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, is planning to scale up our operational capacity in partnership with another organisation to launch a civilian aerial monitoring mission. We are currently working to be operational as soon as possible, this context we are looking for these profiles. This six-month pilot operation will be based in Italy.

Reporting to the Head of Mission (HoM) on ground and to the Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) while airborne, the Monitoring Officer (MO) is part of the air team and is responsible for spotting distress cases and important related elements during flight operations. The MO captures evidence through photos, videos, and audio recordings to support SOS Mediterranee activities and uploads them according to organisational standards.

Responsibilities: 

• Observe the sea from the aircraft and identify element of interest regarding mission goal: distress cases, pushback attempts, or other relevant maritime events
• Capture image, video, and audio content that supports SOS MEDITERRANEE’s humanitarian testimony mission
• Archive and tag audiovisual material using internal naming, backup, and legal compliance procedures
• Provide internal training on AV protocols and documentation best practices
• Ensure proper care and readiness of AV equipment
• Report equipment issues and coordinate with the Air Liaison and Log Officer for necessary supplies/maintenance
• Ensure detailed handover reports and smooth transitions between rotations

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