention to the rescued people,
• Days and night watches on deck,
• Assist with translation and crowd management,
• Contribute on the cleaning of the deck and garbage disposal after disembarkation.
• Perform basic life support or recover and take care of dead bodies.
• Help with any other duty linked to the mission as requested by the SAR Coordinator or his/her STL, either at sea or during port calls. Could also assist the Marine crew if requested for specific tasks related to the ship.
• Assist the STL on the implementation and the improvement of the quality system (guidelines, procedures, etc.).
• May be asked to perform interviews with the press about the rescue operations, under the responsibility of the Communication Officer and within the frame of the communication policy of SOS-Mediterranee.
• Support the logistician in taking charge of inventories, record orders received, the stock transactions and report to the SARCO any needs.
• Perform training and attend in briefings/debriefings as well as feedback sessions.

Duties and responsibilities linked the European network of SOS-Mediterranee
Depending on her/his availabilities, the SAR-Team members can contribute voluntarily to the raising awareness effort on land after his/her mission onboard (conferences, debates, interviews, etc.). All those interventions are organized through the volunteer’s network by the national associations of the network and take place within the frame of the communication policy and strategy of SOS MEDITERRANEE.

Geographic position and duration of the mission:
Due to the political context, the Ocean Viking uses various Italian ports (mainly in Sicily) and the port of Marseille (France). The mission occurs in the international waters, off the Libyan coast. The SAR-Team members must join the mission only if they understand the risks, they commit to comply with the security guidelines and respect the instructions given by the SAR Coordinator.

Please note due to the current political climate duration of missions is very hard to predict. SOS-Mediterranee is doing what it can to ensure the maximum mission length does not exceed 10 weeks. SAR team members are encouraged to return if they have successfully carried out their mission. In case of serious concern during a mission, the SARCO is entitled to ask any SAR team member to disembark at next port call.

Profile :

• Mandatory: Significant experience at sea in a professional or rescue capacity. In exceptional cases applicants demonstrating extensive experience sailing yachts and/or small boats are considered. If you do not meet these criteria your application will not be considered.
• Mandatory: Fluency in English.
• Strong motivation and genuine commitment to SOS-Mediterranee’s core objectives.
• Strong work ethic, good interpersonal skills, open to cultural diversity.
• Solid and reliable, mentally, and physically. Capable of working under the pressure of the vital urgency and in a stressful environment.
• Knowledge of Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya, French, Italian, or German is an advantage.
• Experience in rescue/humanitarian operations is an advantage (nurse, paramedic, firefighter, rescuer, etc.)
• To be a Driver :

1. Capable of operating a rhib safely at all speed at all acceptable weather for operation, day and night
2. Handle single and twin outboard engines, tiler and consol
3. Mastering slow maneouvers
4. 200hrs of driving time minimum

• To be a Tech :

1. Experience maintaining outboard engines.
2. Able to conduct all user elements of the periodic servicing.
3. Able to inspect and change lifting equipment.
4. Able to report effectively.
5. Computer literate.

Mandatory certifications (legally required by flag state to sign on our vessel):

1. Valid Maritime Basic Safety Training STCW (A-VI /1) -> composed by Personal Survival Techniques (STCW A-VI/1-1), Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (STCW A-VI/1-2), Elementary First Aid (STCW A-VI/1-3) and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (STCW A-VI/1-4).
2. Valid Medical fitness certificate for seafarer (ENG1 or Equivalent)
3. Security Awareness certificate STCW A-VI/6 (essential to embark but can be provided online and only takes a few hours).
4. For boat drivers, a Power Boat License is required (STCW VI/2 – Proficiency in Survival Craft, Rescue boats and Fast Rescue Boats or equivalent).

Conditions :

• Type of contract : Short term contract. ( Duration of the rotation ). can be extended.
• Salary : 2843,97 Euros Per Month..
• Seafarer’s employment agreement. Employed by a maritime crewing company, certified MLC 2006.
• Insured for health, repatriation, workplace accident, travel insurance (Allianz).
• Travel, food, and accommodation fees are covered by the association for the entire mission.
• SOS MEDITERRANEE provides Personal Protective Equipment to perform the rescue operations (helmets, lifejackets, dry suits, jackets, trousers, safety boots, radios, goggles, gloves, etc.).