Oil Spill Responder

Location: Portswood

Oil Spill Responder

Location:

Southampton, United Kingdom

Closing Date: 1 February 2026

At Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL), we believe passionately about unlocking your potential so that, as an integral part of our Response Team, you can help overcome the complex environmental challenges that oil spills present. For this reason, we are seeking highly motivated team players who share our passion for safeguarding the environment to join us in Southampton to begin a fulfilling career as an Oil Spill Responder.

OSRL is the largest international industry-funded cooperative that exists to respond to oil spills wherever in the world they may occur, by providing preparedness, response and intervention services. We are wholly owned by most of the environmentally responsible oil and gas companies, and our membership represents the majority of global oil production. We currently employ circa 288 people across 13 locations around the world.

Job Description:

Your career with OSRL will begin with an intensive 12-week training programme to give you the skills needed to effectively support oil spill response operations on a global basis. As a Responder, your typical day will focus on maintaining your readiness to respond, such as continuous training to hone your personal competence and supporting the maintenance and rehabilitation of our specialist oil spill response equipment.

These activities are all designed to allow you to react safely, swiftly and with confidence to achieve a positive impact wherever in the World an oil spill occurs.

Main accountabilities:

- To provide safe, prompt and efficient support to spill incidents, exercises, preparedness projects and client engagement activities globally.
- Ensure that all activities are carried out with due regard to personal safety, the safety of others, and environmental considerations in line with company policies and procedures.
- Be on call as part of the duty team, including supporting spill mobilisations and travelling globally at short notice.
- Undertake the efficient maintenance and rehabilitation of operational and support equipment to the highest standards and in compliance with safety requirements.
- Proactively develop and maintain appropriate knowledge and skills.  
- Provide a source of expertise and assistance to other departments.  
- Act as a representative of the company to maintain the standing as a high-profile global leader in oil spill preparedness and response through industry forums, conferences and contact with external stakeholders.
- Provide input into the ongoing technical development of spill response equipment, strategies and techniques through internal technical forums, working groups and practical experience.
- Develop and update operational guidelines and maintenance procedures for new and existing equipment to ensure safe and effective operation.

Role requirements:

It is essential that all applicants can meet/demonstrate the following criteria:

- A tangible desire to make a positive impact
- Clear aptitude for practical problem solving
- A positive ‘can-do’ attitude
- A willingness to be on-call and to be sent anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice
- An ability to work long hours in the field in challenging environments
- Strong team-working skills
- Great communication and interpersonal skills
- A strong safety ethos
- Possess a full, clean UK driving licence
- Live within one hour of our Southampton base or be prepared to relocate
- Subject to OEUK medical. The medical will be arranged by OSRL.

Our team is purposefully made up of people with a wide variety of backgrounds, so if you possess any of the skills, qualifications and experience from the following categories, we would like to hear from you:

Engineering (you can fix /build stuff)

Spill response is practical. An Engineering degree and/or experience in a practical mechanical engineering or marine engineering role would be valuable to us.

Environmental (you care about the world around you and people within it)

Spill response is science-based. Experience in an environmental role, preferably with a degree in Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Oceanology or similar, will be…