Project Engineer in Southampton

At Sonardyne, we develop world-leading subsea technologies that support critical operations across offshore energy, ocean science, defence and offshore renewables. Our custom projects team delivers innovative, high-performance underwater systems tailored to some of the most technically challenging environments in the world. We are looking for a Project Engineer to join our Projects Group and support the successful delivery of bespoke subsea systems and instrumentation from concept through to deployment. This is an exciting opportunity to work on technically complex projects alongside multidisciplinary engineering teams, contributing directly to the design, integration, testing and delivery of advanced underwater technologies used globally.

The Role

As a Project Engineer, you will play a key role throughout the full project lifecycle, supporting the development, verification and delivery of custom subsea solutions. Working closely with Project Managers, Systems Engineers and engineering specialists, you will help ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently and in line with customer and technical requirements. The role combines hands-on engineering, testing, technical problem solving and customer interaction, offering broad exposure across hardware, software, electronics and systems integration. You will typically support several concurrent projects while also providing technical assistance for systems already deployed in the field.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of bespoke subsea systems and instrumentation across a range of offshore and defence applications.
• Develop and execute bench, environmental and in-water testing activities to validate system performance.
• Assemble and integrate mechanical and electronic systems from board level through to complete products.
• Investigate, diagnose and resolve technical faults at component and system level.
• Work with Project Managers and Systems Engineers to define customer requirements and develop technical solutions.
• Support prototype development, product verification and evaluation activities.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation including manuals, interface specifications, test procedures and manufacturing records.
• Coordinate activities across multidisciplinary engineering teams including Mechanical, Electronics, Software and Production.
• Participate in customer acceptance testing, demonstrations and trials activities.
• Provide technical support, training and operational guidance to customers.
• Monitor project risks, issues and changes, escalating where appropriate to support successful project delivery.
• Build strong relationships with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders.

About You

You will be a motivated engineer with strong technical curiosity, excellent problem-solving skills and a practical approach to engineering challenges. You should be comfortable working across multiple disciplines and capable of balancing hands-on engineering activities with technical coordination and documentation responsibilities. We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Strong fault-finding and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Experience using standard laboratory test equipment such as oscilloscopes and digital multimeters.
• Good technical communication and documentation skills.
• A collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively across engineering teams.
• Awareness of software, embedded systems, electronics or mechanical design principles.
• A proactive mindset with strong attention to detail and quality.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Degree in an Engineering discipline such as Electronics, Mechanical, Systems, Communications, Software Engineering or similar.
• Experience using Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel and Visio.
• Understanding of engineering testing and verification activities.
• Awareness of analogue and/or digital electronics.
• Awareness of software or embedded software development.

Desirable

• Experience with CAD packages such as Autodesk or SolidWorks.
• Knowledge of programming languages such as Python or C++.
• Familiarity with Jira or similar project/task management tools.
• Experience supporting engineering design, product verification or project delivery activities.

Additional Information

Based in Blackbushe, Hampshire. Occasional UK and international travel may be required, including visits to customer sites and Sonardynes Plymouth Trials Facility. Typical project values range from £50k to £2M. Opportunity to work across multiple high-profile projects simultaneously within a collaborative engineering environment.

Why Join Sonardyne?

At Sonardyne, you'll work alongside talented engineers and technical specialists developing industry-leading subsea technologies used around the world. We offer a collaborative and innovative environment where you can develop your skills, contribute to meaningful projects and build a long-term engineering career within a globally recognised technology business.