Senior Station Technician (The Mumbles Lifeboat Station) in Swansea, Wales

Salary: up to £41,000 (dependent on qualifications and experience)

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: Full-Time

Location: The Mumbles, Swansea, Wales

Location description: Applicants should live within a reasonable distance from The Mumbles Lifeboat Station. Relocation assistance may be provided.

Interview date: 8 or 9 July

Closing Date: 05-07-2026

Reference: 21681

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are looking for a Senior Station Technician to join the team at The Mumbles Lifeboat Station. This seagoing role would suit someone with strong mechanical skills who also enjoys leading people, sharing knowledge, and taking real pride in keeping equipment in top condition. The Mumbles Lifeboat Station has a long and distinguished lifesaving history. We are a busy Lifeboat Station, particularly during the summer months, operating from 2 boathouses adjacent to Mumbles Head. We mainly serve Swansea Bay and the beautiful Gower Peninsula but do venture beyond that when needed or in support of our sister Stations. The village is a few miles from the City of Swansea, which has everything a city brings, and we are within easy reach of areas serving a multitude of recreational desires; from the beaches to the mountains and everything between. The Lifeboat Crew Association actively supports families, organising numerous social events for all volunteers working in support of the RNLI and Station.

The role

Do you have what it takes to help save lives at sea? As Senior Station Technician, you'll play a key part in keeping both our Tamar Class All-Weather Lifeboat and D Class Inshore Lifeboat ready for service. You'll ensure the lifeboats and station are well maintained and support the training of our volunteer crew so that when the pager goes off, everyone is prepared and confident. You'll be part of a team at the RNLI. You will work in the leadership team at the station to support the near 40-strong volunteer operational crew. You will also work alongside RNLI support staff to ensure you and your station have the resources you need.

What you'll be doing

• Carrying out maintenance, repairs and inspections in line with schedules, and recording this using RNLI systems
• Developing and maintaining your skills at sea so that you can fulfil the seagoing requirement of this role
• Promoting a positive approach to quality, safety, health and environmental standards
• Working with the other station leaders, support, motivate and develop the broad team of volunteers who will deliver the lifesaving effect of the station with you.

About you

This role would suit someone with an NVQ Level 4/SVQ Level 5 in an engineering discipline, a completed engineering apprenticeship, or experience in mechanical, electrical or electronic engineering. If you don't quite meet these requirements for a Senior Station Technician role but have relevant skills and the right attitude, we may consider you for a Station Technician role while you work towards the Senior level. You'll be self-motivated, comfortable working independently and as part of a team, and enjoy solving practical problems. You'll take pride in your work, be open to feedback, and support others in developing their skills. You'll also have the technical capability and confidence to meet the engineering challenges at the station. You'll be someone who can build strong, positive relationships with volunteers, supporters and RNLI colleagues. You'll act as an ambassador for both the station and the RNLI within the local community. A positive attitude and willingness to learn are just as important as formal qualifications.

To be considered, you'll need

• Experience working with diesel engines and DC electrical, hydraulic or electronic control systems
• A strong engineering mindset and practical skills
• The ability, or willingness to train, to fulfil the Lifeboat Mechanic role and develop skills for seagoing duties and a commitment to the 24/7 response
• Leadership qualities and the ability to motivate and support others
• Maritime experience is desirable but not essential
• If you've worked on cars, HGVs, agricultural machinery, plant equipment or generators, we can support you in adapting your skills to our lifeboat systems. You may already hold the required qualifications or be willing to work towards them. If you don't meet every point in the job description, we'd still encourage you to apply; we're keen to see how your experience could transfer into this role.

What we offer

• 26 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays
• Competitive pension scheme
• Access to exceptional training resources
• Development opportunities within the wider organisation

This is a 24/7 sea-going emergency response role. You will need to live within a reasonable distance of The Mumbles Lifeboat Station and be ready to respond to a pager while on duty. You will need to satisfy the RNLI medical, eyesight and fitness standards. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of The Mumbles RNLI crew. Our One Crew, which includes our fundraising, education and water safety volunteers, are part of an active, welcoming and inclusive local community. If you're looking for a meaningful role where your enthusiasm, engineering skills and leadership can genuinely make a difference, we'd love to hear from you. This role will become available to the successful candidate no later than 1st January 2027. This post requires a valid driving licence.

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.

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.