System Engineer Unmanned Underwater Vehicless

*** Candidates NATO country nationality elligible only***

Initial remote start available
Salary:base performance bonus & option pool
Employment Type: Full-time Permanent
Domain: Defense / Autonomous Maritime Systems
About the Opportunity
A fast-growing engineering startup developing cutting-edge autonomous subsea interceptor platforms is seeking a lead Systems Engineer. Operating in the defense technology space the company builds high-performance maritime systems built to withstand extreme environments such as the North Sea.
In this key role you will take full system ownershipbridging mechanical hydrodynamic and electrical engineering disciplines to bring complex subsea vehicles from digital models to physical reality.
Key Responsibilities

• System Architecture & Budgets: Drive the complete physical and systemic architecture of subsea platforms. Own and strictly manage critical budgets including Mass Power Buoyancy Drag Navigation and Communications.
  
• Trade-Off Management: Ruthlessly balance compromises between payload speed and endurance to satisfy harsh operational requirements.
  
• Technical Integration: Lead the multidisciplinary integration of high-voltage battery architectures operational control loops and sensor payloads within a tightly constrained physical envelope.
  
• AIT & Testing: Oversee Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) validation test campaign planning and operational trials from early prototyping through saltwater deployment.
  
• Multidisciplinary Leadership: Manage and mentor a small fast-moving engineering team filling operational gaps (electrical acoustic avionics) as needed during early phase development.
  

Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 10 years of systems engineering experience with a proven track record of leading the physical design cycle of complex vehicles (subsea platforms aerospace high-performance maritime or motorsport).
  
• Education: Degree in Systems Engineering Naval Architecture Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent practical experience).
  
• Technical Mastery: Deep hands-on experience in Assembly Integration and Testing (AIT). Demonstrated expertise managing physical constraints like watertight integrity thermal dissipation shock and vibration.
  
• Security & Language: Fluent in English (C1). Must hold Dutch or NATO-country citizenship with eligibility for security clearance.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct UUV or subsea domain expertise.
  
• Hands-on vehicle building experience (including hobbies or side projects).
  
• Familiarity with high-voltage battery architectures acoustic sensors and hydrodynamic analysis.
  

What Is Offered

• Impact & Ownership: Complete technical authority over vehicle design decisions and system performance margins.
  
• Compensation:starting base salary performance-based bonus potential and future employee equity/stock options.
  
• Flexibility & Benefits: 25 days annual leave initial remote onboarding flexibility with relocation support to the Netherlands and direct access to on-site prototyping facilities for rapid physical iteration.