Technical Project Manager - Maritime (all gendfers)

Stark Defence; Swindon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

STARK is a defence technology company developing unmanned systems and Marine autonomy solutions. We are seeking a Technical Project Manager focused on Maritime Autonomy to drive maritime autonomy initiatives, ensuring delivery of USV capabilities on time and on budget.

You will report to the Head of Technical Project Management and own the certification, regulatory compliance cycle, and maritime safety standards for autonomous marine systems, coordinating with UK & Germany teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in technical project management, systems engineering, or project leadership.
• Experience in deep-tech, defense, aerospace, marine engineering, or hardware–software integration environments.
• Proven track record of managing projects under rigorous safety-critical certification and compliance standards (e.g., ISO 26262, IEC 61508, DO-178C, or maritime classification society rules) following the V&V delivery model.
• High proficiency in Jira, Confluence, and advanced planning tools.
• Crisp, structured communication style with the ability to distill complex technical constraints into clear plans and executive summaries.
• Urgency-driven, execution-focused mindset with a strong sense of personal ownership.

Responsibilities

• Maritime Project Execution: Manage the lifecycle of maritime autonomy R&D projects, coordinating cross-functional efforts across software developers, embedded hardware teams, control systems, and Sea trials engineers across the UK & Germany.
• Autonomy Certification: Take ownership of the compliance and certification cycle within delivery for autonomous marine systems, coordinating with our Compliance Manager to align delivery with classification and national maritime regulatory bodies.
• Hardware/Software Integration: Lead project planning to synchronize software releases with physical construction & integrations on prototype vessels.
• Schedule & Risk Management: Establish detailed timelines, work breakdown structures, milestones, resource allocation profiles, and risk-mitigation strategies to deliver features on target.
• Stakeholder Visibility: Implement dashboards and reporting systems using Jira/Confluence to provide leadership with visibility into project velocity, roadblocks, and delivery status.

Skills

Project management

Systems engineering

Leadership

Stakeholder communication

Risk management

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

About Us

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop, and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments.

We’re focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems—not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe—today.

About the team

Minerva is STARK's command and control software — the brain that connects operators to autonomous systems across multiple domains in real time. The Minerva team is a small, senior software group based in Berlin and Munich, working directly with our systems and hardware teams to build mission-critical C2 capabilities deployed in active operational environments.

We move fast, ship real software, and operate under constraints most engineers never encounter — low-bandwidth networks, air-gapped devices, and high-stakes decision loops. There is no room for abstraction for its own sake. Everything we build ends up in the hands of real operators in the field.

Your mission

To drive mission success by ensuring our R&D teams can stay focused on innovation, we are seeking a Technical Project Manager with a focus on Maritime Autonomy. Reporting to the Head of Technical Project Management, you will be the tactical engine room for our marine programs.

Your initial priority will be managing our maritime autonomy initiatives to ensure we build, test, and certify our unmanned surface vessel (USV) capabilities on time and on budget. Specifically, you will take absolute ownership for the delivery of certification, regulatory compliance cycle, and maritime safety standards for autonomous marine systems.

Responsibilities

• Maritime Project Execution: Manage the lifecycle of maritime autonomy R&D projects, coordinating cross-functional efforts across software developers, embedded hardware teams, control systems, and Sea trials engineers across the UK & Germany.
• Autonomy Certification: Take ownership of the compliance and certification cycle within delivery for autonomous marine systems, coordinating with our Compliance Manager to align delivery with classification and national maritime regulatory bodies.
• Hardware/Software Integration: Lead project planning to synchronize software releases with physical construction & integrations on prototype vessels.
• Schedule & Risk Management: Establish detailed timelines, work breakdown structures, milestones, resource allocation profiles, and risk‑mitigation strategies to deliver features on target.
• Stakeholder Visibility: Implement dashboards and reporting systems using Jira/Confluence to provide leadership with visibility into project velocity, roadblocks, and delivery status.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in technical project management, systems engineering, or project leadership.
• Demonstrated experience in deep‑tech, defense, aerospace, marine engineering, or high‑growth hardware‑software integration environments.
• Proven track record of managing projects under rigorous safety‑critical certification and compliance standards (e.g., ISO 26262, IEC 61508, DO‑178C, or maritime classification society rules) following the V&V delivery model.
• High proficiency in modern project management platforms, specifically Jira, Confluence, and advanced planning tools.
• Crisp, structured communication style with the ability to distill complex technical constraints into clear plans and executive summaries.
• Urgency‑driven, execution‑focused mindset with a strong sense of personal ownership.

Nice to have

• Prior experience in marine/aerospace engineering, military operations, or defense contracting.
• Knowledge of maritime regulations (COLREGs, SOLAS), and related technologies such as AIS tracking systems.
• Familiarity with autonomous vehicle stacks (UxV), autopilot ecosystems, or robotic control loop development.