Technical Lead USV Automation

Fugro-Geoteam AS; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Work from home option

Commuting allowance

Modern pension scheme

Collective health insurance

Fitness plan

Job summary

Fugro is seeking a Technical Lead to elevate the Automation Platform for Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs). You will guide a multidisciplinary team in PLC-based control systems across Autopilot, Propulsion, and Joystick modules, ensuring scalable and reusable automation solutions for different USV classes.

You will partner with Product Owner and Project Manager, coordinate with external suppliers, and mentor engineers.

Qualifications

• Degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years in industrial automation, embedded systems, or marine control systems.
• Strong PLC programming experience (CODESYS, e!COCKPIT, IEC 61131-3).
• Proven leadership experience in a technical or team lead role.
• Familiarity with NMEA, CAN, Modbus, and MQTT communication protocols.
• Experience with agile development methodologies (Scrum/SAFe).
• Excellent communication and hands-on testing/commissioning/integration mindset.

Responsibilities

• Provide clear direction and structure within the team while safeguarding technical quality.
• Collaborate with Product Owner and Project Manager to align decisions with goals.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team developing PLC-based control systems (Autopilot, Propulsion, Joystick).
• Ensure platform scalability and reusability across USV classes.
• Drive process improvements, tooling, and system architecture; support sprint planning and code reviews.
• Ensure compliance with safety, cybersecurity, and marine standards.

Skills

Technical leadership

People management

Agile (Scrum/SAFe)

Communication

Ownership/decision-making

Testing & commissioning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Software/Electrical/Automation Engineering or related field

Tools

CODESYS

e!COCKPIT

IEC 61131-3

NMEA

CAN

Modbus

MQTT

Job description

Job Description We are looking for an inspiring and technically capable Technical Lead to elevate the development of our Automation Platform for Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs). In this role, you combine strong technical leadership with people-management, guiding the development of our autopilot and PLC-based control platforms. You will build and lead a team that delivers robust, scalable, and reusable automation solutions across multiple USV classes.

Your role

You provide clear direction, structure, and collaboration within the team while safeguarding the quality of our technical solutions. You work closely with the Product Owner and Project Manager to align technical decisions with product goals and roadmap priorities. You collaborate with external suppliers and partners to source and integrate essential software components and systems. You coordinate with geographically distributed teams to ensure seamless integration and reliable functionality of USV systems. You lead and mentor a multidisciplinary engineering team developing PLC-based control systems, overseeing modules such as Autopilot, Propulsion Control, and Joystick Control. You ensure platform scalability and reusability across different USV classes. You drive continuous improvement in development processes, tools, and system architecture, facilitating sprint planning, code reviews, and technical decision‑making. You ensure compliance with safety, cybersecurity, and marine standards.

Your track record

A degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or a related field, plus 5+ years of experience in industrial automation, embedded systems, or marine control systems. Strong hands-on experience with PLC programming (CODESYS, e!COCKPIT, IEC 61131-3). Proven leadership experience in a technical or team lead role. Familiarity with communication protocols such as NMEA, CAN, Modbus, and MQTT. Experience with agile development methodologies (Scrum, SAFe, etc.). Excellent communication and coordination skills, hands-on experience during testing, commissioning, or integration, and a proactive mindset with ownership and decision-making ability.

What Fugro offers

A diverse and inclusive working environment.

• A competitive salary.
• 29 holidays per year (full-time), of which 4 are appointed by Fugro management, plus the option to purchase 12 additional days.
• Extensive career and training opportunities.
• Flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home in alignment with your manager and corporate policies.
• Commuting allowance.
• Modern pension scheme.
• Collective health insurance.
• Good parking facilities.
• Access to our corporate fitness plan.
• Coaching options through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).