System Engineer - Unmanned Underwater Vehicless

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

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

25 days annual leave

Flexible onboarding options

Relocation support

Access to testing labs

Job summary

Ignite in the Netherlands is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to lead end-to-end architecture for defense and autonomous subsea systems. Hybrid/Remote options and access to test facilities are available.

You will drive integration across mechanical, hydrodynamic, and electrical domains while coordinating HITL testing and offshore trials. The role requires 10+ years in systems engineering, a relevant engineering degree, and eligibility for national security clearance.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in systems engineering delivering complex physical platforms.
• Strong experience with hull-level integration, testing, and qualification.
• English proficiency and eligibility for national security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end vehicle architecture for subsea platforms.
• Oversee integration of mechanical, hydrodynamic, and electrical systems.
• Develop HITL testing standards and lead offshore validation.
• Provide technical leadership across acoustic, electrical, and control domains.

Skills

English fluency

Security clearance eligible

Systems integration

AIT experience

Multidisciplinary leadership

Education

Degree in Systems Engineering or related field

Job description

Role: Principal Systems Engineer – Defense & Autonomous Subsea Systems

Location: Netherlands (Hybrid/Remote setup available; access to physical test facilities)

Industry: Defense Technology / Unmanned Maritime Systems

Security Vetting: NATO-member citizenship mandatory; must be eligible for national security clearance

Salary: €100,000 – €110,000 base + performance bonus + equity package

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Position Overview

A rapidly expanding defense technology pioneer focused on autonomous subsea interceptors is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer. The organization develops resilient marine robotics engineered for harsh oceanic conditions, including the North Sea. You will maintain full end-to-end technical leadership over vehicle architecture, driving mechanical, hydrodynamic, and electrical integration from initial design models to live ocean deployments.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture & Systems Budgeting: Define core subsea platform frameworks while managing critical resource allocations, including mass, power draw, buoyancy, drag profiles, communications, and positioning.
• Trade-Off Analysis: Conduct detailed engineering trade studies to balance payload capacity, range, speed, and mission longevity.
• Cross-Disciplinary Engineering: Direct the technical convergence of high-voltage battery systems, autonomous control logic, and mission payloads within space-constrained hulls.
• AIT & Sea Trials: Build hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing standards, oversee validation protocols, and lead offshore testing from early prototype phases to deployment.
• Technical Leadership: Guide a multidisciplinary engineering crew, offering direct technical troubleshooting across acoustic, electrical, and control domains.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Professional Background: 10+ years in systems engineering delivering complex physical platforms (subsea, marine, aerospace, or high-performance motorsport) across full lifecycles.
• Education: Degree in Systems Engineering, Naval Architecture, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent practical background.
• Practical Skills: Deep expertise in Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT), alongside hands-on exposure to ingress protection, thermal management, shock absorption, and dynamic vibration dynamics.
• Core Requirements: Fluent command of English; citizenship in a NATO member state with clear path to security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) or subsea engineering projects.
• Track record of personal technical builds (e.g., custom robotics, motorsport engineering, or experimental aviation).
• Familiarity with high-voltage power distribution, acoustic sensor integration, or fluid dynamics modeling.

What Is Offered

• End-to-end engineering authority over platform design and performance metrics.
• €100k – €110k base salary, annual performance bonus, and stock options.
• 25 paid annual leave days, flexible work options during onboarding, relocation support to the Netherlands, and direct access to state-of-the-art testing labs.