Senior Subsea Engineer: Lead Tooling & EC&I

Claxton combines decades of industry experience, proprietary technology, and exceptional service quality to cut through offshore installation and decommissioning complexity. Globally, we partner with operators and key contractors in conventional energy, decommissioning, and offshore wind, delivering certainty when it matters.

Claxton is currently looking to hire a Senior Engineer to join the team on a full-time, permanent basis at its Westhill, Aberdeen office. The Senior Engineer contributes to the design, development and delivery of subsea tooling and mechanical systems and products, from concept and analysis through to workshop build, testing, commissioning and offshore execution. The role combines technical execution, design assurance, commercial awareness and hands‑on involvement, supporting bids, leading engineering scopes and mentoring junior engineers.

In addition to core mechanical design, the role will increasingly focus on electro‑mechanical integration, including sensor selection and integration, instrumentation, data capture/monitoring, and electro‑hydraulic control and interface requirements for ROV/deployable systems, including drive trains (gears, gearboxes, motors, leadscrews, actuators) and mechanical motion systems integrated with sensors and feedback systems. The engineer will apply Claxton's technologies to create practical, fit‑for‑purpose solutions that meet functional, safety and schedule requirements while maintaining an appropriate level of engineering detail.

The role operates in a fast‑paced environment, balancing multiple tasks and priorities while working collaboratively across disciplines. Strong communication skills and the flexibility to support workshop activities and offshore operations (as required) are essential, alongside a commitment to professional development and maintaining high engineering standards.

Duties & Main Responsibilities

• Create Functional Design Specifications (FDS) for new product development, projects, and enquiries.
• Support technical input to bids, including scope definition, engineering hours, material costs, risks, and assumptions.
• Determine when FEED or concept work is required to support enquiries and define appropriate deliverables.
• Contribute to risk registers for projects and new product development, identifying technical, commercial, and operational risks.
• Develop and manage design plans including cost, schedule, resource requirements, and technical scope.
• Support the development of cost and time estimates and provide input into project budgets and planning.
• Identify and reduce the cost of poor quality (CoPQ), supporting investigations and embedding lessons learned into future designs.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, including development of templates, tools, and engineering processes.
• Attend client and external meetings, providing in-person and remote technical input and expertise.
• Lead the design of mechanical systems and subsea tooling from concept through to detailed design.
• Define load paths, perform hand calculations and FEA to verify structural and mechanical integrity.
• Ensure designs meet functional requirements, safety expectations, and relevant industry standards (DNV, API, ISO, etc.).
• Work across the full lifecycle including build, FAT/SIT, commissioning, and offshore support.
• Chair and contribute to design reviews, ensuring design intent, technical integrity, and practical execution.
• Review and approve drawings, calculations and engineering deliverables produced by other team members.
• Manage design interfaces with project engineering, manufacturing, QA, and third-party suppliers.
• Ensure design documentation is controlled, reviewed, and maintained in line with company systems (e.g. PDM, IMS, ISO9001).
• Define and integrate sensors and instrumentation (e.g. position, load, pressure, torque, speed/encoder feedback) into subsea tooling and work with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Develop high-level control and interface requirements for electro-hydraulic systems and tooling control package.
• Support integration with external control systems (e.g. ROV tooling, electro-hydraulic and subsea control systems).
• Define functional behaviour, I/O requirements and monitoring philosophy for tooling and system operation.
• Contribute to the development of control philosophies, operating sequences, and functional descriptions for new tools.
• Define and review testing requirements, including instrumentation, data capture, acceptance criteria, and performance validation.
• Support assembly, build, FAT, SIT and commissioning activities, ensuring designs translate effectively into physical systems.
• Support setup, troubleshooting, and optimisation of systems during workshop testing and early deployment.
• Participate in equipment readiness reviews and ensure systems are fit for deployment.
• Identify and resolve design issues arising during build, assembly, testing, and early operation.
• Work closely with workshop teams to ensure designs are practical, buildable, and efficient to manufacture.
• Contribute to test procedures, method statements, and technical documentation for equipment operation.
• Act as Lead Engineer on complex or multi-disciplinary projects, with ownership of technical delivery.
• Manage engineering activities in line with project schedules, quality requirements, and commercial constraints.
• Work closely with project, operations, and workshop teams to resolve design and execution challenges in real time.
• Provide engineering support to offshore operations, including installation, troubleshooting, and performance optimisation.
• Contribute to project reviews, capturing technical lessons learned and feeding back into design improvements.
• Mentor and support junior engineers, maintaining engineering standards and consistency across the team.
• Support collaboration across locations (e.g. Aberdeen, Great Yarmouth, Singapore) to align engineering practices.

Required

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics, candidates with Mechanical/Electrical, Controls or Instrumentation background are strongly encouraged.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with IMechE or an equivalent professional body or working towards is desirable.
• Experience in mechanical engineering, designing bespoke products within an engineering environment, and significant exposure to subsea, offshore, renewable, or similar industries.
• Experience of electro‑hydraulic systems, sensors, instrumentation and feedback/control integration within tooling or equipment is desirable.
• Strong capability in mechanical and structural design, including lifting and rigging considerations, drive systems (gears, gearboxes, motors), hydraulics and mechanical motion mechanisms.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering products or systems from concept through to design, build, testing, and deployment.
• Experience with 2D/3D CAD software (e.g. SolidWorks) and performing engineering analysis using hand calculations and tools such as Ansys and Mathcad to verify designs.
• Experience with ROV/deployable subsea or surface tooling and associated control systems is advantageous.
• Familiarity with industry standards and design practices (e.g. DNV, API, ASME, ISO, EN, CE marking) and experience working within controlled design environments such as ISO9001.
• Experience applying structured risk analysis methodologies (e.g. FMECA) within engineering projects.
• Proven ability to manage technically complex engineering scopes within time and budget constraints, with strong commercial awareness of risks, assumptions, and resource requirements.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with a structured and practical engineering approach.
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior engineers and contributing to maintaining engineering standards.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to engage with clients, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams.