---
title: 'Senior Configuration & PLM Engineer at Saildrone'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-configuration-plm-engineer-saildrone-alameda-gqmvsvzqr8g6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-19'
---

# Senior Configuration & PLM Engineer at Saildrone

- **Company:** Saildrone
- **Location:** Alameda, CA
- **Compensation:** $136k–$160k
- **Posted:** 2026-09-30
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-19
- **Apply:** https://www.saildrone.com/careers/available-jobs?gh_jid=4423423009

## Job description

## 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 Configuration & PLM Engineer to chair our change control process, lead document control, and serve as the internal owner of our Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system. In this role, you will run our Change Control Board (CCB), review engineering release packages for drawing and standards compliance, and manage day-to-day Teamcenter workflows. Working alongside our external implementation partner during initial rollout, you will take ownership of system mechanics, workflow modifications, and process enforcement required to bring our product data to AS9100 and maritime class compliance.

The Team

The Hardware Engineering Team develops and deploys Saildrone’s autonomous ocean systems. We focus on delivering reliable, scalable hardware for maritime domain awareness, operating in a high-stakes national security and defense environment. This role sits at the heart of our hardware execution, directly impacting process rigor, documentation quality, and the overall reliability of our vehicles and sensor payloads.

The Responsibilities

- CCB Leadership & Change Control: Chair and facilitate regular Change Control Board (CCB) meetings; track, review, and drive Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) through evaluation, cross-functional approval, and release.
- Document Control & Standards Audit: Perform pre-release audits on CAD models, drawings, title blocks, and documentation packages to ensure strict compliance with internal drafting standards, ASME Y14, AS9100 quality frameworks, and external regulatory bodies (e.g., ABS).
- Teamcenter Mechanics & Administration: Manage day-to-day Teamcenter operations, user permissions, release statuses, and workflow adjustments, taking over internal system ownership as our external integration contractor completes initial deployment.
- BOM & Configuration Integrity: Act as the final gatekeeper for multi-level Bill of Materials (BOM) synchronization, revision control, and data integrity across CAD, PLM, and ERP environments.
- Drawing Templates & Standards Management: Own and update internal drawing templates, seed files, and attribute mappings across engineering tools (NX, Altium, RapidHarness, Zuken).
- Process Maturity & Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner with Hardware, Firmware, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Fleet teams to continually mature release workflows, train users, and ensure company-wide adherence to configuration control processes.

The Qualifications

- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
- 4+ years of hands-on experience in configuration management, document control, and change management within a hardware manufacturing environment.
- High operational proficiency with Siemens Teamcenter mechanics, including workflow administration, revision status management, and change object processing.
- Proven experience running Change Control Boards (CCBs) and managing end-to-end ECR/ECO/ECN lifecycles.
- Strong background in document control, including auditing engineering drawings for compliance with ASME Y14 standards, title block attributes, and quality frameworks (AS9100 / ISO 9001).
- Familiarity with CAD/ECAD tools (e.g., Siemens NX, Altium, RapidHarness, Zuken) and their data integration pipelines with Teamcenter.
- Exposure to maritime class society documentation standards (e.g., ABS, DNV) or similar regulatory submittal processes.
- Familiarity with ERP ecosystems (e.g., NetSuite), Jira, and multi-disciplinary assembly processes (mechanical, electrical, firmware).
- Excellent communication, process auditing, and cross-functional leadership skills.

The base salary range for this position is shown below. Actual compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and qualifications. This range reflects the base salary for candidates in states requiring pay transparency disclosure.

Salary Range $136,000—$160,000 USD

To view Saildrone's candidate privacy policy, please visit: https://www.saildrone.com/privacy-policy.

## BENEFITS

At Saildrone, we’re building operational capability that matters—and that requires people who can do their best work over the long term. We invest in our team’s well-being, financial security, and professional growth so you can focus on delivering real-world impact with confidence and stability. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support you and your family while you contribute to a mission with lasting significance.

- Generous Time Off: Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO) accrual plus a robust annual holiday schedule and paid sick leave ensure you can rest, reset, and sustain performance over time.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Premium, multi-tier Medical, Dental, and Vision plans with significant company contributions for employees and dependents—providing security and peace of mind.
- Shared Ownership in the Mission: Equity grants are a core part of our compensation, allowing you to participate in the long-term value you help create through meaningful, operational work.
- Retirement Savings: Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with flexible pre-tax and Roth payroll contribution options supports long-term financial planning.
- Investment in Your Growth: We support your continuous learning through an annual professional development reimbursement program, empowering you to sharpen your skills and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving field.
- Relocation Support: For eligible roles, we offer relocation assistance to help bring the world’s best talent to our mission-critical locations.

Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

## About Saildrone

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Saildrone builds autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) that deliver persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and kinetic effects for defense, security, and ocean mapping missions.
- **Entity Type**: Private (venture-backed)
- **Headquarters**: Alameda, California, USA
- **Founded**: Not publicly available (company references 12+ years of operations as of 2026)
- **Founders**: Richard Jenkins (Founder & CEO)

## Core Business
- **Industry**: Autonomous maritime systems, defense technology, ocean data and intelligence
- **Target Customers**: Primarily government and military (U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, allied navies), as well as commercial ocean mapping and environmental monitoring organizations
- **Mission**: To give operators persistent awareness of maritime activity, the seabed, and the environment — delivering data, intelligence, and kinetic effects for strategic superiority at sea.

## Products & Services
- **Saildrone Voyager**: Multi-mission USV for maritime domain awareness, counter-narcotics, illegal immigration monitoring, electronic surveillance, and coastal mapping. Equipped with radar, vision, AIS fusion, and AI-driven classification.
- **Saildrone Explorer**: Smaller, proven platform for environmental sensing and extended presence; used for climate and oceanographic data collection.
- **Saildrone Surveyor**: Deep-ocean mapping USV with high-resolution multibeam sonar; designed for seafloor mapping and undersea infrastructure inspection.
- **Saildrone Spectre**: Next-generation medium USV for high-end naval operations, available in two variants:
  - **Silent Endurance**: Ultra-quiet persistence for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and ISR, with towed arrays and variable-depth sonar.
  - **Stealth Strike**: Low-observable, high-speed platform for kinetic operations with concealed payload capacity for effectors.
- **Services**: Real-time surface ISR, seafloor mapping, anti-submarine warfare, and METOC (meteorological and oceanographic) data delivery.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Over 2.5 million nautical miles sailed and 65,000 days at sea (as of 2026); fleet includes hundreds of USVs deployed globally
- **Notable Investors**: BOND, XN, Standard Investments, Emerson Collective, Crowley Maritime Corporation, Capricorn’s Technology Impact Fund, Lux Capital, Social Capital, Tribe Capital, The Schmidt Family Foundation, Exor Seeds
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Introduced Saildrone Spectre in 2025, filling a critical ASW capability gap
  - Achieved US Navy integration in 2026
  - Expanded European operations with headquarters in Copenhagen (2022)
  - First production Surveyor launched at Austal USA (2024)
  - Proven GPS-denied operations in the Middle East (2025)
  - Operates globally with deployment hubs worldwide

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proven extreme endurance**: USVs operate autonomously for months in the harshest ocean environments, enabling persistent missions that crewed vessels cannot sustain.
- **Proprietary wing technology**: Developed from a world-record wind-powered vehicle, enabling efficient, near-silent propulsion with high payload capacity.
- **Integrated sensor fusion**: Combines radar, vision, AIS, sonar, and AI classification for real-time above- and below-surface awareness.
- **End-to-end autonomy platform**: Vehicles stream data directly into customer command-and-control systems 24/7/365.
- **Trusted by defense customers**: 12+ years of operational track record with governments including the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard.

## Strategic Focus
- **Defense and national security**: Continuing to expand capabilities for anti-submarine warfare, ISR, and kinetic effects to address critical gaps in maritime power projection.
- **European market expansion**: Growing presence in Europe through the Copenhagen office and partnerships with allied navies.
- **Autonomy at scale**: Scaling production of Surveyor and Spectre classes, and integrating advanced payloads for undersea warfare, electronic warfare, and multi-domain operations.
- **Ocean data services**: Leveraging persistent mapping and environmental monitoring for commercial and scientific applications.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Join a team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology, delivering systems that directly impact national security and maritime safety.
- **Comprehensive benefits**: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; 12 weeks paid parental leave (maternity/paternity); military leave with pay differential; sabbatical after 5 years; annual professional development stipend; 401K through Fidelity; accrued PTO and holidays.
- **Work environment**: Headquarters in Alameda, CA, with an office in Washington, DC, and deployment hubs globally. Fast-moving, engineering-focused organization that values innovation and operational excellence. Hybrid/remote policy not specified.
- **Growth opportunities**: Work on cutting-edge autonomous systems with real-world impact, from deep-ocean mapping to advanced naval missions.

## Sources
1. [Saildrone Main Website](https://www.saildrone.com/)
2. [Saildrone Careers](https://www.saildrone.com/careers)
3. [Saildrone About Us](https://www.saildrone.com/about)
4. [Saildrone Available Jobs](https://www.saildrone.com/careers/available-jobs)
5. [Saildrone LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/saildrone-inc)

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