Underwater Mechanical R&D Engineer - Physical Products

CompanyHelsing

LocationPlymouth, England, United Kingdom

Posted At2/6/2026

UK Visa Sponsorship Analytics

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Occupation Type

Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified.

Occupation Code Skill LevelHigher Skilled

Sponsorship Salary Threshold

£46,100 (£23.64 per hour)

Occupation rate applies

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Description

Who We Are

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 democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

The role

As an Underwater Mechanical R&D Engineer, you will work on innovative marine robots. You will design the mechanical architecture of the robot's different elements, participate in their prototyping, testing, and industrialization. You will work in close collaboration with electronic engineers, roboticists, and test and production engineers. Your role will be crucial in guiding the team's choices and ensuring the consistency of technical decisions. You will create innovative concepts and your expertise will be vital in realising robust, scalable, and cost-effective solutions that enhance the performance of Helsing's systems, directly supporting our mission to provide advanced defence capabilities.

For a better idea of what you'll be getting stuck into, check out some of our marine products over at https://helsing.ai/de/lura . You can see the kind of cutting-edge stuff we're working on, like the SG-1 Fathom and the Lura AI system, which are all about keeping our oceans safe and secure.

The day-to-day

Own the mechanical design of parts and full assemblies including

Ensure the energy performance and manoeuvrability of the system and, in particular, its hydrodynamics

Create design concepts based on comprehensive requirements and analytical assessments

Produce 3D and 2D documentation, ensuring the proper form, fit, and function of components

Apply the latest design and drawing standards, with a strong consideration for manufacturing aspects

Develop robust, scalable, and cost-effective components

Define and execute validation tests for technical maturation

Create comprehensive design documentation in accordance with company guidelines and quality standards

You should apply if you

Have several years of experience in mechatronic, ROV/AUV or ship design, ideally for underwater robotics or similar demanding applications
Have a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
Possess outstanding hands-on experience with 3D/2D CAD and PLM tools (preferably Solidworks/PDM or Siemens NX/Teamcenter)
Have proven knowledge of ASME/ISO drawing standards, mechanical design standards, and analysis capabilities for mechanical elements

Have knowledge of the constraints associated with the underwater maritime environment

Exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

Are eager to drive fast-track developments and realize innovative solutions

Enjoy working in a fun, highly flexible environment

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Nice to Have

Expertise in hydrodynamics and CFD
Have experience with ROV or AUV design and system under external pressure
Have experience with actuators (brushed and brushless motors, servomotors, magnetic coupling) and sensors used in underwater robotics or more generally in mechatronics

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, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

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. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

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. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer

A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking
Competitive compensation and stock options
Relocation support
Social and education allowances
Regular company events and all-hands to bring together employees as one team across Europe
A hands-on onboarding program (affectionately labelled “Infraduction”), in which you will be building tooling and applications to be used across the company. This is your opportunity to learn our tech stack, explore the company, and learn how we get things done - all whilst working with other engineering teams from day one

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. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here.