Lead Mechanical Engineer in Plymouth

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.

As Lead Mechanical Engineer, you will take ownership of the mechanical architecture of Helsing's marine robotics systems, guiding a small team of engineers from concept through to delivery. Working alongside electronic engineers, roboticists, and production specialists, you will set the technical direction for mechanical design, prototyping, testing, and industrialisation. Your decisions will shape the robustness, scalability, and performance of systems that operate in some of the most demanding environments on earth, directly advancing Helsing's mission to protect our democracies.

The day-to-day:

• Lead the mechanical design of parts and full assemblies, from early-stage concept through to production‑ready documentation, ensuring form, fit, and function across the system.
• Set the technical direction for hydrodynamic performance and energy efficiency, translating requirements into validated design choices that enhance the manoeuvrability and reliability of underwater systems.
• Mentor and guide a small team of mechanical engineers, reviewing their work, supporting their development, and maintaining consistency across all technical decisions.
• Define and execute validation and qualification test programmes, ensuring designs meet rigorous standards for the underwater maritime environment.
• Produce and maintain comprehensive design documentation in line with ASME/ISO drawing standards and company quality guidelines, using 3D/2D CAD and PLM tools.

You should apply if you:

• Have designed and delivered mechanical systems for underwater robotics, ROVs, AUVs, or similarly demanding marine applications, taking work from requirements through to validated hardware.
• Have guided or mentored engineers in a technical setting, providing clear direction and ensuring the quality and consistency of the team's output.
• Are proficient with 3D/2D CAD and PLM tools such as SolidWorks/PDM or Siemens NX/Teamcenter, and apply ASME/ISO drawing standards rigorously in your work.
• Understand the physical and environmental constraints of the underwater maritime domain, including pressure, corrosion, and hydrodynamic considerations.
• Communicate clearly and precisely in English, both in written documentation and in cross‑disciplinary collaboration.

Nice to Have:

• Practical knowledge of hydrodynamics and CFD, with experience applying simulation to inform design decisions.
• Familiarity with underwater actuators and sensor systems, including brushed and brushless motors, servomotors, or magnetic coupling.

Join Helsing and work with world‑leading experts in their fields. Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns. The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. In our domain, success is a matter of order‑of‑magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and VSOP options.
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation.
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance.
• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support.
• Social: regularly company events and monthly social allowances.
• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work.

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity.