rescue diver
Snapshot
Are you drawn to challenging environments and possess a strong desire to help others? As a rescue diver, you'll be a vital link in underwater emergency response, ensuring safety and providing critical assistance in demanding situations.
Rescue divers are highly skilled professionals who specialize in managing underwater emergencies. Your work involves preventing and responding to problems that arise during diving operations in seas and waterways. You’ll be prepared to handle dive emergencies, operate specialized rescue equipment, and work under physically demanding conditions to rescue individuals or recover objects. This role requires a combination of technical diving expertise, quick decision-making, and a commitment to safety.
- • Responding to and managing underwater emergencies, including dive accidents and equipment failures.
- • Performing search and rescue operations to locate and retrieve individuals or objects.
- • Operating and maintaining specialized rescue equipment, such as underwater communication devices and rescue platforms.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Food processing, wood working, garment and other craft and related trades workers — 115 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Czechia.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Future Outlook for rescue diver
The outlook for rescue diver is exceptionally stable. While AI tools will assist with daily tasks, the core of this role relies on human judgment, resulting in a high resilience score of 82%.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could rescue diver change as AI adoption grows?
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could rescue diver change as AI adoption grows?
Human judgement, trust, and context remain strong protectors for this role.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- provide first aid
- react calmly in stressful situations
- comply with the planned time for the depth of the dive
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- display warnings around dive site
- interrupt diving operations when necessary
- perform diving interventions
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a rescue diver
09 09:00 · Morning check diving equipment
10 10:30 · Mid-morning apply crisis management
12 12:00 · Midday assist in maritime rescue operations
14 14:00 · Afternoon comply with the planned time for the depth of the dive
15 15:30 · Late afternoon deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances
17 17:00 · Wrap-up display warnings around dive site
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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diving vessels systems
The characteristics, functioning and way of working with dynamic positioning systems, construction barges and dive support vessels.
- crisis intervention
- diving equipment
- diving operation requirements
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react calmly in stressful situations
React quickly, calmly, and safely to unexpected situations; provide a solution that solves the problem or diminishes its impact.
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comply with the planned time for the depth of the dive
Ensure that a diver returns from a given depth after the planned time limit has expired.
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perform search and rescue missions
Assist in fighting natural and civic disasters, such as forest fires, floods and road accidents. Conduct search-and-rescue missions.
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assist in maritime rescue operations
Provide assistance during maritime rescue operations.
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handle stressful situations in the work place
Deal with and manage highly stressful situations in the workplace by following adequate procedures, communicating in a quiet and effective manner, and remaining level-headed when taking decisions.
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tolerate stress
Maintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.
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maintain diving equipment
Perform maintenance actions, including small repairs, on diving equipment.
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check diving equipment
Check diving equipment for valid certification to ensure its suitability. Ensure that any diving equipment is examined by a competent person before use, at least once on each day on which it is to be used. Ensure that it is adequately tested and repaired.
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ensure diving operations conform with plan
Ensure that the dive adheres to the operational plan and the contingency plan.
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implement dive plans
Implement dive plans, working with the client, vessel teams and marine superintendents.
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provide first aid
Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.
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deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances
Strive to achieve objectives despite the pressures arising from unexpected factors outside of your control.
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display warnings around dive site
Ensure that warning devices are displayed in the area around a dive site, so as to keep it clear of any equipment other than that associated with the diving operation.
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perform diving interventions
Perform hyperbaric interventions at a maximum pressure of 4 atmospheres. Prepare and review the personal equipment and the auxiliary material. Perform and supervise the dive. Realise maintenance of the diving equipment and auxiliary material. Apply security measures to ensure the divers' safety when realising deep immersions.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does rescue diver fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of physical fitness is required to be a rescue diver?
- The role demands excellent physical condition. You'll need to be strong, have good cardiovascular health, and be comfortable working in challenging underwater environments. Regular physical training and maintaining diving fitness are essential.
- What are the typical working conditions for a rescue diver?
- Rescue divers often work in unpredictable and demanding conditions, including varying water temperatures, currents, and visibility. The work can be physically strenuous and may involve long hours and exposure to potentially hazardous situations.
- Are rescue divers typically employed or self-employed?
- Rescue divers are primarily employed by organizations such as search and rescue teams, commercial diving companies, maritime agencies, or tourism operators. While some independent opportunities may exist, most rescue divers work as part of a team within an established organization.
- Rescue Diver — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 5 of the 6 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary and 1 more. One country reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Rescue Diver — what does it pay in the United States?
- $61,130 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $46,490 to $161,800. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.