About Us

At Saildrone, we sustainably explore, map, and monitor the oceans to understand, protect, and preserve our world. Saildrone provides real-time access to critical data from any ocean on earth, 24/7/365, and uses proprietary software applications to transform that data into actionable insights and intelligence. Saildrone’s fleet of uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs), powered by renewable wind and solar power, have a minimal carbon footprint and operate without the need for a crewed support vehicle. We work with governments, civil agencies, foundations, universities, and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas—from sailing into the eye of a category 4 hurricane to obtain new data about how storms intensify collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, and counting fish biomass to inform sustainable fishery management, to mapping the ocean floor and reducing illegal fishing and drug trafficking. As a result of our work, we have been included on Fast Company’s annual list of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022”, earned the 2022 Ocean Awards’ Innovation Award, won “Best Tech For Good” in the 2022 Timmy Awards, and were recognized by Andreessen-Horowitz’s American Dynamism 50 list of the “Top 50 companies kickstarting American renewal. Saildrone’s hurricane mission was included as one of the New York Times’ “21 Things That Happened for the First Time in 2021,” and Popular Science's “100 Greatest Innovations of 2021.”

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC, St. Petersburg, FL, and Fall River, MA, and operate our missions worldwide. We are backed by top-tier investors in the frontier-tech and sustainability sectors, including Social Capital, Capricorn, Lux Capital, BOND Capital, and Emerson Collective. 

This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services and autonomous hardware. You will be an integral part of a high-performing multi-disciplinary delivering high impact for humanity and future generations.

The Role

As a Production Engineer for Saildrone you will directly support the industrialization and scaling of our Explorer product line, including sub-assembly component builds, drone fitout processes, and teardown and re-build processes for drone mission readiness.

The ideal candidate can partner with multiple stakeholders R&D engineering, production, and supply chain in shepherding mission-specific designs into production- and service-ready components and procedures. This would include reviewing mechanical/electrical drawings, assisting supply chain with make/vs buy decisions, developing and maintaining detailed work instructions, and maintaining accurate manufacturing Bill of Materials within Saildrone’s inventory systems. This candidate can tactically support on a daily basis with production and drone operators to assist with quality and technical build issues, determine root causes, and implement changes on the shop floor as well as drive design changes to support continuous improvement of the product and efficiency of the process.

This role would report to the manager of Production Engineering.

Responsibilities: 

• Collaborate with multiple stakeholders (facilities, production, hardware engineering, and warehouse) in developing repeatable assembly, repair, and drone fit-out procedures to support efficient use of technician labor.
• Support damage/repair processes and be the first point of contact for build issues on the shop floor
• Collect and root cause repeated issues, and drive quality solutions to shop floor
• Support labor time motion studies to optimize labor hours across production assemblies
• Validate design drawings and assist with new product introductions for specialized mission requirements.
• Maintain manufacturing BOMs to enable proper demand planning and material delivery to the shop floor.
• Support re-work and refurbishment fit-out campaigns across our drone fleet to keep fleet availability high for our customers.

Required skills and experience

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant area such as Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering. Electrical Engineering or similar
• 3 years experience working hands-on in a manufacturing environment, in a manufacturing/production or shop floor engineering support role
• 1 years of 3D CAD modeling experience

Desired skills and experience

• Experience with NX/Unigraphics, Teamcenter CAD and PDM systems for component and tooling design
• Worked with Manufacturing Execution Systems for work instruction deployment and/or ERP systems (Oracle, Tulip) for managing Bill of Materials, routings, and inventory transactions.
• Experience working at a Lean Mfg environment
• Experience in quality control procedures, quarantine, and developing re-work repair instructions for shop floor personnel.

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. Even our walls have good karma, our offices mix software development with a hardware production line in the former airplane hangar used to film 'The Matrix'.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents.
• Short and relaxing ferry ride from the Ferry Building for SF residents
• Enhanced Parental Leave Programs
• Competitive benefits including excellent medical, life insurance, 401k plan

Catch up on the latest news about us:

Interagency Public-Private Partnership Sends Uncrewed Saildrone to Explore Remote Alaskan Waters - NOAA OER (August 11, 2022)

An Unprecedented View Inside a Hurricane – EOS (May 6, 2022)

Meet the sailing robots trying to solve climate change – The Hill (Mar. 18, 2022)

They Sailed Into a Hurricane, Now these Unmanned Saildrones are Seeking Data on Our Carbon Uptake – CNN (Dec. 9, 2021)

Saildrone Catches a $100M C Breeze to Build More Robo-boats – TechCrunch (Oct. 18, 2021)

With A Sight, Sound And Radar Picture, Saildrone Could Build An AI Database Of Everything In The Ocean – Forbes (Aug. 16, 2021)

Changing Arctic Environment Could Also Change Technologies Needed to Protect It, Experts Say – SeaPower Magazine (Aug. 2, 2021)

Autonomous Research Vehicle Completes Ocean Crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii – Hydro International (July 13, 2021)

Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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

Individuals who require employer sponsorship to remain employed in the United States now or in the future will not be considered for hire for certain positions.

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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