Senior Systems Engineer

About Us

With more than 2 million nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone has earned the trust of governments worldwide. Our unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) deliver continuous, real‑time intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth—giving our partners faster awareness, stronger security, and a decisive edge at sea.

Our USVs are long‑range, extreme‑endurance platforms powered by advanced sensors and proprietary AI – they have been designed to operate where no crewed vessel can. They collect critical insights above and below the surface to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

Headquartered in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington, DC, and global deployment hubs, Saildrone operates missions worldwide. Join a fast‑moving, mission‑driven team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology—where data turns into intelligence, and intelligence drives action.

The Senior Systems Engineer will establish Saildrone’s Systems Engineering organization, responsible for defining, integrating, and validating the complex interplay between hardware, firmware, software, electrical, and mission systems that power Saildrone’s autonomous surface vehicles (USVs). Reporting directly to the Head of Engineering, this role ensures all technical systems function as a cohesive, mission‑ready platform that meets performance, reliability, and compliance requirements.

This is a critical position at the intersection of technology, operations, and mission success. The Senior Systems Engineer will be responsible for technical leadership of key R&D programs, establishing clear system‑level requirements and interfaces at the onset, ensuring technical progress and coordination for the duration, then leading the test phase to verify system performance against the pre‑defined requirements and goals. They will partner closely with Hardware, Firmware, Security, Software, and Project Management teams to ensure delivery of robust, scalable, and high‑performance systems.

The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in systems engineering and program execution within the defense, aerospace, or maritime industries. They must be a strategic yet hands‑on leader who thrives in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment and can lead multidisciplinary teams through complex technical challenges with clarity, precision, and rigor.

• Lead and grow the Systems Engineering team, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and collaboration.
• Own the definition, documentation, and maintenance of system‑level architectures, requirements, and interfaces across Saildrone’s fleet and mission systems.
• Ensure that design decisions align with platform performance objectives, safety requirements, and program priorities.

• Oversee system integration activities spanning mechanical, electrical, software, and networked components.
• Lead system verification and validation campaigns, including lab, dockside, and at‑sea testing.
• Determine relevant and governing requirements for compliance or performance.

• Work closely with Mechanical, Firmware, Software, and Electrical Engineering teams to ensure full system cohesion and traceability.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Project Managers to ensure timely delivery of Technical Projects, ensuring sufficient staffing to meet technical objectives.

• Define and maintain system architectures and documentation to ensure clarity of interfaces and dependencies.
• Own the system requirements process, from decomposition to traceability and verification, ensuring consistency across subsystems.

• Establish and maintain configuration control and change management processes across systems engineering activities.
• Ensure compliance with relevant industry, defense, and safety standards.
• Drive continuous improvement in documentation, test planning, and engineering review processes.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Systems Engineering,…