Senior Service Engineer

About Us

Saildrone is a defense company delivering maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products to military, homeland security, and commercial customers. Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are extreme-endurance platforms equipped with advanced sensors and proprietary AI to provide persistent insights above and below the sea surface. Insights that support border security, law enforcement, undersea infrastructure protection, hydrography, and naval power applications. With more than 2,000,000 nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone USVs are trusted by governments across the planet and set the standard for cost-efficient maritime intelligence in the world's harshest environments.

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operate missions worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services, autonomy, and AI. You will be part of a high-performing, multidisciplinary team delivering data, intelligence, and firepower for strategic superiority.

The Role

Saildrone's autonomous surface vehicles operate for unprecedented periods of time in the most unforgiving environments on the planet. Assembling these vehicles for their mission and maintaining the fleet for the mission duration must be performed with a high degree of skill and consistency. As a Service Engineer, you will be responsible for developing the processes and reference documentation required for successful and consistent troubleshooting and maintenance.

You will collaborate with a variety of teams in engineering, operations, and production. You will develop reference equipment, process, maintenance and service documentation that meets industry standards.

You will need to develop and execute assembly and service plans to sustain and improve Saildrone's systems at scale. You will become an invaluable member of the team, hold our common deadlines, and execute at a higher level of excellence with each iteration.

What You'll Do

• Develop Drone Operation and Maintenance Manuals by condensing information available from OEMs, collaborating with internal SMEs and good industry practice.

• Collect product information from data sheets, specifications, operating procedures, maintenance schedules, spare parts lists, and safety guidelines related to the drones.

• Develop and maintain clear, concise documentation for troubleshooting, maintenance, and process improvements.

• Verify accuracy of diagrams, schematics, and BOMS.

• Support the change management process after handover from R&D. Develop bill of materials, tools, consumables and spares lists. Ensure documentation is developed and updated. Review, communicate, track and document the field roll out.

• Support the introduction of new products by collaborating with engineering teams, developing training materials, and ensuring a smooth handover to field service teams

• Drive quality and safety improvements through design, planning and procedures.

• Represent field service in engineering change conversations.

• Develop and implement new work processes and procedures.

• Improve the process flow and field organization using best practices in Lean.

• Provide training and troubleshooting support to level up the skills of field service technicians, ensuring they are equipped to handle increasingly complex systems.

• Travel to field sites and engage with field technicians to observe, audit, and refine workflows in real-time, ensuring technicians have the tools and processes necessary for success.

• Willing and able to travel domestically and internationally as well as work extended/weekend hours, when necessary.

What We're Looking For

A top performer in this role will be highly motivated by and skilled in the following areas:

• Practical experience and technical expertise with electromechanical systems.

• Capable of producing high-quality documentation that is accurate, comprehensive, and user-friendly.

• Understand how to organize and condense information to create navigable and referencable documentation that

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, particularly in identifying inefficiencies and implementing practical solutions in real-world operational settings.

• Represent the field service team with engineering from R&D phase to sustained engineering.

• Passion for safety and continuous improvement to empowering field service teams with better processes and tools.

• Hands-on experience in process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.) and their practical application in a field environment.

• Ability to work cross-functionally and collaborate effectively with engineers, technicians, and management to ensure optimal workflows, create accurate BOMs, and provide input on designs to drive reliability, safety and cost improvements.

• Work with Fleet Service Managers to define complexity of service and diagnostic work in support of a training and skills matrix.

• Flexibility to travel to field sites as required to support operations, implement process changes, and provide technical assistance.

• Instinct for improving process and workflows to reduce variation within a system.

• Intolerant of schedule slippage, production inefficiencies, rework, or missed deadlines.

• Willing to lead by example with work ethic and dedication to safety and quality.

• Identify problems and take the initiative to find resolution and implement the necessary process improvements.

• Can self-assess the needs of a team and determine appropriate priorities.

• Careful listener to subject-mater experts and experienced service technicians.

Required Skills and Experience

Skills that are necessary to executing the core functions of this role are listed below.

• 6-10+ years of professional experience in manufacturing, service, fabrication, marine, construction, or engineering project management.

• Experience developing and maintaining equipment and/or service documentation.

• High level of organization and attention-to-detail. Track record of establishing and owning databases, document control process, project files, or quality records.

• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) programs and CAD modeling.

• Highly motivated with a strong sense of pride for the work performed by the team.

• Demonstrated commitment to safety and quality.

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Able to write clear documentation, process standards, procedures, and work instructions to aid supported teams.

• Understand the constructibility and serviceability of designs. Advocacy for safety and cost savings.

• Experience capturing and applying Lessons Learned.

• Ability to meet deadlines, goals and objectives independently and as part of a team.

• Experience in high-configurability production engineering or project management.

• Strong people skills and an ability to work with a wide variety of teams as a leader and a follower.

• Will need to occasionally lift up to 35+ lbs, spend some extended periods of time standing.

Desired Skills and Experience

Here's a non-exhaustive list of specific skills where prior knowledge and experience would lend itself to high performance:

• Past experience with Product Lifecycle Management Programs (Netsuite and Teamcenter)

• Experience with NX or other similiar CAD modeling programs.

• Familiarity creating work instructions in Tulip

• Experience working under industrial, regulatory or international quality standards and constraints (ISO9001, ABS, AS9100, OSHA 1910)

• Experience applying enterprise project management and collaboration tools (Atlassian preferred).

• Comfortable with tools and equipment required for craft work as well as installing, servicing or troubleshooting mechanical/electrical systems.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift 25 lbs, climb ladders, and reach overhead object.

• Able to work for short periods outdoors in a variety of conditions.

• Comfortable working near water.

• Available to travel domestically and internationally to observe and support work in the field. 5-10% annually.
  
  

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Benefits:

• Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave
• Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Stock Options
• Annual stipend for continued learning and development
• Quarterly company BBQs at our Alameda HQ (bring your friends and family!)
• Free Bay Area Public Transportation via AlamedaTMA with the BayPass Clipper Card
• Plenty of snacks in our 3 office locations
• Dog-friendly work environment

Catch up on the latest news about us:

The British Engineer Behind the US Navy’s High-tech Ocean Drones – The Times of London

Denmark to Field Unmanned Vessels for Monitoring Busy Shipping Routes – Defense News

Counter-drug Sea Drones Utilized by Navy as Trump Ramps Up Military Resources at the Border

Saildrone, Palantir Partner to Use AI to Streamline USV Manufacturing, Operations – Breaking Defense

An Underwater Mountain was Newly Discovered off California Coast – San Francisco Chronicle

USVs Could Deter IUU Fishing – USNI Proceedings

TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2024: Saildrone

Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Saildrone are considered property of Saildrone and are not subject to payment of agency fees.

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