Maritime Autonomous Systems Operations Engineer

Saildrone; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 167,000 - 335,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO and holiday schedule

Comprehensive health coverage (medical

Equity and long-term incentive program

401(k) retirement plan and matching

Professional development reimbursement

Relocation support

Job summary

Saildrone is seeking a Technical Operations Engineer to join our Fleet Operations Team. You will ensure reliability, performance, and readiness of Saildrone’s autonomous surface vehicles across their lifecycle, from R&D to deployment, in diverse operating environments.

We value a systems-minded engineer who thrives in ambiguity, moving quickly to root cause and translating vehicle performance into actionable improvements. Expected travel up to 30% globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• 2+ years of experience supporting complex embedded systems, robotics, or autonomous hardware in production or field environments.
• Ability to interpret electrical diagrams and mechanical drawings to execute repairs and modifications.
• Hands-on experience with serial and network protocols (CAN, RS-485, RS-232, SPI, I2C, TCP/IP).
• Comfortable with Linux OS and shell scripting; API experience a plus.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical failures into clear narratives for cross-functional partners and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Advanced Diagnostics: Resolve complex hardware, software, and networking issues using Linux CLI tools, telemetry, and scripting to ensure mission success.
• System Ownership: Own technical outcomes for assigned vehicles, including reliability, performance, and readiness.
• Root Cause Analysis: Lead deep-dive RCA for field failures; order causes by likelihood and drive corrective actions.
• Embedded Collaboration: Work with Engineering design teams to provide feedback on system architecture and testing.
• Global Deployment: Travel up to 30% to lead vehicle preparation, troubleshooting, and mission execution, including third-party contractors.
• Incident Response: Participate in on-call rotations for real-time troubleshooting of fleet incidents.
• Documentation & Training: Develop clear work instructions and training to bridge prototype and scalable operation.
• Operational Maintenance: Maintain records and inventories following safety and standards.

Skills

Embedded systems experience

Robotics hardware

Linux scripting

Electrical diagrams & schematics

Serial & network protocols

Clear technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline

Tools

CAN, RS-485, RS-232, SPI, I2C, TCP/IP

Job description

Saildrone is seeking a Technical Operations Engineer to join our Fleet Operations Team. You will ensure reliability, performance, and readiness of Saildrone’s autonomous surface vehicles across their lifecycle, from R&D to deployment, in diverse operating environments.

We value a systems-minded engineer who thrives in ambiguity, moving quickly to root cause and translating vehicle performance into actionable improvements. Expected travel up to 30% globally.