Lead Mechanical Design Engineer — Subsea AUVs

Vatn Systems; West of England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Vatn Systems seeks a Senior/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the mechanical architecture of complex subsea systems from concept to production. You will mentor junior engineers and collaborate with electrical, software, and systems teams to deliver reliable, high‑performance hardware.

You will drive design analysis, CAD development, and rigorous validation for pressure vessels, housings, propulsion, and hydrodynamic components in a startup environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field (Master’s or PhD preferred).
• 5-8 years of mechanical engineering experience with focus on design analysis.
• Strong proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks) including 3D modeling, assembly and detailed drawings.
• Experience with static and dynamic seal design.
• Experience designing systems for hydrostatic pressure, including pressure housings and pressure‑critical components.
• Experience sizing propulsion systems and propellers.
• Familiarity with design analysis tools (e.g., FEA, CFD); ANSYS Workbench preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design and development of complex subsea components, systems, and assemblies from concept through production.
• Lead the full lifecycle mechanical architecture of subsea platforms, including hydrostatic pressure vessels, hydrodynamic fairings, structural chassis, and payload integration.
• Develop and maintain CAD models, drawings, GD&T, and tolerance stack‑ups reflecting analysis‑driven decisions.
• Lead engineering analysis across the mechanical system, including structural, hydrostatic housing, and thermal analysis.
• Collaborate with electrical, software, and manufacturing teams to deliver manufacturable hardware.
• Oversee prototyping, testing, and validation, and close the loop between predicted and observed performance.
• Size and evaluate subsea propulsion systems, including thrust, power, and efficiency trade‑offs.
• Perform battery sizing and packaging analysis balancing energy density, thermal behavior, and integration constraints.
• Design and analyze propellers; optimize hydrodynamic bodies for drag and efficiency.
• Mentor the mechanical team and raise analytical capability in seal design, pressure systems, propulsion, and hydrodynamics.
• Manage multiple concurrent engineering efforts in a fast‑paced environment.

Skills

CAD

SolidWorks

3D modeling

Detail drawings

FEA/CFD

Seal design

Hydrostatic pressure

Propulsion sizing

Propeller design

Mechanical fundamentals

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s or PhD preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

ANSYS Workbench

CFD

Job description

Vatn Systems seeks a Senior/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the mechanical architecture of complex subsea systems from concept to production. You will mentor junior engineers and collaborate with electrical, software, and systems teams to deliver reliable, high‑performance hardware.

You will drive design analysis, CAD development, and rigorous validation for pressure vessels, housings, propulsion, and hydrodynamic components in a startup environment.