Trainee USV Pilot

All Aviation Jobs; Clearwater (FL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Marcurius Multi-Mission Solutions is looking for a motivated individual to train as a USV Pilot in Clearwater, Florida. This entry-level role covers operation, testing and demonstration of unmanned surface vessels with supervision, progressing to harbour and sea trials and customer demonstrations.

Responsibilities include mission planning, remote-control or autonomous operation, safety, and routine maintenance, with a focus on safety, procedures and reporting defects to engineering teams.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Interest in maritime operations and defense technology.
• Ability to learn technical systems and follow procedures.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills.
• Willingness to travel and satisfy security requirements.

Responsibilities

• Learn to operate USVs in remote-control and supervised-autonomy modes.
• Assist with mission planning, waypoint management, and C2 operation.
• Support pre-launch checks, launch, recovery, and post-operation activities.
• Monitor vessel status and system health during missions.
• Record operational data and contribute to debriefs and reports.
• Perform routine maintenance and equipment checks as required.

Skills

Maritime operations

Unmanned systems

Robotics

Safety awareness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

GPS

Charts

Radar

Job description

About Marcurius Multi-Mission Solutions

Marcurius Multi-Mission Solutions is a fast-growing Defense technology company headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. Founded by US and UK veterans, Marcurius brings decades of frontline experience across Special Operations and Intelligence missions, with deep expertise in asymmetric warfare and the real-world employment of unmanned systems.

Marcurius is building a new kind of unmanned systems company- multi-domain, multi-platform, and mission-driven. We fuse battle-proven technologies, resilient command-and-control architectures, and operator-led doctrine to deliver capabilities that work in contested environments. Our initial focus is the rapid fielding of advanced Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) for modern maritime operations.

Role Overview

Marcurius is seeking a motivated individual to train as a USV Pilot, supporting the operation, testing and demonstration of unmanned surface vessels. This entry-level development role combines maritime operations, remote vehicle control, autonomous mission execution, safety, mission planning and basic operator-level maintenance. The successful candidate will initially work under close supervision and progressively qualify to support harbour trials, sea trials, customer demonstrations, training exercises and operational evaluations.

• Complete the Marcurius USV Pilot training programme and achieve required internal operating qualifications.
• Learn to operate USVs in remote-control, supervised-autonomy and autonomous modes, including mission planning, waypoint management, geofencing and command-and-control operation.
• Support pre-launch checks, vessel preparation, launch, recovery and post-operation activities using approved procedures and checklists.
• Monitor vessel position, speed, heading, propulsion, communications, sensors and system health while maintaining situational awareness and applying navigation and collision-avoidance principles.
• Execute approved emergency and contingency procedures, including manual intervention, mission abort, loss-of-link response and recovery actions.
• Assist with harbour and sea trials, demonstrations, exercises and payload or sensor operations, and report defects or abnormal system behaviour to engineering teams.
• Record operating data, complete post-mission reports and contribute to debriefs, lessons learned, checklists and operating procedures.
• Support routine cleaning, refuelling, charging, inspection and operator-level maintenance of vessels, trailers, command stations, tools and operational stores.
• Follow all safety, security, export-control and information-protection requirements and represent Marcurius professionally with customers and partners.
• Travel and work flexible hours when required by weather, tides, trials, demonstrations or operational activity.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and eligibility to work in the United States.
• Strong interest in maritime operations, unmanned systems, robotics, aviation, engineering or defense technology.
• Ability to learn technical systems, follow structured procedures and exercise sound judgment in changing or unexpected situations.
• Good situational awareness, personal discipline, safety focus and clear verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfort using computers, tablets and digital applications and working as part of a small operational and engineering team.
• Valid driver's licence, reliable transportation, ability to swim and confidence working outdoors, around water and aboard small vessels.
• Willingness to travel, work irregular hours and satisfy applicable U.S. defense, security and export-control requirements.
• Previous experience operating USVs is not required. Full role-specific training will be provided.

Preferred Experience

• Recreational, commercial or military boating experience, including small powerboats or personal watercraft.
• Familiarity with marine navigation, GPS, charts, radar, AIS or electronic charting systems.
• Experience with drones, remotely operated vehicles, robotics, radio-controlled systems or simulation environments.
• Military, Coast Guard, maritime operations or other operational experience.
• Mechanical, electrical, electronics, automotive or marine-maintenance experience.
• Boating-safety, captain, first-aid, CPR, water-safety, radio-communications or related qualifications.
• Experience completing technical logs, checklists or structured operational reports and ability to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance if required.

Training and Development

The training pathway may include maritime safety, small-boat handling, launch and recovery, USV platform familiarisation, remote and autonomous operation, mission planning, command-and-control systems, communications, navigation, emergency procedures, operator-level maintenance, trial reporting, operational security and customer demonstration skills. Progression will be based on demonstrated competence, professional conduct, safety performance and successful completion of practical and theoretical assessments.

Following qualification, the individual may progress into a USV Pilot, Senior USV Pilot, USV Instructor or Trials and Evaluation role, depending on performance and company requirements.

Why This Role Matters

Marcurius USVs must be operated safely, professionally and credibly in front of military customers, government stakeholders and operational end users. This role helps turn new technology into dependable, field-ready capability while providing operational feedback that influences vessel design, software, training doctrine and future procedures.

Physical Requirements And Work Environment

• Ability to board and disembark small vessels, maintain balance aboard moving craft and work safely near open water.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, crouch, climb and lift or carry equipment up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to assist with launching, recovering, securing and moving vessels and trailers and to work around engines, fuel, batteries, electrical systems and moving machinery.
• Ability to work outdoors in heat, rain, wind and humidity and wear required personal protective equipment.
• Primarily onsite in Clearwater, with regular activity at workshops, marinas, docks, boat ramps, waterways and coastal test areas.
• Combination of classroom, simulator, workshop and practical maritime training in a fast-paced prototype-development environment.
• Occasional evening, weekend, early-morning, domestic or international work and travel may be required.

Why Marcurius

Marcurius is a people-first, execution-focused organisation assembling a high-impact team of engineers, operators and mission specialists. This role offers an unusual opportunity to enter the unmanned-maritime sector, receive structured training, work directly with next-generation defense technology and help establish the standards by which future Marcurius USV pilots will be trained and assessed.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Marcurius Multi-Mission Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse, mission-driven team and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

We strongly encourage applications from veterans and individuals with experience or interest in maritime operations, unmanned systems, defense and advanced technology.