Drone Assembly Technician in Hampshire, Portsmouth

SubSea Craft is a fast growing, privately-funded, UK-based innovative maritime technology company specialising in next‑generation, high‑performance watercraft and systems. We operate at the intersection of advanced engineering, cutting‑edge design, and user‑centric innovation, delivering safe, effective, and enabling solutions for both commercial and defence applications.

What we offer:

• Pension Contribution – Pension scheme with the option to contribute via salary sacrifice.
• Annual Bonus Scheme – Eligibility to participate in the company’s annual discretionary bonus scheme, linked to individual and company performance.
• Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover – Comprehensive protection including Life Assurance (4x salary) and Critical Illness Cover for added financial security.
• Annual Leave – Entitlement to 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Christmas Leave – A Christmas shutdown is typically observed.
• Wellbeing Day – An additional Wellbeing Day each year to focus on personal health and wellbeing.
• Family Leave – Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
• Private Healthcare – Access to comprehensive private healthcare coverage to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Professional Development – Commitment to ongoing learning and career growth, supported by training programmes and access to LinkedIn Learning.
• Flexible Working – Opportunities for flexible working arrangements to promote work‑life balance.
• Inclusive Culture – A professional environment that values diversity, innovation, and collaboration.

Role Overview:

We’re looking for a skilled and detail‑driven Drone Assembly Technician to support the build, integration, and initial verification of advanced UAV platforms. You’ll play a hands‑on role assembling electrical, mechanical, and composite sub‑systems, working closely to engineering intent while maintaining high standards of workmanship, safety, and traceability. Reporting to the Head of Build, you’ll contribute directly to delivering reliable, flight‑ready hardware within a fast‑moving, low‑volume production environment. This role is ideal for a technician with experience in high‑precision build environments such as aerospace, UAVs, robotics, marine, or automotive sectors, who enjoys practical problem‑solving and working with developing designs. If you thrive in a prototype or R&D setting, are comfortable interpreting drawings and adapting to evolving documentation, and take pride in producing clean, well‑structured builds, this role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact on cutting‑edge systems.

Work Management:

• Follow work instructions, schedule and build sequences accurately to meet project timelines.
• Use tablet‑based work management systems to access tasks, record progress, and complete digital documentation.
• Provide guidance and support to other technicians where required to ensure consistency of workmanship.

Team Collaboration:

• Work closely with all members of the Manufacturing Team to coordinate tasks and resolve issues.
• Communicate effectively to highlight risks, blockers, or required engineering input.
• Report progress and key issues directly to the Head of Build to maintain alignment with programme objectives.

Adherence to Standards:

• Maintain exacting standards of workmanship across composite, electrical, and mechanical tasks.
• Ensure compliance with safety protocols, quality processes, and relevant industry standards.
• Uphold consistent traceability, cleanliness, and controlled working practices.

Innovative Thinking:

• Identify and propose improvements to build methods, tooling, sequencing, and workshop processes.
• Contribute to increasing build efficiency, repeatability, and safety as products and processes mature.

Pride in Who We Are and What We Do:

• Maintain a clean, organised and professional workshop environment.
• Demonstrate care, accuracy, and attention to detail in all build tasks.
• Represent the team and organisation through high‑quality workmanship and professional working behaviour.

Responsibilities will include:

• Perform hands‑on electrical assembly including crimping, soldering, wiring harness build, loom creation, cable splicing, panel wiring, and termination of high‑current connectors.
• Assemble electrical and mechanical sub‑assemblies, including bolted structures and enclosures.
• Install through‑mount components and LV electrical systems.
• Conduct pre‑commissioning tasks such as continuity checks, insulation testing, and basic verification.
• Bonding of composite components, including pre‑made carbon fibre parts, trimming and surface finishing.
• Use hand tools and workshop equipment (drills, Dremel’s, etc.) to achieve accurate, clean finishes.
• Fit mechanical and structural components to specification and measurement.
• Read and interpret 3D CAD views, drawings, and wiring diagrams.
• Work effectively with limited or developing documentation, including reverse‑engineering assemblies where required.
• Follow work instructions, quality checklists, and calibration requirements.
• Label, tag and document assemblies for full traceability.
• Maintain a clean, safe and organised workspace.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of build documentation and processes.
• Support implementation of safe working practices and compliance with internal safety standards.
• Collaborate with internal teams and partner organisations to ensure aligned build plans and schedules.

Qualifications and Experience Required:

• Proven hands‑on experience in electrical assembly (crimping, soldering, harness build).
• Experience with composites or structural bonding, ideally involving carbon fibre.
• Competent with standard hand tools, drills, and small workshop equipment.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, and 3D CAD views.
• Experience working in a prototype, R&D or low‑volume production environment.
• Effective communication skills and ability to document work accurately.

Desirable:

• Background in aerospace, UAVs, robotics, marine, automotive or similar high‑precision build environments.
• Qualifications or certification in electrical safety, composite processes, lifting operations, process control, environmental testing, or similar.
• HNC/HND or engineering degree (not required but beneficial).

Note: Due to the nature of work undertaken at SubSea Craft, the selected candidate must be capable of meeting the security requirements of the position, which would include as a minimum existing right to live and work in the UK, Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), with UK National security clearance required for certain roles.

Values: Our people are our greatest asset, we continually strive to provide an excellent working environment to enable our team to do their best work. We have an agile professional workforce: we are founded on the belief that our people are valued and our business is trusted, inclusive and commercially‑adept.

What we expect from you:

• Teamwork, mutual respect and collaboration.
• Initiative and independent working.
• Honesty and integrity.
• Business and commercial awareness.
• Agility, adaptability and continuous development.

Inclusivity Statement: We are committed to building an inclusive, diverse workplace where everyone can thrive. If you require any support or adjustments to interact with us, please let us know.

Legal statements: All offers of employment are conditional and subject to satisfactory DBS, driving licence and reference checks. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify candidates from employment. We will consider criminal record information alongside the wider range of evidence gathered at the application, interview, and pre‑employment checking stages.