Search and Rescue Technician – Location: Central Mediterranean Sea at MSF – Holland

MSF is an international, independent medical humanitarian organisation. We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation. MSF was founded in 1971 in Paris by a group of journalists and doctors. Today, we are a worldwide movement of more than 63,000 people.

MSF coordinates operations through collaborations between global offices. The ‘MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam’ (OCA) is a partnership that is composed of the partners MSF-Canada, MSF-Germany, MSF-SARA, MSF-Sweden, MSF-Holland and MSF-United Kingdom. MSF-OCA has a team of more than 11,000 staff working in 115 emergency projects in about 31 countries.

The office of MSF-Holland located in Amsterdam hosts more than 400 employees, offering direct support to MSF-OCA operations. Around 50 staff focus on recruitment, communication and fundraising in The Netherlands (MSF-Holland) and 350 staff are focused on supporting MSF-OCA operations.

At Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Artsen zonder Grenzen , we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.

MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such, MSF is by choice (Chantilly) an association. Each individual working with MSF does it out of conviction and commitment and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.

MSF-OCA has a vacancy for the position of:

Search and Rescue Technician

Location: Central Mediterranean Sea

Search and Rescue Technician will operate as part of a small MSF SAR team crewing the rescue boats and the boat landing. They will be operating from a ship all year round and in all weather conditions. They answer directly to the Deputy Search and Rescue Coordinator during port calls, for day-to-day activities on-board and during rescue operations on the water.

Main responsibilities

• To crew MSF fast rescue boats.
• Carry out lookout duties while at sea.
• Carry out maintenance of rescue equipment.
• Care for survivors post rescue.
• Other duties deemed necessary by the Deputy Search and Rescue team leader and SAR team leader.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS POSITION:

• This position is on board a ship. Staff must be ‘sea worthy’, and be willing to go beyond their regular role during rescues. Be aware that seasickness can be significant particularly for roles that require regular computer work. Working and living on a ship requires a certain level of fitness, going out on the RHIB in poor weather conditions for extended period of time.
• The space is limited on a ship, the daily living conditions may not allow much privacy.
• Besides tasks related to their roles, all staff have tasks contributing to the operations and chores on the ship, both at sea and while in port. This includes general care of rescued people (food distributions, etc), doing watches (deck, binocular, gangway), cleaning of the ship (scrubbing deck, toilets, etc.), deck jobs and ship maintenance (such as de-rusting and painting), and any other tasks at hand.
• Candidates must be able to handle ‘down time’ between rescues, as well as very high intensity workload during rescue and transit. There are none to very limited possibilities to get off the ship.
• The contrast of the amount of work you have is immense. During rescues one works long hours and goes way beyond the general working hours. Be aware that despite your role, you will be asked to do irregular shifts and night shifts, within and beyond your own job responsibilities (e.g. deck work, night watches, cooking etc.).
• During ‘down time’ the work on the ship does not stop. One needs to be prepared to do deck-work and manual labor during “down-time”.
• While the need for a humanitarian presence in the central Mediterranean Sea is obvious and more necessary than ever, the humanitarian space is reduced in a very politicized context. The candidate must be prepared to expect difficulties such as poor access to people in need or long delays before disembarkation after rescue.
• Candidates must understand that medical relevance/activities may be considered secondary to humanitarian focus.
• Due to the current context and several uncertainties, flexibility is a must. All positions on the boat need to be open minded and proactive to constantly re-adjust the set up and strive to contribute to the development of an efficient operation. In the current context the time in port can be extremely long and frustrating, and the way the project is set-up may change quite often during the waiting time.
• Given the context of the pandemic, crew members must expect that they may be asked to undergo testing for COVID-19 after each rotation in order to ensure the health and safety of all onboard.
• SAR context can be hostile and unpredictable, and operations may be blocked at any time. Candidates must be very flexible and anticipate the possibility of periods in which activities are blocked for political and/or bureaucratic reasons, with the ship stuck in port for an unknown length of time.
• SAR is a high-profile project: Journalists will be present on the ship; staff may be asked to give interviews or be photographed during their work. The probability for high-stress ‘crisis-like communications events’ is higher in this mission than that of an average FCM mission.

Requirements

Certification

• Required: STCW Basic Safety training with Security awareness.
• Desired: Proficiency in survival craft.
• Proficiency in fast rescue craft.

Knowledge

• Seamanship, advanced first aid, working offshore, mechanics and boat repair, search and rescue
• Rescue experience and practised advanced first aid skills is required.

Your profile

• SAR experience in the Central Med and/or Offshore search and rescue and/or Casualty care.
• Experience working on fast boats at sea and feel comfortable doing so for long hours and in poor weather conditions.
• Strong communications skills, boat driving. Mechanics
• Seamanship, advanced first aid, working offshore, mechanics and boat repair, search and rescue
• Working offshore, mechanics and boat repair.
• English fluent, French, Italian and Arabic a plus

We offer

• A maritime contract for the duration of 3 months minimum.
• A challenging and exciting position in an international environment and the possibility to be part of a committed team contributing to our humanitarian mission
• A challenging and exciting position in an international environment and the possibility to be part of a committed team contributing to our humanitarian mission