Offshore Crew
Let’s save lives together

Offshore Crew
Let’s save lives together

Application as a crew member

We appreciate your interest in supporting Sea-Eye and our mission.

Crewing is currently closed and we are therefore unable to accept new applications. We ask for your understanding.

As soon as we have open positions again, you will find all the information here on our website or via our social media channels. Feel free to check back later – we look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for your commitment.

Let’s save lives from land

Get active in our local groups

Those who would still like to be involved in sea rescue can join our local groups. Our local groups are represented throughout Germany and beyond and are always happy to welcome new, committed members. Our onshore crew supports Sea-Eye’s rescue missions in a creative way, taking our demands to the streets and informing about the situation at the external borders of the European Union.

Go to the local groups

The rescue missions

The rescue missions are carried out by qualified and motivated crew members. Our international task force is made up of 25 people with very different skills. The missions are generally scheduled for four weeks. Since spots in our crew are limited, unfortunately we cannot guarantee a claim to a specific position at any point.

Our task forces consist of volunteering crew members (search and rescue crew) and professional sailors (maritime crew).

Descriptions of the positions on board

All positions m/f/d.

Search and rescue crew

Cook

You are adoptable and resilient, enjoy cooking and bring improvisational and organizational skills. The two cooks will prepare two hot meals daily for the crew of 25, do menu planning, monitoring and rationing of supplies. Experience in the preparation of vegetarian and vegan food is required, as well as experience in cooking for several people over a longer period of time.

You will also be scheduled for SAR-watch and during a rescue you will assist in the registration and first care of the rescued people. After a rescue it is the task of the cooks to cook hot meals for the rescued people and the crew twice a day. You will be actively supported by the crew in preparing and serving the meals. A good knowledge of English and proof of hygiene training (can be acquired at short notice and at a reasonable price) are required.

As a cook, you should be available a few days before and/or after the mission to cook on board between two missions to ensure a good handover and familiarization.

Doctor

The medical team on board consists of the doctor, the nurse and the paramedic. It is your responsibility to care for all medical emergencies of the crew and the guests.

During a rescue, you are in close contact with the deck manager and the head of mission. You ensure order in the infirmary, are responsible for the completeness of the ship’s pharmacy, maintain the inventory and inventory lists and are responsible for handling the narcotics. Emergencies and treatment of everyone must be logged and documented accordingly.

Prerequisite for the position is a license to practice medicine, at least 3 years of professional experience and ideally specialist training in anesthesia, surgery, emergency medicine, trauma surgery or a comparable field. Good English language skills are important, as is handling hardware and software for documentation.

Your application: To fill the position of the doctor, we closely cooperate with our partner organisation German Doctors e.V.. If you are interested in this position, please send your request with a short CV to . You can then register there and directly apply to participate in one of our missions.

Head of Mission

You have already led missions in a leading or deputy position with Sea-Eye or have worked for other civil sea rescue organizations or for humanitarian NGOs before.

You train the entire team on the way to the operational SAR area and coordinate the SAR operations during a rescue. Standardized operating procedures (SOPs) are available for this. You are in direct radio contact with the RHIB leader and deck manager and work closely with the captain. The captain is authorized to issue instructions to you regarding all questions of the ship’s command and general or special matters of safety.

Concerning strategic questions, you consult the operational support on land or the board. Your tasks include the creation and review of operational reports and protocols, as well as the organization of the routine work of the operational team on board. With your willingness to participate in everyday ship life, you demonstrate good teamwork skills. You hold and lead the daily briefings and familiarize the team with the current political situation and the principles of civil sea rescue.

You have good to very good computer knowledge and are fluent in written and spoken English, and ideally another European language (e.g. Spanish, Italian, French).

Field Media Coordinator 1

As Field Media Coordinator 1 (FMC1), you are our gateway for the public. You monitor and operate the media hardware and ensure that it runs smoothly at all times. Daily reports are created by collecting, viewing and sorting photo, video and text material in a timely and up-to-date manner.

You are in contact with our press office. With very good knowledge in dealing with image and text processing software, you are responsible for a complete and comprehensive documentation of our rescue mission. The head of mission provides you with further materials and information.

Before the start of the mission, you will be extensively prepared for the mission by our press department and will be responsible for instructing the crew on board about how to correctly deal with media and social networks. Your English is fluent, both spoken and written, and ideally you also have experience with humanitarian operations on water or land.

Field Media Coordinator 2

In the Field Media Coordinator 2 position (FMC2), the requirements and areas of responsibility regarding media and press relations are basically the same as for the FMC1 position. Appropriate photo and video skills including image and text editing software skills are required accordingly. If the situation on board allows it, as FMC2 you are additionally assigned to capture testimonials of rescued people.

We specifically want to give a platform to the rescued people themselves and give them the opportunity to share their stories through our channels. We want to show: it’s not about numbers, but about people and their personal fates. Accordingly, you are in close contact with the rescued people. Experience in dealing with people in acute stress situations and/or in humanitarian work is an advantage for this, as is some French and, if you have any, Arabic language skills.

Just like the FMC1 position, you will be fully prepared by our press department and will be in direct contact with our press office during the mission.

Nurse

As nurse you should have training in a nursing profession and at least three years of active work experience. We especially welcome individuals with experience in critical care, pediatric nursing, and obstetrics. Together with the doctor and the paramedic you will form the medical team on board and will be responsible for medical emergencies in routine and rescue operations. In addition, you are jointly responsible for the medical documentation of the entire mission.

You are used to working in a team, can grasp things quickly and work efficiently even in stressful situations. Good knowledge of English is required, knowledge of French and/or Arabic is an advantage.

Paramedic

As paramedic you should have training as an EMT/Paramedic and at least three years of active work experience. Together with the doctor and the nurse you will form the medical team on board and will be responsible for medical emergencies in routine and rescue operations. In addition, you are jointly responsible for the medical documentation of the entire mission.

Post Rescue Coordinator (PRC)

You have already participated in one or more sea rescue missions with Sea-Eye or another NGO and have experience working with refugees and vulnerable people in other contexts.

In cooperation with the deck manager and the on-board logistician you will be responsible for coordinating the provision of water, food, clothing and sleeping places for the rescued people, and enforce basic rules. You will organise the daily routine and activities for rescued people on deck, keeping a special eye on vulnerable groups in cooperation with the medical team. You are responsible for communicating with the rescued people until they are disembarked, working closely with the Head of Mission.

You have very good organisational and coordination skills and experience in leading teams. You are able to maintain an overview even in stressful situations and can have a verbal and non-verbal calming effect. You speak fluent English, conversational French and if possible Arabic.

Post Rescue Team (PRT)

You have experience working with refugees and vulnerable people in the context of civil sea rescue or other contexts.

You will support the Post Rescue Coordinator (PRC) in the registration of the rescued people and the coordination of the provision of water, food, clothing and sleeping places for the rescued people, as well as enforce basic rules. You will help implement daily routines and activities for rescued people on deck, keeping a special eye on vulnerable groups in cooperation with the medical team.

You have good organisational and coordination skills and possibly a background in social work, psychology or trauma relief. You are able to maintain an overview even in stressful situations and can have a verbal and non-verbal calming effect. You speak fluent English, conversational French and if possible Arabic.

Psychosocial Support (PSS)

As PSS you will be part of the PRT Team to support with the normal workload. In addition, you represent a contact point for guests on board, offering psychosocial support especially to the most vulnerable people on board. You also take a focus on raising awareness and supporting the crew with regard to their own mental health (e.g. through psychoeducation, units on coping and resilience, etc.) and can be available as a direct contact person for the crew as well.

You have a psychological or social background and experience working with refugees and vulnerable people in other contexts. Ideally, you have participated in sea rescue missions before. You speak fluent English, conversational French and if possible Arabic.

RHIB Communicator

As a RHIB communicator, you are the first to make contact with the people on the boat in distress. You are sitting at the bow of one of our RHIB and appoint one person among the people in distress to be the mediator/translator. Quiet gestures, clear and short sentences and instructions with constant eye contact will ensure safety and reassurance, so as to keep everything calm and controlled for the life jackets to be handed over.

Good English and French language skills are required, basic Arabic language skills or/and other languages are desirable.
Experiences on small boats and/or mission experiences are necessary.

RHIB Driver

You will steer one of the emergency boats responsibly. To do this, you need to think and act quickly- also in very stressful situations, should maneuver carefully, and be able to work well in a team. You are also responsible for the maintenance and taking care of the RHIB and are actively supported by the machinist.

The tasks of a rescue boat after craning include taking the life jackets and handing them over to the people in distress. Sometimes people have to be rescued from sea or injured people have to be transported.

You speak English well. A prerequisite for your participation is possession of a valid certificate of proficiency, for example the SBF See or an equivalent, internationally recognized certificate. You hold a VHF radio certificate (SRC or LRC or comparable certificates).

RHIB Leader

You have already participated in one or more missions in a leading position and have a lot of experience in rescue operations at sea and/ or on land.

As a RHIB leader, you should be very assertive and but also be able to work well in a team and you must be able to carry out a triage. You should be able to take emergency measures in the smallest of spaces and be in constant radio contact with the head of mission and the deck manager. You are authorized to give instructions to the RHIB driver and RHIB communicator.

You speak English fluently. You have a VHF radio certificate (SRC or LRC or comparable certificates).