Pr. Mechanical Engineer

Note: No visa sponsorship.

This is a hybrid position (four days in the office/flex Friday).

An idea was born.

Out of the box thinking. Not the norm. Changing the way things have always been done. Those are just some ideas that started on the back of a napkin, but they didn't stay there. Our CEO, Joe Wolfel, a former Navy SEAL, saw an idea of how to disrupt the way the world looks at the ocean and voila, Terradepth was born.

The ocean is our swim lane.

We are increasing human interaction with the ocean by collecting comprehensive, high-resolution ocean data to empower society with information and knowledge crucial to the sustainable advancement of a variety of key industries. Interested? Great! Immerse yourself and see if you have the fins to swim in our pool.

Our Crew.

We are ocean enthusiasts, technologists, problem solvers, and makers dedicated to advancing ocean exploration. We are pioneers and made up of, to name a few...road bikers, chess players, dog lovers, world travelers, military veterans, and an array of individuals with diverse technical backgrounds. We have family people, single people and people who refer people. And if we're being totally honest...we like each other.

Why "fit" matters.

It's not going to matter how smart or competent you are if you're not a good cultural fit. We demand that our people adhere to our values: Speed, Discipline, and Collaboration. We also expect team cohesion while avoiding groupthink - which is a difficult balance to maintain. Before we get into the details of the day-to-day duties, let's get down to the ocean floor. What you do, How you do it, and Why you want to work here matters.

What about you?

Terradepth is at the forefront of developing next-generation autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systems.

As we push forward, Terradepth needs a Pr. Mechanical Engineer (PME) to be the technical leader in the design, development, and lifecycle management of Terradepth's advanced subsea robotic systems, including the world's highest endurance Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The PME will lead the mechanical system design, guiding cross-disciplinary engineering efforts, and ensuring robust, manufacturable, and field-proven solutions for subsea and maritime operations. These systems will include autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and support boats.

To be successful, the PME must have a deep expertise in mechanical system design, materials science, and structural analysis for extreme environments, as well as a strategic mindset to drive innovation in hybrid energy systems, propulsion systems, hydrodynamics, and autonomous vehicle engineering.

In addition, teamwork, accountability, partnership, and leadership are key traits we look for. As team-members we strive to be humble enough to learn but confident enough to execute. We love curiosity without distraction. As leaders in our organization and threaded into our day-to-day activities is our commitment to support, invest in and stretch our employees to help them achieve their ultimate career goals.

Still interested? Let's wrap this up with what else you need to know.

Essential Functions

• Lead the end-to-end mechanical system architecture for subsea robotic platforms, ensuring optimal trade-offs between performance, manufacturability, and reliability.
• Design manufacture-ready 3D SolidWorks models of pressure vessels, propulsion systems, actuators, and structural components for deep-sea autonomous vehicles and support systems.
• Establish and maintain technical standards, anti-corrosion guidelines, and other subsea engineering best practices for mechanical design.
• Conduct tests and field trials of prototype systems in both simulated and real-world environments.
• Collaborate with electrical, software, and systems engineering teams to integrate mechanical components into complex robotic architectures.
• Responsible for maintaining PLM of our system level engineering documentation and CAD
• Provide mentorship and technical leadership to junior and mid-level engineers.
• Produce requirements documents, engineering packages, technical reports, and validation plans.
• Participate in the production and maintenance of mechanical systems through the product life cycle.
• Conduct FEA and CFD simulations to optimize designs for structural integrity, pressure tolerance, hydrodynamic efficiency, and thermal management.
• Drive root cause analysis and FMEA for mechanical subsystems, implementing corrective actions and design improvements.
• Engage with vendors, suppliers, and manufacturing partners to ensure high-quality fabrication and assembly processes.
• Support technology roadmaps and R&D initiatives, identifying emerging trends in materials, additive manufacturing, and robotics.
• Travel occasionally (10% anticipated up to 20%) for vendor visits, field testing, or contract manufacturing oversight.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related discipline (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred) from an ABET-accredited program.
• 10+ years of experience in mechanical design, system integration, and full product lifecycle management, with a focus on robotics, subsea engineering, aerospace, or extreme-environment systems.
• Expert-level proficiency in 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks (assemblies, parametric modeling, GD&T, design for manufacturability).
• Extensive experience with FEA, CFD, and multi-physics simulation tools (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus, COMSOL, MATLAB/Simulink).
• Strong knowledge of subsea engineering principles, including pressure vessel design, corrosion mitigation, and hydrodynamics.
• Experience designing complex electromechanical systems, integrating sensors, actuators, and robotic components.
• Ability to develop and execute validation strategies, including full-scale prototype testing, environmental qualification, and reliability assessment.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional engineering teams, managing projects, and interfacing with executive leadership, stakeholders, and external partners.
• Familiarity with ASME, API, ISO, and MIL-STD design and testing standards for marine or aerospace systems.
• U.S. Citizen

Preferred Requirements

• Experience with end to end autonomous vehicle development (subsea, aerial, or ground-based).
• Experience with advanced manufacturing techniques (e.g., composites, additive manufacturing, precision machining).
• Experience with automotive hybrid energy system design
• Background in risk assessment, failure mode analysis (FMEA), and reliability engineering.
• Previous leadership experience in a dynamic startup organization or equivalent with limited existing process and structure.

In closing, Terradepth is searching for those who are passionate about our mission and want to contribute to transformative technologies that uncover and protect our planet's most remote underwater environments.

If we piqued your interest, we hope you will pique ours and follow the prompts to apply.