Mission Operations Engineer – Autonomous Vessel Operations

Job Description

Mission Operations Engineer | Saronic Technologies

The Tone:
This is an engineering position at Saronic Technologies, a company dedicated to advancing autonomy at sea. They develop state-of-the-art solutions to enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms. This role is crucial for the deployment, validation, and continuous improvement of autonomous surface vessels, directly supporting project deliverables and ongoing software releases. Your work will ensure systems meet rigorous technical and operational standards through detailed testing, data analysis, and cross-functional coordination.

The TL;DR
• Role: Mission Operations Engineer
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Primarily field-based with up to 50% travel

• Mission: This person ensures the successful deployment, validation, and continuous improvement of autonomous surface vessels by leading field testing, troubleshooting, and data analysis.
• Tech Stack: Rust, Python, CLI environment, networking protocols, communication systems

What You’ll Actually Do
• Lead Field Testing: Plan and execute structured field tests for autonomous vessel performance pertaining to navigation, perception, and communication.
• Troubleshoot Systems: Diagnose and perform real-time troubleshooting of autonomy, networking, and onboard hardware or software during test events.
• Ensure Data Integrity: Own data logging and telemetry monitoring systems, ensuring data integrity for comprehensive post-test analysis.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis: Contribute to root cause analysis and issue triage workflows following field anomalies, reporting to relevant review boards.
• Coordinate Team Efforts: Interface with autonomy, software, hardware, and systems teams to translate product requirements into field-validated test objectives.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 1+ years of hands-on engineering experience, including design teams and previous internships, with best practices in planning and execution of complex autonomous system test operations.
• Skills: Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills for hardware and software, ability to work effectively in challenging field conditions, and systems engineering experience to understand multi-disciplinary integrated systems.
• Bonus: Knowledge of networking protocols and communication systems used in autonomous vessels, experience with sensor integration (e.g., EO/IR, radar, IMU), familiarity with robotics, AI, or machine learning applications, and familiarity with software development in Rust, Python, or CLI environments.