Onboard Retail and Catering Assistant

REC000101779 - This is a Seasonal Fixed term position over the summer months

Location: Network wide, depending on the vessel you are allocated to 

Salary: £44,141 per year plus benefits (pro rata)

Hours of Work: The normal working pattern is 12 hours per day on a two weeks on, two weeks off rota. 

Contract Type: Seasonal from March 27 to October 27 

🌊 Set sail for the best summer job ever 

(Official job title: Senior Catering Rating) 

Are you looking for a role that's more than just a summer job? 

We're now on the hunt for enthusiastic, customer-focused people to join our Onboard Retail and Catering teams for the upcoming season with Caledonian MacBrayne. Do you enjoy working with people? Can you bring energy to a fast paced environment? Fancy spending your summer at sea, seeing the most stunning regions of Scotland? Then this could be the perfect role for you! Set sail for the best summer job ever. Join CalMac this summer.  

🧭 What the job entails 

As part of our onboard team, you'll help deliver the warm welcome CalMac is known for. You’ll help make every journey a great one and every day you’ll really make a difference to our customers working across our restaurants, cafés, bars, shops and food service areas, helping ensure everyone who sails with us enjoys a safe and memorable journey. 

From serving coffee and helping customers in our shops to getting involved in food preparation, you'll help keep things running smoothly on board.   

This is more than a customer service role. It’s potentially one of the best summer jobs ever. It’s an opportunity to travel. It’s a chance to experience some of Scotland's most beautiful islands. You’ll be working alongside us, as part of the crew, who really make a difference to the west coast communities we serve. You’ll also meet people from all walks of life and build lasting friendships with your crewmates. With two weeks onboard followed by two weeks off, you'll enjoy experiences and memories that few jobs can offer. 

Set sail for the best summer job ever. Work with CalMac this summer.  

🛟Is this the role for you? 

This is a unique lifestyle role. 

You'll live on board your allocated vessel for 2 weeks at a time working daily shifts around 12 hours per day.You’ll become part of a supportive and close-knit crew. After your working period, you'll enjoy 2 weeks off to relax and recharge. 

Because you'll be working at sea, all successful applicants must hold a valid ENG1 Medical Certificate which confirms fitness for seafaring duties before an offer of employment can be confirmed. 

You can find out more on the Gov.UK website - under Seafarer medical certificates.

While day-to-day duties focus on customer service and passenger support, you'll also be trained and ready to take an active role in unlikely event of an onboard emergency, helping to manage passengers, provide first aid, and support safety-critical procedures when required. 

🚢What we're looking for 

We're looking for people with experience in customer facing roles from hospitality, retail, catering or similar environments. Most importantly, we need you to enjoy helping others, take pride in delivering great service and be friendly and professional in a busy environment. 

Catering or kitchen experience would be an advantage, though a positive attitude and passion for creating great customer experiences are just as important.   

Each member of our team is an ambassador for CalMac and when you join, you'll be part of that too, helping to ensure customers have a safe, enjoyable and memorable journey. You’ll be flexible to assist across different onboard areas and demonstrate our values of people first, bravery and locality.  

If you already hold the relevant STCW maritime qualifications, that's fantastic but we’re also committed to helping our people build long term careers with us so if you don’t yet hold them, then don’t let that stop you applying as we'll support successful candidates in gaining the required training and certification before joining the vessel. 

🧡 What we offer 

In return for your enthusiasm and commitment, we'll provide: 

• Unique and fun working environment with induction training and ongoing support 
• Accommodation and meals during a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off working pattern are included plus expenses 
• Competitive annual salary of £44,141, pro rata for 6 months 
• Travel benefits for you and your immediate family. 
• Paid training to achieve transferable maritime qualifications 
• During your working period, you will normally be expected to live onboard the vessel. Where you do not live in suitable location, accommodation will be provided to those that require it. 

Interviews will start in November and December and offers of employment subject to ENG1 confirmation in January, with a view to starting your induction and training in February or March 2027, in time for the summer season timetable. 

 Make waves. Make friends. Make memories. Come join CalMac this summer. Apply today and help create unforgettable journeys across Scotland's west coast. 🚢✨🌅 

Please note, we may close this vacancy early for external applicants if we receive the required quality or quantity of applications. All offers are subject to references and right to work in the UK checks. No agencies please