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THE COMPANY Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365.  Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs in Europe and the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation. THE POSITION Saildrone is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to join our Engineering organization. Reporting directly to the VP of Hardware, you will establish and lead Saildrone’s systems engineering function, ensuring hardware, software, firmware, and mission systems operate as a cohesive, mission-ready platform. Your work will directly impact vehicle performance, reliability, and the successful deployment of autonomous systems at sea. We are looking for a technical leader who brings systems-level rigor, creates clarity across complex architectures, and drives disciplined execution across multidisciplinary teams in fast-moving, mission-critical environments. 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. THE TEAM The Systems Engineering function is 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 RESPONSIBILITIES Architecture & Rigor: Define and maintain system architectures and interface control documents (ICDs) to achieve high platform reliability and performance across hardware, firmware, and software domains. Requirements Decomposition: Be accountable for the full system requirements lifecycle—from decomposition to traceability and verification—ensuring all subsystems align with pre-defined mission goals and performance metrics. Program Leadership: Lead the technical execution of key R&D programs, ensuring technical progress across multidisciplinary teams from project onset through final sea trials. Cross-Functional Handoffs: Work closely with Hardware, Firmware, and Security teams to align on staffing needs, project dependencies, and interface definitions to ensure the successful delivery of technical milestones. Verification & Validation (V&V): Execute comprehensive verification campaigns—including lab, dockside, and at-sea testing—to confirm system performance against governing defense and maritime safety standards. Configuration & Change Management: Adhere to and establish rigorous configuration control and change management processes to prevent technical debt and ensure system-level safety in fast-moving development cycles. Risk & Compliance Management: Monitor for system integration gaps and governing compliance risks, taking action to resolve technical blockers and escalate when program safety or performance thresholds are exceeded. Fun