Operational Systems Designer

Kongsberg; Horten; Hybrid; NOK 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Flexible work hours

Pension and insurance

Collaborative design community

Job summary

Kongsberg Discovery is seeking an Operational Systems Designer to shape the future of autonomous maritime vessels. You will design, implement, and test USV systems with a focus on safety and usability, collaborating across users, engineers, and product teams to deliver holistic solutions for complex maritime operations.

Join a multidisciplinary team addressing real-world challenges in demanding environments, contributing from concept to market-ready products while emphasizing human factors and

Qualifications

• A degree in a related field; maritime domain experience preferred.
• Ability to lead and collaborate in complex development environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement and maintain USV solutions with safety-critical focus.
• Take holistic design perspective across disciplines and stakeholders.
• Follow projects from concepts to market-ready products across stages.
• Turn user and operational needs into design solutions using HTA and HFI.
• Design and test interfaces for human supervisors to support situational awareness.

Skills

Systems thinking

Design thinking

User studies

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Safety-critical design

Education

Industrial Design

Industrial Engineering

Computer Science

Human Factors Engineering

Tools

ISO 11064

ISO 9241-210

Job description

Shape the future of Autonomous Maritime Vessels

At Kongsberg Discovery, we develop advanced technologies that help create safer, smarter, and more sustainable operations at sea. Together with our customers we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world’s most demanding marine environments. As our new Operational Systems Designer, you will take a holistic approach to the design of next-generation Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) systems. You will work at the intersection of people, operations and technology, seeing how individual solutions fit into the bigger picture and helping multidisciplinary teams create the best possible overall system. This is a role for someone who listens, understands different perspectives and can move confidently between users, engineers, product teams and other stakeholders. By understanding both human needs and technical possibilities, you will help turn complexity into safe, intuitive and effective operational solutions.

What you will be doing

• Design, implement and maintain USV solutions for controlling and coordinating autonomous vehicles and vessels, with a strong focus on safety-critical and functional design
• Take a holistic design perspective, understanding how individual solutions, technologies and operational needs come together as part of the complete USV system
  • Work across disciplines with users, developers and stakeholders, integrating autonomous USV systems and translating different perspectives and needs into effective solutions
  • Follow projects from initial concepts to market-ready products, contributing throughout user studies, design, development, validation and testing
• Turn user and operational needs into design solutions through user studies, Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and Human Factors Integration (HFI), including design validation
• Design and test interfaces for human supervisors, supporting situational awareness, trust and safe intervention while reducing cognitive load in remote and supervised autonomous operations

We think you should have

• A degree in Industrial Design, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, Human Factors Engineering or a related field. Relevant experience may compensate for formal education
• Experience from the maritime domain
  • Knowledge of ISO 11064 and ISO 9241-210
  • Ability to lead and collaborate in complex development environments, providing guidance and specialist expertise

You are able to

• See the bigger picture while understanding how individual design decisions affect the complete system
  • Build trust, listen actively and understand the perspectives of people with different backgrounds and expertise
  • Move comfortably between different disciplines and working environments
• Bring people together around complex challenges and enable effective cross-disciplinary collaboration
• Analyse complex problems and turn different needs and constraints into clear, practical solutions
• Combine creativity with a strong focus on safety, quality and usability

This employment may require a pre-employment check procedure and security clearance in accordance with company security standards, role or site requirements. Please note that this might affect the offer process or employment.

At KONGSBERG, we believe that diversity fuels innovation. Your unique perspective is valuable to us. Your skills, attitude and perspective could be exactly what we are looking for!

Why join us

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Development opportunities in an international environment
• Flexible work hours and holiday arrangements
• Good pension and insurance schemes
• Opportunities to connect with other designers across the company, share knowledge and develop your expertise together

Where you will be working

Our main offices are in Horten, but we offer flexible solutions to accommodate candidates who prefer working from Lysaker.

Contact

Jon Bernhard Høstmark, USV R&D Manager, [phone]

About KONGSBERG

KONGSBERG protects people and critical infrastructure from deep sea to space. We deliver advanced ocean and space technologies from autonomous marine systems to satellites and data services supporting sustainability, climate monitoring, infrastructure protection, and security. KONGSBERG also develop innovative technologies for defence, security, and surveillance markets, combining military and civilian expertise. Our defence and security solutions span missiles, weapon stations, air defence, command and control, and digital towers. Today, we have more than 7,500 employees in about 20 countries. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and the Norwegian government controls about 50.01 percent of the shares.

About Discovery

The Discovery division develops technologies for sustainable ocean resource management, climate monitoring, critical infrastructure protection, and national security. Its technology platforms and solutions support offshore operations, fisheries, ocean research, maritime operations, sea-based energy production, and naval defence. Products include sonars, underwater communication equipment, satellites, surveillance and positioning systems, and autonomous vehicles. Customers span offshore, fisheries, marine research, maritime, energy, surveillance, defence, and naval sectors.