AUV Prototype & Support Technician (Multi Skilled) – Contract 6 Months - Southampton
We are a marine robotics company developing an innovative Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) system, with a vision of deploying swarms of AUVs to acquire high-quality seabed data from a range of sensors. Applications span defence, commercial, scientific, and environmental sectors, with systems designed to operate in water depths of up to 3,000 metres.
We are now seeking an AUV technician to play a critical role in supporting our prototyping, test & integration and field trials. This role could easily suit an ex Royal Navy Engineer / Artificer.
THE ROLE
The AUV technician will be responsible for operating, maintaining, testing, and building AUV systems, as well as supporting field trials and early customer projects. You will work closely with the core engineering team to ensure systems are reliable, well-tested, and ready for deployment.
Field testing will typically occur several times per month, with the remainder of time spent on assembly, diagnostics, rework, preparation, and support activities.
TASKS / DUITES / KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Production and Assembly
Assemble AUV systems, including:
Mechanical assembly
Pressure vessels and sealing systems
Electrical integration and cabling
Support low-volume, one-off or small-batch production
Document build procedures and improvements
Electronics & Diagnostics
Perform advanced electronic diagnostics and fault finding
Competent in the use of laboratory equipment such as:
Oscilloscopes
Logic analysers
Multi-meters and power supplies
Comfortable performing PCB rework down to 0603 components and 100 pin 1.27mm pitch components.
Diagnose issues at board and system level
Perform acceptance testing and design-proving tests
Write and modify embedded C code for fault finding and hardware testing
Trials & Operations
Operate the AUV during trials, demonstrations, and tests
Prepare vehicles and support equipment before deployments
Perform post-trial inspection, fault finding, and maintenance
Work safely in marine and offshore environments
Promote safe working practices and ensure HSE requirements are followed during trials and technical activities.
Client & Project Support
Support client-facing demonstrator
Assist with system setup, deployment, and troubleshooting
Represent the company professionally during trials and demos
REQUIRED SKILLS & PROVEN ABILITY
Essential
Strong hands-on experience with electronics test and fault finding
Confident using oscilloscopes and other diagnostic tools
Comfortable performing PCB rework skills down to 0603 components
Good mechanical assembly skills
Happy working independently in a small engineering team
Desirables
Proven ability operating in marine environments (e.g. ex-forces, offshore, oil & gas, subsea, or marine robotics)
Pressure vessels and subsea systems
Leading or coordinating field trials
Any embedded C programming experience for testing and diagnostics