Head of Maritime Engineering

Instant Teams; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

UFORCE seeks a Head of Maritime Engineering to lead and scale our UK maritime capability. This hands-on leadership role combines technical judgement with pace, uniting vessel, autonomy and mission systems across multidisciplinary teams.

You will own delivery, technical integrity and readiness of maritime platforms, setting standards for design, test and certification as programmes grow.

Qualifications

• Chartered engineer status or equivalent professional credential.
• Experience with vessel classification, certification and assurance.
• Engineering leadership across marine vessels, naval systems or maritime autonomy.
• Experience delivering complex engineering programmes from requirements through deployment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale UFORCE’s UK maritime engineering capability, building a high-performing multidisciplinary team.
• Own the engineering delivery, technical integrity and operational readiness of our maritime platforms.
• Lead the integration of vessel, mechanical, electrical, autonomy, communications and mission systems.
• Establish practical standards across design, integration, test, configuration and certification.
• Turn customer requirements into clear engineering priorities and executable plans.
• Coordinate with programme, product, operations, suppliers and customers to solve engineering challenges at pace.
• Shape the longer-term maritime engineering strategy as UFORCE scales.

Skills

Chartered Engineer

Workboat Code Ed3

Engineering leadership

Maritime systems integration

Vessel systems

Testing & certification

Stakeholder management

Shipyard experience

Education

Naval architecture / related degree

Job description

UFORCE exists to make aggression unaffordable.Founded in Ukraine and headquartered in London, UFORCE is a defence-technology company with operations across Europe, the United States and Asia.UFORCE builds uncrewed vessels, ground robotics and aircraft, autonomy software, and the command-and-control layer that operates them together. Each platform is deployable on its own, and stronger as part of the system. Its product lines include the MAGURA family of uncrewed surface vessels, the NEMESIS family of strike platforms, the LIUT family of ground robotic platforms, and counter-UAS systems.

About the role

UFORCE is building its UK engineering capability and we’re looking for a Head of Maritime Engineering to lead and scale the function.

This is a hands-on leadership role with responsibility for the technical delivery, integration and readiness of our maritime platforms. You’ll bring together engineering teams, suppliers and partners to solve complex challenges across vessel systems, integration, test, assurance and deployment.

We’re looking for an experienced maritime engineering leader who can combine strong technical judgement with pace and pragmatism - building the team, standards and engineering capability needed as our maritime programmes grow.

What you’ll do

• Lead and scale UFORCE’s UK maritime engineering capability, building a high-performing multidisciplinary team.

• Own the engineering delivery, technical integrity and operational readiness of our maritime platforms.

• Lead the integration of vessel, mechanical, electrical, autonomy, communications and mission systems.

• Establish practical standards across design, integration, test, configuration, maintenance, technical risk, certification and assurance.

• Turn programme and customer requirements into clear engineering priorities and executable plans.

• Work with programme, product and operational teams, suppliers and customers to solve complex engineering challenges at pace.

• Shape the longer-term maritime engineering strategy and technical capability as UFORCE scales.

Required Skills

• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent professional credentials.

• Experience with Workboat Code Edition 3 or similar frameworks, including vessel classification, certification and assurance.

• Engineering leadership experience across marine vessels, naval systems, maritime platforms or maritime autonomy.

• Experience integrating autonomy, communications, sensors, payloads or mission systems onto maritime platforms.

• Strong understanding of vessel systems, integration, test, maintenance, engineering governance, configuration, technical risk and safe operation.

• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in shipyards, dockyards, integration facilities, test sites or similar operational environments.

• Experience delivering complex engineering programmes from requirements through integration, test and deployment.

• Strong technical judgement and stakeholder skills, with the ability to make pragmatic decisions and deliver at pace in an ambiguous environment.

Nice to have

• Experience working in a start-up, scale-up or urgent operational environment.

• Experience in defence maritime, naval engineering, maritime autonomy or uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).

The nature of combat has changed.

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

And UFORCE is ready.

Are You?