Manufacturing Engineer
Vatn Systems
Salary undisclosed
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Description
Manufacturing Engineer Job Description
At Vatn Systems, we specialize in designing and manufacturing advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) that push the boundaries of underwater exploration and defense technology. Our AUVs integrate complex electro-mechanical systems, high-precision sensors, and cutting-edge software to operate in challenging marine environments. We’re looking for skilled Manufacturing Engineers to join our growing team and play a key role in transitioning products from R&D to full-scale production.
As a Manufacturing Engineer at Vatn Systems, you will be responsible for rapidly iterating and building processes and advanced tooling for cutting-edge Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. This responsibility includes Design for Manufacturability, tool design & selection, process creation & optimization, vendor sourcing & interaction, quality planning, and work documentation associated with the hardware that the Manufacturing Engineer owns.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Own a portion or all of the manufacturing value chain for a certain product or set of products
- Write documentation required for successfully manufacturing their hardware at scale, such as work instructions, quality plans, inspection requirements, etc
- Develop process flows, breaking down large, complex assemblies into a logical part flow of subassemblies and sub-processes
- Work with upstream engineering teams to ensure designs are manufacturable at scale
- Work with contract manufacturers across various disciplines (PCBA fab, metal/plastic manufacturing, assembly, etc.) to develop repeatable, sustained processes for quick-turn development as well as at-scale production
- Work with technicians and other engineers in a hands-on fashion building prototype and production grade hardware
- Develop novel tooling solutions for fabrication and assembly of structural parts
- Contribute to end-customer hardware mechanical or electrical design, including interconnects, board fabrication and inspection, etc
Required Qualifications:
- Degree in a technical field such as engineering, math, or a hard science
- 3+ years of experience in a relevant field, preferably manufacturing or design of electromechanical hardware
- Demonstrated ability to deliver electromechanical hardware to spec in a start-up environment
- Demonstrated in-kind or direct team leadership skills, with backing examples
- Personal experience physically manufacturing hardware via any means (machining, fabrication, soldering, assembly, etc.). Work on personal or extracurricular projects is a plus.
- Extremely organized and detail-oriented
- Excellent verbal & written communication skills
- Has a never-ending sense of urgency and enthusiasm
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with AUVs, ROVs, or other marine robotic systems
- Experience with pressure vessels and/or pressure systems/equipment
- IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, or J-STD-001 certifications
- Knowledge of fiber optics, sonar systems, acoustic sensors, or marine navigation systems
- Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and MES platforms for tracking work orders and materials
- Previous involvement in NPI programs with exposure to lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement strategies
- Understanding of marine corrosion prevention and subsea sealing techniques
Vatn is an equal opportunity employer.
About this role
Vatn Systems builds advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for exploration and defense, and this Manufacturing Engineer role offers hands-on ownership of the manufacturing value chain from prototype through production scale. You'd own specific products or product families, writing work instructions and quality plans, designing processes and tooling, sourcing vendors, and collaborating directly with contract manufacturers across PCBA, metal fabrication, plastics, and assembly. The work is genuinely cross-functional—you'll partner with R&D teams to ensure designs scale efficiently, work alongside technicians building hardware, and contribute to mechanical and electrical design decisions including interconnects and board inspection.
This is a contract position based in Bristol, Rhode Island, requiring in-office presence. You'll need a technical degree, at least three years in manufacturing or electromechanical design, and proven ability to deliver hardware in a startup environment. Hands-on manufacturing experience is essential—whether machining, soldering, fabrication, or assembly—backed by strong organizational skills, communication, and a bias toward urgency. Leadership capability matters; the role expects you to guide and influence across teams.
If you have marine systems experience (AUVs, ROVs), pressure vessel knowledge, IPC certifications, or familiarity with lean manufacturing and NPI programs, you'd be well-positioned. This role suits someone who thrives in the details of making complex hardware real at scale, enjoys vendor partnerships, and wants direct impact on product manufacturability from day one.
Typical pay for this role
$100,000
Typical range: $60,000 to $140,000
This role's local market on JobMinglr
Pay for this role
The employer didn't post a pay range for this role. That usually means pay is set in negotiation, which favors whoever arrives with numbers. Check ranges on comparable Manufacturing Engineer postings in Bristol, and analyze any offer before you accept it.
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