Coxswain / Operator

UFORCE; Poole; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

UFORCE seeks an experienced Operator / Coxswain to support its UK maritime operations. The role covers crewed vessels, USV ops, demonstrations, trials and user training across programme delivery, engineering, systems and training teams.

You will bring maritime credibility, strong Coxswain judgement and the discipline to operate with limited direction in a sensitive defence tech environment.

Qualifications

• Credible military or comparable high-reliability operational experience, ideally maritime or littoral.
• Relevant maritime or equivalent military qualifications (RYA/MCA, STCW, etc.).
• Proven Coxswain judgement and safe boat-handling experience.
• Experience in safety-critical, mission-delivery contexts with clear communication.
• Exposure to USVs, UAS, robotics or similar operational tech, willing to learn.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute maritime activity including briefings, launch/recovery, debriefs and checks.
• Act as Coxswain/operator during demos, trials, training and internal testing.
• Support safe USV operations with coordination with crewed vessels.
• Train military, government, partner-force and customer users.
• Collaborate with engineering to prepare activity, capture defects and improve readiness.
• Brief plans, risks, and tactical considerations to leaders and stakeholders.
• Maintain security/export-control awareness and handle sensitive information.
• Develop SOPs, checklists, risk controls and training materials.
• Lead small teams during operational and training activity.

Skills

Maritime experience

Coxswain judgement

Safety-critical operations

Military or high-reliability ops

UAS / USV exposure

Training/military-user coaching

Security awareness

On-site work ability

Job description

_ UFORCE is a combat-systems integrator transforming Ukrainian battlefield experience into deployable defence technology for allied nations. Built by Ukrainian practitioners and global technology leaders, UFORCE brings together unmanned air, sea, and land systems, software, command-and-control, and operational expertise into one adaptive combat architecture. _

_ Our mission is to make defence dramatically faster, more scalable, and more cost-effective than traditional military systems — helping free nations deter aggression by making defence 100× cheaper than offence. We are building a new category of defence company: combat-proven, open to allied integration, shaped by real-world frontline experience, and focused on protecting democratic societies at speed. _

About the role

UFORCE is building its UK maritime operations capability and is looking for an experienced Operator / Coxswain to support safe, credible operational activity.

This hands-on role covers crewed vessels, USV operations, customer demonstrations, trials and foreign-user training. You’ll work across programme delivery, engineering, systems and training teams to turn operational plans into safe, assured outcomes.

You’ll bring strong maritime credibility, practical Coxswain judgement and the discipline to operate with limited direction in a sensitive defence technology environment.

What you’ll do

• Plan and execute maritime activity, including briefings, launch and recovery, communications, debriefs and post-run checks.

• Act as Coxswain / operator during demonstrations, trials, training and internal testing.

• Support safe USV operations, including operating envelopes, handovers, emergency procedures and coordination with crewed vessels.

• Train military, government, partner-force and customer users.

• Work with engineering and systems teams to prepare activity, capture defects and improve operational readiness.

• Brief plans, risks, limitations and tactical considerations to internal leaders, customers and senior stakeholders.

• Maintain high standards of security, export-control awareness and customer sensitivity.

• Develop practical SOPs, checklists, risk controls and training materials.

• Lead small teams during operational and training activity.

Required Skills

• Credible military or comparable high-reliability operational experience, ideally in a maritime or littoral environment.

• Relevant maritime or equivalent military qualifications, such as RYA / MCA Powerboat, Advanced Powerboat, Yachtmaster, STCW, VHF, first aid or sea survival.

• Proven Coxswain judgement and safe boat-handling experience—not certificate ownership alone.

• Experience working where safety, mission delivery, coordination and clear communication are critical.

• Exposure to USVs, UAS, robotics, autonomy, C2, sensors or similar operational technology—or the ability to learn quickly.

• Experience training, coaching or assessing military, government, commercial or mixed-experience users.

• Strong security awareness and confidence handling controlled information on a need-to-know basis.

• Ability to plan, manage risk, brief and deliver practical outcomes with limited direction.

• Ability to work regularly on site.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting trials, demonstrations, deployments or exercises.

• Basic engineering or maintenance awareness, including checks, defect capture and fault reporting.

• A local maritime network or experience in defence, government, security-cleared or export-controlled environments.

• Experience with wider multi-domain systems, including UAS, ISTAR, sensors or payloads.

_ The nature of combat has changed. _

_ Tomorrow’s battlefield success depends on autonomy, speed, and adaptability. _

_ And UFORCE is ready. _

_ Are You? _