Lifeguard Support: Dawlish - Sandy Bay to Teignmouth

Join the RNLI Lifeguard team and help save lives at sea as we mark a quarter of a century of RNLI Lifeguarding in 2026!

Grown from a few patrols piloted in 2001, to working across 250 beaches around the UK and Channel Islands today, saving more than 2000 lives since the service began, and keeping people safe by providing safety advice on the shore, in schools and online.

Join a team of likeminded people, do work that truly matters, and spend your summer earning, staying fit, and living life outdoors. Be part of something bigger, join us in 2026 as we celebrate 25 years of RNLI Lifeguards.

About Us:

At the RNLI, passion for saving lives is what drives us, It's what gets our volunteer crews out of bed in the middle of the night, and what inspires our Lifeguards who make a real difference to safety on our beaches.

Since launching in 2001, the RNLI‘s lifeguard service has become an integral part of our mission to save lives at sea. In 2026 we will be patrolling over 250 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands, and we’re now recruiting for Lifeguard Support team members to help keep those beaches safe.

Your Role

If you have an interest in lifesaving and want to gain real experience on the beach, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

As a Lifeguard Support team member, you’ll assist our lifesaving teams with the day to day running of the beach. You’ll help share water safety advice with visitors, support search and rescue activities, and assist with everything from first aid and lost children, to monitoring hazards and logging incidents.

Working alongside experienced lifeguards, you’ll learn how to assess beach conditions, help position safety flags and signs, and support the supervision of bathing and surfing zones. Under the guidance of a Senior Lifeguard, you’ll gain invaluable hands-on experience in what it takes to keep people safe by the sea.

About You

These roles are designed for those who wish to become qualified lifeguards, but don’t yet have the required qualification or fitness level. It’s a stepping-stone into the lifeguard team, a chance to get paid to train, learn, and grow while gaining real experience on the beach.

To succeed, you’ll be:

• Enthusiastic with a positive attitude.
• Focused, vigilant, and proactive.
• A good communicator who enjoys being part of a team.
• Approachable and passionate about helping people stay safe.
• Able to meet health, fitness and eyesight requirements (as the job can be physically demanding).

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Rigorous checks, including enhanced DBS checks, will be conducted for successful applicants. Suitability to work with children may also be explored during the interview.

If you have a passion for helping others, and want to earn, stay fit and live the season outdoors, this is your chance to be part of something bigger. Apply now and start your journey with the RNLI!

Please note: Due to the high volume of applications, some lifeguard areas may close vacancies before the official closing date, so apply today!

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.