Monitoring Officer - Aerial monitoring operations

SOS MEDITERRANEE is a European maritime and humanitarian organization founded in 2015 in response to the humanitarian tragedy and the persistent absence of adequate state-led rescue capabilities on the Central Mediterranean route — the deadliest migratory route in the world since 2014. 

Created by a collective of European citizens committed to upholding human dignity, our organization operates with a clear mission: 

1. To rescue people in distress at sea; 

2. To protect and assist survivors on board our rescue vessel; 

3. To bear witness and raise public awareness about the ongoing crisis in the Mediterranean. 

Since launching operations in 2016, SOS MEDITERRANEE has rescued more than 40,000 people in coordination with its network across Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland, using the ships Aquarius and Ocean Viking. 

With the aim of increasing contextual awareness in the Central Mediterranean and to document the human rights violations and interceptions happening in this maritime region, SOS MEDITERRANEE, as a humanitarian civilian association, successfully conducted a first month of deployment and is now planning to scale up operational capacity in partnership with another organization to resume a civilian aerial monitoring mission in February. In this context, we are looking for these profiles. This pilot operation is based in Lampedusa, Italy.

Reporting to the Head of Mission (HoM), and to the Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) while airborne, the Monitoring officer (MO) as part of the air team is in charge of spotting distress cases and any important related elements during flight operation.

S/he is responsible to capture evidence through photos, videos and audio means to support activities of SOS Mediterranee on land and uploading them on the sharepoint according to SOS MEDITERRANEE’s standards.

Responsibilities: 

Monitoring Activities

• Support searching operations during flight time as part of the air team.

• Use evidence recording equipment to support situational observation from the aircraft and document relevant elements for operational coordination.

Evidence Collection

• Capture image, audio, and video content to support SOS Méditerranée's advocacy and communication work ashore.

• Edit, sort out, archive, and upload audio and visual content captured during the flight, in line with SOS MEDITERRANEE’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and guidelines.

Equipment Management

• Be responsible for AV monitoring equipment, ensuring its state of readiness and performing routine checks for monitoring operations.

• In coordination with the Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) and Air Liaison and Log Officer (ALLO), bring onboard all necessary equipment to operate flights (AV, spotting, safety, communication, and crew comfort equipment).

• Report any problems noticed regarding AV equipment to the Multimedia Producer before or during the flight.

• Liaise with the TACCO and ALLO to ensure needed parts and equipment are ordered.

Flight involvement: Onboard the aircraft for most missions; may support from ground during rest periods. 

Requirements:

• One year field experience with maritime or aerial civil monitoring organisations 

• Extensive knowledge of SAR activities and the geopolitical context of SAR in the Central Mediterranean

• Strong skills in photography, video shooting, and sound recording, with the ability to produce multimedia material. 

• Highly computer literate (MS Office, email, MS Teams/SharePoint), with basic experience with tagging and organizing visual assets and editing software 

• Deep understanding of and commitment to humanitarian principles and civilian ethics 

• Strong interpersonal skills, stress management, and conflict resolution abilities 

• Ability to work in isolated settings, with small multicultural teams, under pressure 

• Capacity to follow and apply protocols in sensitive, politically charged environments 

• Fluent in English (spoken and written); French, Italian, or Arabic are strong assets  

Contract and Conditions

• Contract: Fixed-term, 5 months

• Start Date: 2nd of February 2026

• Location: the position is based in Lampedusa during deployment. Flights are carried out in light twin-engine aircraft.

• Salary: between 1700€ to 2 500€ gross/month - depending on former experience

• All mission costs covered: travel, local accommodation (provided in the SOS Méditerranée Guesthouse), food provision during deployment, insurance

• Psychological support

• All PPE and technical equipment provided

Please submit your application by the 23rd of December.

To finalize your application, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your application. Please do not forget this step. Once our team has received your application, you will receive a confirmation email. Please note that no information will be given over the phone.

SOS MEDITERRANEE is committed to promoting an inclusive workplace and actively fights against all forms of discrimination.