Naval Architect / Ocean Engineer

LOCATION: Menlo Park, CA (Hybrid/Remote; case-by-case basis)

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-time

TRAVEL: Occasional <10%; possible travel to Japan

COMPENSATION: $105-165k, DOE

EQUITY/OPTIONS: Early-stage stock options

BENEFITS: Healthcare, dental, and vision

Company Description

An early-stage defense technology company developing autonomous maritime platforms for contested logistics and disaster-relief applications. The team combines robotics, autonomy, advanced manufacturing, and rapid prototyping in a small engineering environment where individual technical ownership, innovation, and professional growth are emphasized.

About the Job

This mid-to-senior role owns vessel-level naval architecture from hull form through fabrication and sea trials. Practical vessel-design experience is more important than job title or a specific academic background.

The approximate work mix is 30% hydrodynamics, 25% structures, 25% cross-functional integration, 15% sea trials, and 5% composites.

What You’ll Do

• Own hull form, hull structure, stability, buoyancy, weight management, and overall naval architecture.
• Perform hydrodynamic analysis, resistance and powering calculations, and seakeeping assessments.
• Analyze static and dynamic buoyancy and vessel behavior in shallow water, surf zones, and breaking waves.
• Perform intact and damage stability analysis.
• Develop manufacturing and structural designs using naval architecture and CAD tools.
• Design and evaluate structures for rough-water and high-speed operation.
• Integrate mechanical, actuation, and autonomous systems with cross-functional teams.
• Oversee rapid prototype fabrication and iterate designs based on physical testing.
• Participate directly in sea trials and ocean deployments.
• Work with shipyard partners to move vessel designs into fabrication.
• Help establish engineering workflows and the foundation for future manufacturing.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ability to meet applicable U.S. export-control requirements. This role may involve access to technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which may require the individual to qualify as a “U.S. person” under applicable regulations or otherwise be eligible for required U.S. government authorization.
• 3+ years of practical experience designing marine vessels, specialized watercraft, or comparable platforms.
• Direct vessel-design experience involving hull structure and hydrodynamic analysis/hull form.
• Experience with static and dynamic buoyancy design.
• Experience designing for surf-zone, breaking-wave, or other demanding marine operating conditions.
• Proficiency with naval architecture and CAD tools such as Rhino, Maxsurf, NAPA, SolidWorks, or comparable software.
• Practical understanding of marine structural analysis, DFM, and weight control.
• Ability to independently own marine hardware from early design through functional deployment.

Preferred:

• Degree or research background in Naval Architecture, Ocean Engineering, Marine Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Direct experience with USVs/ASVs or other autonomous marine vessels.
• High-speed craft or planing-hull design experience.
• Experience with complex actuators or hydraulic systems.
• Experience building early-stage marine hardware prototypes.
• FRP composite design or fabrication experience.
• Marine aluminum fabrication experience.
• Operational experience with sea trials or deployed vessels.
• Familiarity with USCG or ABS requirements for novel or uncrewed vessels.