System Engineer - Unmanned Underwater Vehicless

Ignite; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity incentive

Annual bonus

Relocation assistance

Labs access

Vacation days

Job summary

Ignite seeks a Principal Systems Engineer for Defense & Autonomous Subsea Systems. Based in the Netherlands with remote onboarding and access to hands‑on testing labs, you will lead platform design across mechanical, hydrodynamic and electrical subsystems from CAD to sea trials.

You will oversee a cross‑disciplinary team, enforcing design constraints, performing trade studies, and driving integration of energy storage, avionics, and sensors in harsh maritime environments.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of systems engineering experience guiding complex physical vehicles (marine, subsea, aerospace, or motorsport) through full delivery cycles.
• Professional working proficiency in English; NATO-member citizenship with eligibility for security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Establish the foundational subsea vehicle framework and enforce key design allocations (mass, power consumption, buoyancy, hydrodynamic drag, comms, and navigation).
• Perform comprehensive trade studies balancing payload capacities, mission endurance, and transit speeds.
• Drive integration of high‑voltage energy storage, flight control software loops, and payload sensors within compact hulls.
• Define HITL simulation frameworks, test protocols, and lead saltwater trials from prototype phases to verification.
• Direct an agile engineering team, providing hands‑on problem‑solving across acoustic, electrical, and avionics domains.

Education

Naval Architecture

Systems Engineering

Aerospace

Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Role: Principal Systems Engineer – Defense & Autonomous Subsea Systems

Base: Netherlands (Remote onboarding option; access to hands‑on testing labs)

Sector: Defense Engineering / Unmanned Subsea Robotics

Clearance: Must hold citizenship in a NATO member state and qualify for national security clearance

Remuneration: €100k – €110k base + annual bonus + equity incentive

Employment Type: Full-time, direct hire

About the Opportunity

A high-growth defense technology firm specializing in autonomous subsea interceptors is hiring a Lead Systems Engineer. The company engineers high‑reliability maritime robotics tailored for extreme underwater environments like the North Sea. In this role, you will hold complete technical authority over platform design, harmonizing mechanical, hydrodynamic, and electrical sub‑systems from CAD models to operational sea trials.

Core Responsibilities

• Architecture & Constraints: Establish the foundational subsea vehicle framework and enforce key design allocations (mass, power consumption, buoyancy, hydrodynamic drag, comms, and navigation).
• Design Trade‑Offs: Perform comprehensive trade studies balancing payload capacities, mission endurance, and transit speeds.
• Cross‑Disciplinary Integration: Drive the integration of high‑voltage energy storage, flight control software loops, and payload sensors within compact internal hulls.
• AIT & Field Operations: Define HITL simulation frameworks, test protocols, and lead saltwater trials from initial prototype phases to final verification.
• Technical Guidance: Direct an agile engineering team, providing hands‑on problem‑solving across acoustic, electrical, and avionics domains.

Candidate Profile

Must‑Have:

• Experience: 10+ years in systems engineering with proven success guiding complex physical vehicles (marine, subsea, aerospace, or motorsport) through full delivery cycles.
• Education: Degree in Naval Architecture, Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Hands‑on Expertise: Deep familiarity with Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT), along with practical solutions for sealing, dynamic thermal loads, shock, and vibration mitigation.
• Requirements: Professional working proficiency in English; NATO‑member citizenship with clear eligibility for security clearance.

Nice‑to‑Have:

• Direct background in Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) or ocean technology.
• Personal background building vehicles (motorsport, personal aviation, or custom robotics projects).
• Exposure to high‑voltage power architectures, acoustic payloads, and hydrodynamic modeling.

Benefits & Package

• Total design autonomy over platform architecture and performance budgets.
• €100,000 – €110,000 base compensation package, performance incentives, and equity stakes.
• 25 days paid vacation, flexible work arrangements during setup, relocation assistance to the Netherlands, and rapid access to advanced fabrication facilities.