Saving lives is teamwork: Join our crew on board the Humanity 1!
We always are looking for people from all over the world to join our team on board. Individuals with different experiences and backgrounds.
If you want to become part of our crew, check out our open positions below. However, we also welcome unsolicited applications for positions that are not currently advertised.
Currently we are looking to fill the following positions:
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As an organisation for civil search and rescue, we as SOS Humanity are working towards a world where no one has to drown while fleeing and everyone is treated with dignity. Founded in 2015 in Berlin, we have been working in the Central Mediterranean since 2016. With our search and rescue ship, Humanity 1, we brought our own vessel to the Central Mediterranean in August 2022.
For our marine crew we are looking for a
Third Engineer / Engine Rating
Responsibilities and Duties:
- Acts as general support in the engine room in times without rescues
- Acts as SAR-Team Support on the RHIBs or on the Deck during rescues
- Accompanies the 2nd Engineer and Chief Engineer on Engine Watches
- Supports 2nd Engineer on Maintenance and repair of the engine plant and equipment, accommodation and deck
- Responsible for testing oils, boilers and cooling water and keeping the relevant records
- Responsible to search and report defects, deficiencies, and suspicions of that to supervisors
Requirements:
- Valid Certificate of Proficiency in Basic Safety (STCW A-VI/1) (issued within the last 5 years)
- Valid Certificates of Security Awareness and Designated Security Duties (STCW A-VI/6)
- Physical fitness and mental resilience, incl. valid Medical Certificate for Seafarers for desired position
- background as Ship mechanic, (agricultural) machine mechanic or similar
- Good Understanding of Engine Plants
- Strong ability to independently execute tasks
- Willingness to perform menial works
- Identification with the aims and work of SOS Humanity
- Good team building skills, especially in extreme situations
- Awareness of working for a NGO; potentially working with partially (sea) inexperienced volunteers and familiarity with principles of “flat hierarchies”
- strong communication skills
- Good English language skills (confident communication in an international team; spontaneous, fluent, detailed communication with native speakers in a broad range of themes)
- Advanced PC skills especially Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook
- Age: 23-70 years
- Vaccinations: Covid19 booster vaccination, measles, rubella, tetanus
- Ability to remain abstinent (drugs and alcohol) during rotation
We provide:
- Salary: 2800 € / month (employee gross)
- Possibility for recurring employment
- 1-1-Contract
- Travel Expenses
The HUMANITY 1 sails under German flag, therefore we are bound to European citizenship in certain positions. However, it is very important to us that our crew is as international and diverse as possible. In particular, we would like to encourage FLINTA*s[1] to apply in order to ensure a balanced gender ratio on board.
[1] Female, Lesbian, Intersexual, Non-Binary, Transgender and Agender people
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As an organisation for civil search and rescue, we as SOS Humanity are working towards a world where no one has to drown while fleeing and everyone is treated with dignity. Founded in 2015 in Berlin, we have been working in the Central Mediterranean since 2016. With our search and rescue ship, Humanity 1, we brought our own vessel to the Central Mediterranean in August 2022.
For our marine crew we are looking for a
Second Engineer/Watch Engineer
Responsibilities and Duties:
- Substitute of Chief Engineer
- In special emergencies, involvement in the rescue operations
- Maintenance and repair of the engine plant and equipment, accommodation and deck
- Officer in charge of engine room watch in accordance with STCW Ch. VIII.
- In charge of engine plant and equipment maintenance under direction of the Chief Engineer
- Updates inventories and completes, or updates planned maintenance systems respectively
- Maintenance of all mechanical equipment in and outside the engine room
- Adhere to safe working practice and shipboard environmental policy
- Adhere strictly to the bunker & fuel transfer procedures.
- Ensure that there are no illegal discharges of oil, garbage, sewage from the engine room in contravention of the MARPOL Convention as amended
- Provide input to junior engineers, assistant engineers, outboard mechanics, fitter / welder
- Assist in deck gear operation on deck if required
Requirements:
- Valid Certificate of Competence according to STCW A III/3(750kW-3000kW) or STCW A III/1
- Valid certificate of proficiency in Basic Safety (STCW A-VI/1) (issued within the last 5 years)
- Valid certificates of Security Awareness and Designated Security Duties (STCW A-VI/6)
- Physical fitness and mental resilience, incl. valid Medical Certificate for Seafarers for desired position
- Identification with the aims and work of SOS Humanity
- Good team building skills, especially in extreme situations
- Awareness of working for a NGO; potentially working with partially (sea) inexperienced volunteers and familiarity with principles of “flat hierarchies”
- strong communication skills
- Good English language skills (confident communication in an international team; spontaneous, fluent, detailed communication with native speakers in a broad range of themes)
- Advanced PC skills especially Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook
- Age: 23-70 years
- Vaccinations: Covid19 booster vaccination, measles, rubella, tetanus
- Ability to remain abstinent (drugs and alcohol) during rotation
We provide:
- Salary: 2900 € / month (employee gross)
- Possibility for longer employment
- 1-1-Contract
- Travel Expenses
The HUMANITY 1 sails under German flag, therefore we are bound to European citizenship in certain positions. However, it is very important to us that our crew is as international and diverse as possible. In particular, we would like to encourage FLINTA*s[1] to apply in order to ensure a balanced gender ratio on board.
[1] Female, Lesbian, Intersexual, Non-Binary, Transgender and Agender people
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As an organisation for civil search and rescue, we as SOS Humanity are working towards a world where no one has to drown while fleeing and everyone is treated with dignity. Founded in 2015 in Berlin, we have been working in the Central Mediterranean since 2016. With our search and rescue ship, Humanity 1, we brought our own vessel to the Central Mediterranean in August 2022.
For our marine crew we are looking for a
Chief Mate
Responsibilities and Duties:
- primarily responsibility for the support of the master for safe (SAR) navigation and operation of the vessel including SAR bureaucracy with respective authorities and actors
- assistance in watchkeeping operations to search for distress cases.
- Head of Deck Department: responsible for maintenance on deck + inside accommodation as well as every space not declared engine room
- Coordination with Bosun on planning/maintenance of general arrangement, deck condition, equipment with focus of responsibility on certification + timely organisation of inspections, surveys, equipment replacement
- Responsibility for safety – acts as Safety Officer: responsible for all safety & fire fighting equipment, maintenance of safety equipment (supported by 2nd Mate)
- Organising necessary safety trainings & drills for crew
- in charge of ship’s stability incl. Ballast Water Management, freshwater & fuel bunker figures
- Preparation of the ship for rotations and upcoming port state controls
- Responsible for safe navigation of the ship according to the law and international regulation during her/his watch schedule.
- Substitute for Master
- Administrative Tasks (Rest Hours, Garbage Management, etc.)
- Organising the working hours, watch schedule, watch team for each crew change
- In general, responsible for approval of invoices, orders and ship related purchasing
- Responsibility for galley coordination including provisioning
- Foreseeing and organizing the adequate work request for the bridge department for
the coming shipyard or technical stop, in close collaboration and communication with the
technical and ship managers, to insure proper maintenance of the ship and compliance with the regulations
- Instruct crew on safe handling of electric and electronic equipment, especially white goods and galley equipment if required
- Inform crew about efficient use of energy on the ship, at sea and especially in port according to the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
Requirements:
- Valid Certificates of Competency according to STCW Convention (STCW A-II/2)
- Valid General Operator’s Certificate (GMDSS) (STCW A-IV/2)
- Valid Certificate of Proficiency in Basic Safety (STCW A-VI/1) (issued within the last 5 years)
- Valid Certificate of Security Awareness (STCW A-VI/6-1) as well as Designated Security Duties (STCW A-VI/6-2)
- Valid Certificate of Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat (STCW A-VI/2-1) (issued within the last 5 years)
- Valid Certificate of Proficiency for Advance Training in Techniques for Firefighting (STCW A-VI/3) (issued within the last 5 years)
- Valid Certificate of Proficiency in Medical Care on Board Ship (STCW A-VI/4-2)
- Valid Certificate of Proficiency Ship Security Officer (STCW A-VI/5)
- German Endorsement in case of foreign certificates
- Experience as an officer
- ECDIS Proficiency
- very good teamwork skills, especially in extreme situations
- strong communication skills
- Physical fitness and mental resilience, incl. valid Medical Certificate for Seafarers for desired position
- Identification with the aims and work of SOS Humanity
- Awareness of working for a NGO; potentially working with partially (sea) inexperienced volunteers and familiarity with principles of “flat hierarchies”
- Good English language skills (confident communication in an international team; spontaneous, fluent, detailed communication with native speakers in a broad range of themes)
- Advanced PC skills especially Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook
- Age: 23-70 years
- Vaccinations: Covid19 booster vaccination, measles, rubella, tetanus
We provide:
- Salary: 3080 € / month (employee gross)
- Possibility for longer-term employment
- 1-1-Contract
- Travel Expenses
In addition to the Covid19 booster vaccination, a week of contact reduction and a negative Covid19-test
The HUMANITY 1 sails under German flag, therefore we are bound to European citizenship in certain positions. However, it is very important to us that our crew is as international and diverse as possible. In particular, we would like to encourage FLINTA*s[1] to apply in order to ensure a balanced gender ratio on board.
[1] Female, Lesbian, Intersexual, Non-Binary, Transgender and Agender people
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We are looking for a Mental Health Representative on board of the HUMANTIY 1 on for different rotations during the year 2024.
As a mental health representative, you will be the focal point for the mental health care of the survivors on board the Humanity 1. You will be part of the medical team, led by the Care Coordinator and work in close cooperation with other positions (e.g., protection representative, cultural mediator, Communications Coordinator)
Required:
- Training in Psychology or other relevant education with significant experience in mental health in emergencies
- 2 years of relevant working experience (after completion of educational program)
- Fluency in English (minimum level C1)
- Work experience with people in acute crisis, (complex) traumatization, emergency psychology, crisis intervention, stabilization, psychological de-escalation, suicide risk assessment etc.
- Ability to work under high pressure and in stressful low resource environments
- Ability to identify, prioritize and address mental health needs
- Highly flexible, self-reflected, open-minded personality
- Ability to work in multi-professional teams and independently
- Critical understanding of professional boundaries, White-Saviorism, racism and power imbalance in complex settings
- Commitment to SOS Humanity protocols and code of conduct
Desired:
- Arabic / French / Bangla language skills
- Work experience in humanitarian emergencies and/or SAR
- Work experience with asylum seekers, refugees, people on the move
- Work experience in multicultural teams, with a cultural mediator and with people of various cultural backgrounds
- Experience in providing Trainings and/or Supervision
- Knowledge and training in different, culturally adapted psychological interventions
The position is a volunteer position. We pay for your arrival and departure, accommodation, food and accident insurance.
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We rescue those fleeing from distress at sea, provide them with clothing and food aboard. Further, we support them medically as well as psychologically, identify special vulnerabilities and inform the respective point of contact. This support will be provided, amongst others, by the volunteering medical team which consists of doctor, paramedic/nurse and a midwife.
It is important to note that there will be basic medical equipment and you will not always work as a team but in an autonomous and self-reliant manner. For us, it is especially important that female patients are provided with the care required for their specific needs which is why there will be a
midwife on board
Responsibilities on board:
- Main responsibility for medical care of pregnant women.
- Main responsibility for the medical care of female victims of sexual violence
- If required, providing physical examinations of female patients as directed by the physician for other medical conditions
- Assistance to the physician in providing medical care to the rescued (and crew, if needed) during the mission
- Assist and initiate performance of medevacs in gynaecological emergencies
- Documentation of medical treatment
- Assist with inventory and equipment check
Professional Requirements:
- Completed training/study as a midwife plus + 2 year of full-time work in the acquired profession (in the case of part-time work, correspondingly longer periods must be proven)
Personal Requirements:
- Female gender
- Good knowledge of English.
- Other language skills (e.g. Italian, French, Arabic, Farsi) beneficial but not mandatory
- Sensitivity in interacting with traumatized patients
- Willingness to acquire specific knowledge based on literature provided by us prior to the mission
- Respect for the cultural background of the patients and the resulting restrictions (e.g., physical examinations of women are performed exclusively by the midwife if the medic is male, except in emergencies)
- Willingness to perform all other crew duties in addition to medical duties (e.g. guarding, cleaning, cooking, etc.)
In addition to the professional and personal requirements, there are some basic criteria that must be met:
- Aged between 23 and 70 years
- Physical and mental health:
- Seaworthiness
- Medical Certificate
- Vaccinations: Covid19 booster vaccination, Measles, Rubella
- Ability to remain abstinent (drugs and alcohol) during mission
The position as midwife and as such as part of the medical team is a volunteering position and will be compensated with an allowance 840€ once in a year. In addition, the expenses for travel, accommodation and food will be paid. Psychological support will be provided.
Our crew
Being part of the crew of Humanity 1 means
- Being part of an international and diverse crew
- standing up for people in distress
- working with a professional and experienced team
- using your skills in different areas
Frequently asked questions
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The 28-member crew of SOS Humanity consists of four teams, working closely together and supporting each other: the search and rescue team (6 persons), the medical and care team (7 persons), the technical-nautical team (12 persons) and the communication and documentation team (3 persons). Two additional places on board are available for journalists/media and photographers. All the positions on board can be found here.
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A respectful working environment is important to us! We want all crew members to feel safe and able to perform their duties regardless of their ethnic, social, economic background, their gender identity or sexual orientation.
It is important to know for all crew members that our Code of Conduct applies to all crew members, and we do not tolerate any kind of racism, anti-semitism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and any other form of discrimination and abuse of power on board. Identification with these guidelines is a requirement for working on board Humanity 1.
Further general requirements are:
- age between 23 and 70 years
- high physical and mental resilience
- very good knowledge of English
- certificate of good conduct
- COVID-19 booster vaccination and vaccinations against measles and rubella
Requirements for nautical crew are:
- valid fitness for sea certificate
- necessary certificates of competency (navigation and/or engine)
- basic Safety Training – Certificate (STCW VI/1)
Desirable qualifications are:
- experience in seafaring and/or rescue
- language skills in Arabic, French and Italian
- first Aid skills
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The working language on board is English. Other language skills such as Arabic, French or Italian are an advantage.
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Normally, rotations last around five weeks.
Please note: Due to the current situation, which may lead for example longer blockades at sea, exact statements about the (minimum) duration of a rotation are more difficult to predict.
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We will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible. As we receive numerous applications and have to consider various points in crew planning, we ask for your understanding if our response takes a little longer.