---
title: 'Senior Systems Engineer at Saildrone'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-systems-engineer-saildrone-alameda-california-xpv24svwmwck'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Senior Systems Engineer at Saildrone

- **Company:** Saildrone
- **Location:** Alameda California, United States
- **Compensation:** $176k–$227k
- **Posted:** 2026-02-10
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://www.saildrone.com/careers/available-jobs?gh_jid=4112199009

## 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 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.
- Function Building: Meet commitments to build and scale the systems engineering team, recruiting world-class talent and establishing the MBSE tools and standards necessary for global fleet expansion.

## THE QUALIFICATIONS

- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Systems, Mechanical, Electrical, or related engineering discipline.
- 12+ years of experience in systems engineering, including leadership of complex, multidisciplinary programs.
- Proven experience delivering integrated systems in defense, aerospace, maritime, robotics, or autonomy domains.
- Deep understanding of systems architecture, requirements engineering, integration, and verification methodologies.
- Experience with MBSE tools, system modeling, and configuration management practices.
- Demonstrated ability to make technical decisions in environments with high complexity, ambiguity, and time pressure.
- Strong communication and leadership skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Ability to operate effectively across lab, field, and operational environments.

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 $176,400—$226,800 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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