Offshore Marine Recovery Engineer for Spaceflight Hardware

stokespacetechnologies; Florida; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Stoke is seeking a Marine Recovery Engineer to build recovery capabilities for the Nova launch vehicle. You will locate, capture, and recover flight hardware from the open ocean, then return it safely to port.

You will develop recovery techniques, select vessels, write procedures, and execute offshore campaigns with a small team spanning Florida and Washington. Relocation to Cape Canaveral is required.

Qualifications

• Hands‑on offshore operations experience and ability to lead non‑routine tasks at sea.
• Experience chartering/directing support vessels and crews for offshore operations.
• Hands‑on experience with offshore lifting, crane operations, rigging, and towing operations.
• Ability to develop recovery operations from first principles in dynamic, uncertain sea conditions.
• Experience adapting vessels/equipment for new uses when off‑the‑shelf solutions don’t fit.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own recovery CONOPS for retrieving flight hardware from the ocean.
• Develop and prove out unconventional at‑sea capture, lifting, securing, and transit techniques.
• Plan and lead offshore recovery test and demonstration campaigns to build operational maturity.
• Lead vessel strategy: identify, charter, and integrate support vessels and offshore equipment.
• Serve as engineering lead for recovery hardware and systems across multiple disciplines.
• Develop safety cases, risk assessment, and procedures for offshore crews.
• Interface with vendors, regulatory bodies, and classification societies (USCG, ABS, DNV).
• Author, review, and approve test and operational procedures.
• Develop and manage technical specifications for recovery operations.

Skills

Offshore operations

Rigging calculations

Crane operations

Troubleshooting

Leadership

Relocation willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in naval architecture, marine engineering, mechanical engineering, or similar field

Job description

Stoke is seeking a Marine Recovery Engineer to build recovery capabilities for the Nova launch vehicle. You will locate, capture, and recover flight hardware from the open ocean, then return it safely to port.

You will develop recovery techniques, select vessels, write procedures, and execute offshore campaigns with a small team spanning Florida and Washington. Relocation to Cape Canaveral is required.