> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2094440-system-engineer-uuv](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2094440-system-engineer-uuv). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # System Engineer | UUV - **Company:** Right Search - **Location:** Valkenburg, Netherlands (Remote available) - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** €8,333.0 - €10,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation, Physical Design - **Published:** August 17, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.jobbird.com/nl/vacature/25666427-system-engineer-uuv-w-m-d ## About the Role * Demonstrated track record of leading the complete physical design cycle of complex vehicles - subsea platforms, aerospace vehicles, high-performance maritime crafts, or motorsport chassis. Not participation. Leadership. * Minimum 10 years of experience as a System Engineer - this is non-negotiable. Deep expertise in strictly managing mass, power, and aerodynamic/hydrodynamic drag budgets across competing engineering sub-teams * Assembly, Integration, Test (AIT), and operational experience - ideally hands-on vehicle building as a hobby or side project. You don't just design. You build. * Deep experience working under high physical constraints: watertight integrity, extreme shock/vibration, thermal management in enclosed spaces. You know what "zero margin" actually means. * Degree in Systems Engineering, Naval Architecture, Aerospace Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering - or equivalent practical experience that proves you can do the job regardless of paper * Strong systems engineering background with hands-on budget ownership - mass, power, drag. You manage trade-offs, not just document them. * Dutch or NATO-country nationality with eligibility for security clearance - this is mandatory. Non-NATO candidates will not be considered due to defense contract requirements. * You are a systems-level thinker, pragmatic, detail-oriented - comfortable with startup ambiguity, fast pivots, and the reality that the answer is often "test it" * Collaborative leadership style with mentoring mindset - you will lead a mostly junior team and grow them while delivering hardware * Ownership mentality with bias for action - you don't wait for perfect data. You make the call, manage the risk, and iterate. * Business-fluent English (C1) - the working language is English. German or Dutch are a plus, not required. ## Description * You own the complete physical and systemic architecture of the autonomous subsea vehicle - full authority, full accountability * You work directly with the Program Lead and a small multidisciplinary team (~8 engineers) - no hierarchy layers, no politics * You get real ownership, not administration - direct influence on vehicle architecture, performance budgets, and design decisions * Cutting-edge technology: high-voltage battery systems, sensor payloads, hardware-in-the-loop validation - you integrate it all * You lead the transition from digital models to physical reality, with rapid iteration cycles measured in hours, not months * High impact on a product that redefines maritime operations in extreme environments * Hands-on mentality is not a careers-page buzzword here. It is simply necessary. Tragically rare. Aufgaben * Own the complete physical and systemic architecture of autonomous subsea interceptor platforms - from concept to operational deployment * Serve as the focal point for the vehicle's physical design, bridging mechanical, hydrodynamic, and systems engineering disciplines * Own the vehicle's physical performance margins with absolute authority: Navigation, Power, Communications, Drag, Mass, and Buoyancy budgets - and lead all system-level analyses * Dictate the compromises between payload, speed, and endurance, ruthlessly managing the margins that define mission success in the North Sea * Lead a multidisciplinary team through a highly complex engineering environment, ensuring seamless integration of high-voltage battery architectures, operational control loops, and sensor payloads into a tightly constrained physical envelope * Manage a team of engineers and take responsibility for bringing the vehicle from concept to reality * Drive the transition from digital models to physical reality, overseeing rigorous Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) testing and qualification logic before the platform ever touches saltwater * Plan test campaigns, operations, and future upgrades in a hands-on system engineering role * Wear multiple hats when needed: Not only system engineering, but also electrical, acoustic, avionics during the early stages - whatever it takes to get hardware built, * Pure theoretical backgrounds with no hands-on AIT exposure - if you haven't built, tested, or broken hardware, this is not your role * Candidates with less than 10 years of relevant systems engineering leadership - this is senior-level ownership, not a learning curve * Non-NATO nationality or inability to obtain security clearance - defense contracts make this non-negotiable * Reluctance to relocate or work on-site when needed - starts remote, transitions to ~3 days on-site in Valkenburg * People who need structured processes to function - this is a 10-person startup, you build the process * Candidates who view "ruthlessly managing margins" as someone else's job - here, it's yours. Every gram, every watt, every Newton. * Candidates uncomfortable with extreme physical constraints - if watertight integrity under shock and thermal load sounds like someone else's problem, it isn't. ## Related Videos - [Model Based Systems Engineering in an Agile Product Development Process](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/68-model-based-systems-engineering-in-an-agile-product-development-process) - [More efficient software for more efficient microchips](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1164-more-efficient-software-for-more-efficient-microchips) - [Building a hypercar from scratch](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/607-building-a-hypercar-from-scratch) - [Building a fully automated escape room](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/735-building-a-fully-automated-escape-room) - [Breaking the Hardware Mindset: Overcoming Barriers to System-Level Innovation](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1635-breaking-the-hardware-mindset-overcoming-barriers-to-system-level-innovation) - [How to develop an autonomous car end-to-end: Robotic Drive and the mobility revolution](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/22-how-to-develop-an-autonomous-car-end-to-end-robotic-drive-and-the-mobility-revolution) ## Related Articles - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [The 12 Best Jobs for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/401-the-12-best-jobs-for-software-engineers) - [Where To Find Software Engineering Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/396-where-to-find-software-engineering-jobs) - [Fully Remote Software Engineer Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/447-fully-remote-software-engineer-jobs) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated)