Defence-focused maritime robotics and autonomous vessel systems
SubSea Craft designs unmanned and autonomous maritime platforms for naval and special-forces operators. The tech stack—PLC, C++, Qt, CAN bus, NMEA 2000, and CAD tools like Solidworks and Rhino—reflects a hardware-first, embedded-systems culture typical of defence maritime engineering. The hiring mix is heavily weighted toward mid- and senior-level engineers (23 roles across 36 open positions), with active projects spanning autonomous platform control, hull optimization, and rapid UAS prototyping, signaling scaling of both R&D capacity and manufacturing readiness.
SubSea Craft Limited, founded in 2014 and based in Portsmouth, develops manned and unmanned maritime systems for defence and special-operations customers. The company operates across subsurface, surface, and air domains, with a stated focus on contested and denied environments. Current work includes autonomous marine vessel development, special-purpose unmanned aerial systems, hull structural design for regulatory certification, and composite structure innovation. The organization is structured around engineering-led product delivery, with active pain points around manufacturing scaling (hull form automation, productionizing new technologies) and regulatory navigation (export controls, maritime compliance, safety certification).
Core stack includes PLC, C++, Qt, Codesys, CAN bus, CANopen, and NMEA 2000. CAD tools are Solidworks, Inventor, and Rhino. Enterprise systems include Infor LN for ERP and S1000D for technical documentation. All development occurs in-house in the UK.
Active projects include autonomous marine platform control systems, special-purpose unmanned aerial systems, hull structural design for regulatory submission, control-system integration, sea trials of autonomous vessels, and composite structure development. Hull form optimization and manufacturing automation are priority engineering challenges.
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