---
title: 'Autonomous Sea Trials Test Planner at Saronic Technologies'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/autonomous-sea-trials-test-planner-saronic-technologies-new-orleans-g5rgjtg0qt8r'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-15'
---

# Autonomous Sea Trials Test Planner at Saronic Technologies

- **Company:** [Saronic Technologies](https://feeny.ai/companies/saronic-technologies)
- **Location:** New Orleans, LA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-05
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-15
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic/4e2a659b-c40d-4c52-a9a8-cd8b064eaf0b/application

**Skills:** Test planning, Validation, Port engineering, Operational readiness, Pier-side testing, Underway testing, Defect tracking, Safety analysis, Vessel readiness, Data capture, Builder’s trials, Customer trials, Classification society coordination, Shipyard periods, Marine engineering, Naval architecture

> The Autonomous Sea Trials Test Planner plans, executes, and documents pier-side and underway autonomous vessel test events. This role translates autonomy requirements into safe procedures, leads onboard execution with engineering and vessel crews, and produces trial packages, SITREPs, and corrective action documenta...

## Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Job Overview The Autonomous Sea Trials Test Planner is responsible for planning, executing, evaluating, and documenting pier-side and underway autonomous vessel test events. This role translates autonomy and control-system requirements into safe, repeatable sea trial procedures; leads onboard execution with vessel crew and engineering teams; and produces internal and class ready trial packages including test plans, SITREPs, test reports, discrepancy tracking, and corrective action documentation. The role interfaces daily with software development teams, vessel operators, vendors, and internal stakeholders to verify autonomy functionality and rapidly converge issues to resolution. This position will be working directly with the software team.

## Responsibilities

- Author and maintain autonomous sea trial test plans covering pier-side and underway verification of autonomy behaviors, machinery control, navigation control, and integrated voyage execution.
- Build test matrices mapping requirements to objective pass/fail criteria, safety controls, data capture needs, and contingency actions.
- Develop event-ready documentation packages including test cards, run sheets, communications plans, safety briefs, and go/no-go checklists.
- Serve as on-scene test lead for autonomy trials, directing real-time execution and ensuring safety-of-test.
- Lead verification of system functionality during operational events to confirm performance against acceptance criteria.
- Coordinate test readiness across vessel condition, maintenance status, and trial prerequisites.
- Establish required logs, timestamps, system states, and annotations to ensure complete data capture.
- Track issues using structured defect workflows including reproducibility steps, severity, and corrective actions.
- Coordinate prioritization of fixes and verify corrections through structured retest events.
- Produce daily SITREPs and formal trial documentation including test reports, discrepancy logs, and corrective action summaries.
- Develop opportunity for improvement work flow that produces failure reports and troubleshooting reports that can be used by internal software teams to improve software.
- Maintain traceability across software baselines, vessel configuration changes, and retest evidence.
- Working directly with and reporting findings to remote software teams daily.
- Support vessel modifications and testing impacts through internal stake holders and support vessel POC’s.
- Coordinate maintenance periods and readiness actions protecting test schedules.
- Interface with classification society survey activities (e.g., ABS) to align compliance and test execution.

Required Qualifications

- 7+ years in test/validation, trials, port engineering, or operational readiness roles for complex systems.
- Demonstrated experience leading pier-side and underway test execution.
- Working knowledge of shipboard activities and vessel readiness.
- Experience tracking sea trial defects, recording them and producing corrective actions.
- Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional communication skills.
- Ability to work onboard vessels for prolonged periods of time. Scheduling to be determined during test cycles.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience supporting builder’s trials and customer trials on autonomous platforms.
- Experience coordinating with classification societies and shipyard periods.
- Marine engineering or naval architecture background.
- Bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering or related field; advanced engineering degree preferred.

## Benefits

- Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services
- Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care
- Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents
- Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays
- Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents
- Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses
- Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan
- Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success
- Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage
- Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

[Saronic CCPA Notice for Candidates and California Employees](https://saronic-assets-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Saronic%20CCPA%20Notice%20for%20Candidates%20and%20California%20Employees.pdf)

If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/8/1324b.

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

## About Saronic Technologies

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Saronic Technologies builds autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) that combine hardware, software, and artificial intelligence to deliver scalable maritime security and domain awareness for naval forces.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D, total funding $2.6B)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Dino Mavrookas (CEO), Vibhav Altekar (CTO), Doug Lambert (COO), Rob Lehman (CCO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing – autonomous maritime systems
- **Target customers**: U.S. and allied naval forces, government defense agencies (B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Redefine maritime superiority” by providing the most advanced and capable autonomous vessels to address emerging threats and revolutionize naval warfare.

## Products & Services
- **Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs)**: A family of unmanned vessels (including models like *Mirage*, *Cipher*, and the 150‑foot *Marauder*) designed for launch from small craft, fleet assets, or beachheads. Capabilities include adaptive path planning, passive sensor tracking, resilient multi‑channel communications, and diverse payload integration.
- **Echelon Platform**: A unified software suite for mission planning, simulation, and command‑and‑control of autonomous surface vessels.
- **Capabilities Suite**: Integrated hardware/software stack covering launch, maneuver, perceive, communicate, execute, enable, and recover.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (latest Series D at $1.8B implies a valuation well into the billions)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $2.6B (Seed, Series A, Series B, and Series D); annual revenue reported at $9.5M
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: 8VC (Seed lead), Caffeinated Capital (Series A lead), Andreessen Horowitz (Series B lead), Kleiner Perkins (Series D lead). Strategic acquisition of Gulf Craft (April 2025) to accelerate shipbuilding.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 785 employees (+218.7% YoY), 296 active job postings, awarded a $392M Navy contract, international offices in Australia, United Kingdom, and Japan.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Founder experience**: Co‑founder/CEO Dino Mavrookas is a former Navy SEAL with eight combat tours; the leadership team includes veterans and technologists who understand military needs firsthand.
- **Proven technology**: Autonomous vessels already deployed in contested environments, with a $392M Navy contract validating the platform.
- **Vertical integration**: In‑house manufacturing and software development, plus the acquisition of Gulf Craft for scaled shipbuilding.
- **Rapid scaling**: Massive funding and headcount growth signal strong investor and customer confidence.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of ASVs from prototype to full manufacturing lines (new Head of Manufacturing hired).
- Expanding vessel lineup with larger platforms (150‑foot *Marauder*) and international partnerships in the Indo‑Pacific and Europe.
- Deepening the software ecosystem (Echelon) for mission planning and manned‑unmanned teaming.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “United We Win” (teamwork, respect), “Trust Fuels Triumph” (transparency, integrity), “Solutions Driven” (creative problem‑solving), and “One Mission” (national security focus).
- **Work environment**: Primarily on‑site in Austin, TX, with additional offices in Australia, UK, and Japan. High‑growth startup pace with a mission‑driven defense focus.
- **Perks & ratings**: LinkedIn employer rating 4.2/5.0 (compensation 4.5, culture 4.0, career 4.3). Notable talent drawn from SpaceX, Tesla, Anduril, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin.
- **Engineering culture**: Heavy emphasis on cross‑disciplinary teams (perception, navigation, ML, C2, systems integration) and building “captainless” ships.

## Sources
1. [saronic.com](https://www.saronic.com/) – Homepage, capabilities, and news (Navy contract)
2. [saronic.com/team](https://www.saronic.com/team) – Founders, leadership, values
3. [saronic.com/mission](https://www.saronic.com/mission) – Mission statement
4. [linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies](https://www.linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies) – Financials, headcount, funding rounds, investors, reviews
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic) – Active job postings

## Other roles at Saronic Technologies

- [IT Infrastructure Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/it-infrastructure-manager-saronic-technologies-austin-z8pjvx2wkb95) — Austin, TX
- [IT Production Support Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/it-production-support-technician-saronic-technologies-franklin-4w1n18wzfvpw) — Franklin, LA
- [Mission Operations Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mission-operations-engineer-saronic-technologies-austin-8vtzbyhbvg0t) — Austin, TX
- [Marine Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/marine-quality-engineer-saronic-technologies-franklin-6hhprbds41ww) — Franklin, LA
- [Sr. Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-quality-engineer-saronic-technologies-austin-9jmf9jbnt365) — Austin, TX
- [Test Planner](https://feeny.ai/job/test-planner-saronic-technologies-brownsville-xc3dt88b2hke) — Brownsville, TX
- [Manufacturing Engineer – Piping & HVAC Detail Planning](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-piping-hvac-detail-planning-saronic-technologies-fn7q3hgz0m2p) — Brownsville, TX
- [Manufacturing Automation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-automation-engineer-saronic-technologies-brownsville-jpj3p2c0t1m1) — Brownsville, TX
- [Manufacturing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-saronic-technologies-austin-5nhyrv0xjzbp) — Austin, TX
- [Machine Shop Supervisor](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-shop-supervisor-saronic-technologies-franklin-s08cz8s72qax) — Franklin, LA