Technical Surveyor (Machinery)
RNLI
Salary: €59,487 to €69,985 / £42,479 to £49,976 (dependent on experience)
Vehicle: A vehicle will be made available to carry out your duties
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Additional Information: Homebased with travel to RNLI locations and contractor sites
Interview Date: Week of 12th Oct
Closing Date: 27-09-2026
Reference: 21992
About Us
Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.
We’re looking for a Technical Surveyor to join our surveying team to provide cover nationally, conducting surveys annually on every RNLI All Weather Lifeboat and additionally on station launch and recovery assets.
As a specialist in mechanical & electrical systems, you will support the Principal and Senior Surveyors to ensure that our lifeboats and launching equipment are built and maintained to the highest possible standards. You will play an important part in providing our volunteer crews with the reliable equipment they need to continue to safely save lives at sea.
This is a great opportunity to take on an exciting role that offers responsibility and is both challenging and rewarding.
Some of the Benefits
- €59,487 to €69,985 / £42,479 to £49,976 (dependent on experience)
- Homebased
- Flexible working
- 26 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Competitive pension scheme
- Life assurance
Your Role
As a Technical Surveyor, condition surveys of RNLI assets will make up much of your work, and by the nature and spread of these, you will be travelling away to survey on a regular basis; on average, from two to four nights away per week.
You will also get involved in projects at the RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat Centre at Poole. You will work at our approved external contractors’ sites overseeing/supporting contracts for repairs, refits, and new construction of lifeboats and launch and recovery assets.
You will work closely with contractors, ensuring all work completed is done in accordance with RNLI specifications and providing, as requested, any information or parts they need to meet their contractual obligations. Interpretation of drawings against the physical repair during this process will be an essential skill, along with a proven track record in contract management.
Beyond that, you'll get involved in the negotiation of tenders, liaise extensively with colleagues in the Engineering and Supply Department and be the principal point of contact and driving force behind sea trials, working with project stakeholders to drive continuous improvement and QMS (ISO 9001) to achieve the best outcome for the RNLI.
About You
To be our Technical Surveyor (machinery), you will:
- Be an experienced engineer with first-rate technical knowledge in both mechanical and electrical systems with a good understanding of diesel power plants and hydraulics.
- Be able to conduct condition and pre-refit surveys and write concise, detailed reports.
- Be a strong Project Manager, capable of negotiating, reporting on and delivering potentially variable packages of work to an efficient steady-state production schedule.
- Communicate well with people at all levels, together with an assertive but tactful approach.
- Have good organisational and IT skills, including familiarity with Microsoft 365 suite of software.
- Since you will be travelling to various RNLI locations and contractor sites, a current clean driving licence is essential, and a vehicle will be made available to carry out your duties.
As this is a sea-going appointment, you will need to satisfy the institution's medical and eyesight standards.
All of the above should be carried out for the RNLI to help enable us to save lives at sea. This should be achieved with Health and Safety aspects in mind at all times.
Safeguarding
The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out, dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).
Diversity at the RNLI
Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable) and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.
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