Project Engineer

COVE; Dartmouth; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health and dental benefits

RRSP matching

Income insurance

Paid time off

Maternity & parental leave top-up

Learning and growth opportunities

Employee referral program

Job summary

COVE is seeking a Project Engineer to provide engineering oversight for a portfolio of complex marine, defence, and dual-use technology projects. You will translate needs into requirements, review designs, and ensure safety and lifecycle alignment, while leading technical reviews in a matrix environment.

The role offers a hybrid work model with some travel and requires a P.Eng. designation or eligibility, plus 5+ years of experience and eligibility for Canadian security clearance.

Qualifications

• P.Eng. designation or eligibility
• 5+ years progressively in a similar role
• Eligible for Government of Canada security clearance
• Strong knowledge of engineering principles and systems integration
• Experience translating requirements into specs and acceptance criteria
• Experience managing technical interfaces and dependencies
• Knowledge of safety standards and risk management
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication for diverse stakeholders
• Able to work in a multidisciplinary, matrix environment

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering oversight and governance across multiple projects
• Support procurement and contract administration with technical scopes
• Review designs, test plans, and vendor proposals for feasibility and safety
• Translate operational needs into engineering requirements and acceptance criteria
• Collaborate with managers, contractors, and government stakeholders
• Prepare technical assessments and stakeholder briefings
• Occasional travel may be required
• Ensure compliance with COVE policies and safety standards
• Take on additional responsibilities to support growth

Skills

P.Eng. designation

5+ years experience

Security clearance eligibility

Engineering governance

System integration

Technical communication

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Engineering/PM tools

Job description

COVE is a global technology partner advancing high-impact solutions from seabed to space. COVE transforms innovation into market-ready technologies through testing, commercialization support, market expertise and access to critical infrastructure. Leveraging its networks and mission-driven platform, COVE connects investors, innovators, industry, and the research community to drive cutting-edge capabilities for commercial and defence applications.

Based in Canada and operating internationally, COVE supports the full lifecycle of maritime and multi-domain technologies – from research and development to manufacturing, integration, and export – linking Canadian innovation to global markets. COVE has built a globally recognized innovation platform, with an ecosystem of more than 700 organisations spanning startups, multinational firms, researchers, Indigenous partners, and public sector collaborators.

Through its programs, facilities, and partnerships, COVE enables real-world testing and validation, strengthens supply chains, and accelerates technology adoption in complex operating environments. With strong connections across the North Atlantic, the United States, and the Arctic, and as part of international networks including NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), COVE plays a key role in advancing technologies that support economic growth, environmental sustainability, and global security.

As COVE experiences rapid expansion, it is actively seeking to expand its team to further bolster its transformational influence as a global technology partner in advancing high-impact solutions. COVE recognizes that its journey toward this goal hinges on the strength of its team – a group of individuals who collaborate, innovate, and continually strive for excellence. Join COVE as it embarks on this exciting journey of discovery and advancement.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Director, Project Delivery, the Project Engineer provides engineering oversight and technical governance across for a portfolio of complex marine, defence, and dual-use technology projects.

What You’ll Do:

The Project Engineer translates operational needs into engineering requirements, reviews technical designs and test plans, validates system interfaces and acceptance criteria, and identifies technical and safety risks.Working in a matrix environment, the Project Engineer supports concurrent initiatives and provides independent technical review of vendors deliverables to confirm they are feasible, safe, maintainable, reliable, and aligned with operational and lifecycle requirements.

This role provides technical leadership throughout the project lifecycle and is accountable for ensuring that all engineering deliverables meet applicable standards, contractual and project requirements, and long-term operational needs.

• Provide engineering oversight, technical governance, engineering decision support and technical risk assessment across multiple projects, ensuring engineering deliverables align with project objectives and operational requirements, contract obligations, and applicable engineering standards.
• Serve as the Test and Validate department’s internal engineering resource by providing independent technical assessment and challenging vendor proposed solutions for alignment with operational requirements, lifecycle considerations, and organizational objectives.
• Support project planning by identifying engineering scope, project schedules, budgets, technical constraints, project milestones, resource requirements, and engineering risks.
• Review engineering designs, specifications, test plans, and vendor proposals to assess technical feasibility, safety, maintainability, cost effectiveness, reliability, operability, and compliance with applicable standards.
• Translate operational needs into engineering requirements, acceptance criteria, and integration considerations while validating system interfaces and technical dependencies.
• Provide engineering support for procurement and contract administration by developing technical scopes and specifications, evaluating proposals and contractor submissions to ensure compliance with project requirements.
• Provide technical oversight of contractor-led system integration activities, verifying that integration approaches, testing methodologies, and acceptance processes align with COVE requirements and operational objectives.
• Ensure engineering solutions consider whole-of-life support requirements, including maintainability, reliability, operability, training, technical documentation, sustainment, quality, commissioning and future scalability.
• Ensure engineering integration and safety risks and recommending mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with project managers, contractors, government stakeholders, and technical subject matter experts to support procurement, technical reviews, and engineering decision-making.
• Prepare technical assessments, reports, and stakeholder briefings, translating complex engineering concepts into clear, actionable information.
• Occasional travel may be required.
• Ensure compliance with COVE’s policies and procedures, including human resources, safety, and operational standards.
• Take on additional responsibilities as required to support the success and growth of COVE’s programs and strategic initiatives.

What You Bring:

• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation or eligibility for registration.
• 5+ years’ progressive experience in a similar role.
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada security clearance is required.
• Strong knowledge of engineering principles, systems integration, and technical governance.
• Demonstrated experience translating operational requirements into engineering requirements, technical specifications, and acceptance criteria.
• Experience managing technical interfaces, system dependencies, and multidisciplinary integration activities.
• Knowledge of engineering standards, safety requirements, and technical risk management.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and engineering decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical information for diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary, matrix environment with government, industry, and academia.

Additional Assets:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and engineering/project management tools.
• Experience with defence, marine, or complex technology projects.
• Knowledge of systems engineering, integration, and verification methodologies.
• Experience working with government procurement, standards, or regulatory environments.

Working at COVE

At our core, we are a team driven by our passion for empowering marine tech innovators, serving as unwavering advocates for every visionary who walks through our doors. Integrity, creativity, and diversity are not just values to us - they are the bedrock of our identity. We thrive within an integrated team environment, where collective efforts culminate in tangible results. Embracing diversity in our workforce is paramount for fostering genuine collaboration and fulfilling the impactful responsibilities we hold within our community. We cultivate a workplace culture that celebrates individual differences, ensuring that each person's unique talents and strengths are fully recognized, appreciated, and utilized. Operating within a hybrid and flexible work environment allows us to optimise the collective potential of our highly collaborative team, enabling us to achieve the best possible outcomes.

• Opportunity to learn and make an impact by working for a dynamic, growing company on meaningful projects that find solutions to real-life problems.
• Comprehensive paid time off including vacation, personal sick time, and additional days for family illness or medical appointments.
• Hybrid work model with flexibility to work remotely 1 day/week.
• Team wide bonding activities and casual work environment.
• Tech focused office location, convenient via transit and bike paths.
• Employee wellbeing including full medical & dental benefits and a health spending account.
• Group RRSP matching program & Income Insurance Plans.
• Maternity & parental leave top-up allowance
• Learning and growth opportunities.
• Employee referral program.

Talent Pool

As part of our ongoing recruitment efforts, we continually identify candidates who demonstrate the skills, experience, and potential to contribute to our organization. By submitting your application, you will be considered for current and future opportunities that match your qualifications and interests.

Should your profile align with our current or future needs, a member of our recruitment team may reach out to you to discuss potential opportunities and to further assess your fit for specific roles within our organization.

We are committed to ensuring accommodations are made available to persons with disabilities during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes and will provide reasonable accommodation upon request.

We offer an excellent working environment where life balance is valued. Our people and their commitment to quality work is what drives our success. You can find out more information about COVE at www.coveocean.com. Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience, note that relocation costs are not supported.

The deadline for submission is September 17, 2026 at 5pm (Atlantic). We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.