Manufacturing Engineer

Vatn Systems; West of England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Vatn Systems is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to help transition advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicles from R&D to full production. You will own parts of the manufacturing value chain, create work instructions, and develop flow processes for complex assemblies.

You will collaborate with upstream engineering and contract manufacturers, lead hands-on tooling development, and contribute to mechanical and electrical design elements for scale manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering, math, or a hard science.
• 3+ years in electromechanical hardware manufacturing or design.
• Proven ability to deliver hardware to spec in startup environments.
• Leadership experience with teams.
• Hands-on hardware fabrication experience (machining, soldering, assembly).
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Strong sense of urgency and enthusiasm.

Responsibilities

• Own a portion or all of the manufacturing value chain for a product or set of products.
• Write documentation for manufacturing at scale (work instructions, quality plans, inspection requirements).
• Develop process flows by breaking down large assemblies into subassemblies and sub-processes.
• Work with upstream engineering to ensure designs are manufacturable at scale.
• Collaborate with contract manufacturers to develop repeatable processes for quick-turn and at-scale production.
• Work with technicians and other engineers to build prototype and production hardware.
• Develop tooling solutions for fabrication and assembly of structural parts.
• Contribute to end-customer hardware mechanical or electrical design, including interconnects and board fabrication.

Skills

Team leadership

Detail-oriented

Verbal & written communication

Hands-on hardware fabrication

Experience (3+ years)

AUV/marine robotics familiarity

Education

Technical engineering degree (engineering/math)

Tools

IPC-A-610

IPC/WHMA-A-620

J-STD-001

Job description

Manufacturing Engineer Job Description

At Vatn Systems, we specialize in designing and manufacturing advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) that push the boundaries of underwater exploration and defense technology. Our AUVs integrate complex electro-mechanical systems, high-precision sensors, and cutting-edge software to operate in challenging marine environments. We’re looking for skilled Manufacturing Engineers to join our growing team and play a key role in transitioning products from R&D to full-scale production.

As a Manufacturing Engineer at Vatn Systems, you will be responsible for rapidly iterating and building processes and advanced tooling for cutting-edge Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. This responsibility includes Design for Manufacturability, tool design & selection, process creation & optimization, vendor sourcing & interaction, quality planning, and work documentation associated with the hardware that the Manufacturing Engineer owns.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Own a portion or all of the manufacturing value chain for a certain product or set of products
• Write documentation required for successfully manufacturing their hardware at scale, such as work instructions, quality plans, inspection requirements, etc
• Develop process flows, breaking down large, complex assemblies into a logical part flow of subassemblies and sub-processes
• Work with upstream engineering teams to ensure designs are manufacturable at scale
• Work with contract manufacturers across various disciplines (PCBA fab, metal/plastic manufacturing, assembly, etc.) to develop repeatable, sustained processes for quick-turn development as well as at-scale production
• Work with technicians and other engineers in a hands-on fashion building prototype and production grade hardware
• Develop novel tooling solutions for fabrication and assembly of structural parts
• Contribute to end-customer hardware mechanical or electrical design, including interconnects, board fabrication and inspection, etc

Required Qualifications:

• Degree in a technical field such as engineering, math, or a hard science
• 3+ years of experience in a relevant field, preferably manufacturing or design of electromechanical hardware
• Demonstrated ability to deliver electromechanical hardware to spec in a start-up environment
• Demonstrated in-kind or direct team leadership skills, with backing examples
• Personal experience physically manufacturing hardware via any means (machining, fabrication, soldering, assembly, etc.). Work on personal or extracurricular projects is a plus.
• Extremely organized and detail-oriented
• Excellent verbal & written communication skills
• Has a never-ending sense of urgency and enthusiasm

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with AUVs, ROVs, or other marine robotic systems
• Experience with pressure vessels and/or pressure systems/equipment
• IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, or J-STD-001 certifications
• Knowledge of fiber optics, sonar systems, acoustic sensors, or marine navigation systems
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and MES platforms for tracking work orders and materials
• Previous involvement in NPI programs with exposure to lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement strategies
• Understanding of marine corrosion prevention and subsea sealing techniques

Vatn is an equal opportunity employer.