Lifeguards: Bude - Crackington to Sandymouth

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:

For 200 years, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been dedicated to saving lives at sea. We are committed to ensuring the safety of beachgoers and providing a vital lifeline for those who find themselves in danger of drowning.

The beach is a wonderful place for fun and fresh air, but the sea's unpredictability can catch visitors off guard. At the beach, every second counts, and that’s why we need people like you: focused, vigilant and ready to act when it matters most.

About the Role:

As an RNLI lifeguard, you will play a crucial role in keeping beachgoers safe by:

• Sharing safety advice with beachgoers to prevent incidents (95% of the work is preventative).
• Responding to first aid incidents and assisting with missing/found persons.
• Providing a swift rescue response to anyone in difficulty.

Our lifeguard responsibilities vary depending on the beach location. We cover over 250 beaches across the UK and the Channel Islands, each with its unique challenges. You’ll operate from static beach lifeguard units and on mobile patrols, using rescue boards, tubes, and, depending on the beach, ATVs, four-wheel drives, RWCs, or IRBs.

We offer four lifeguard levels, from newly qualified to Senior Lifeguard, and provide all the training, skills, and development opportunities you need to progress. Lifeguarding with us equips you with valuable experience that benefits any future career, whether within the RNLI or beyond.

Grade 1: Ideal for beginners, no prior lifesaving experience required.

Grade 2: For experienced lifeguards with at least 300 operational hours.

Grade 3 and Senior Lifeguards: Requires a minimum of 1,000 operational hours and solid beach lifeguard experience. These positions are for individuals aged 18+.

About You:

Being an RNLI lifeguard is both challenging and rewarding, no two days are the same. To thrive, you should be:

• Focused, vigilant, and proactive.
• Approachable and passionate about helping people stay safe.
• Professional with excellent people and rescue skills.
• Qualified with a National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ), ILS Beach/Surf Lifeguard award, or equivalent.
• Able to pass fitness and competency tests and meet health and eyesight requirements.

If you don't have the necessary lifeguard qualification, you can still apply. Just let us know your plan to gain it.

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

If you have a passion for helping others through supervision, education, and rescue, we invite you to join our team this season and make a real difference!

Season dates

Please find below indicative season dates for your area. In additions to these dates, you'll also be required to attend an induction before the season starts, options and dates for induction can be discussed during the interview.

• Main Season: 16 May to 27 Sep
• Peak Season: 18 July to 06 Sep

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.