Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

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The role

Vessev is creating a new era of how we move on water, and we need a mechanical design engineer to join our Hydrofoil Systems team. The role will be fast-paced and demanding and exceptionally rewarding for the right person.

The Hydrofoil Systems Team Are The Ones Who Bestow The Vessels With Their Hydrofoiling Ability. Without Them, Vessev Would Have An Epic Boat, But Not a Flying One. The Systems That Fall Under The Care Of This Team Include, But Are Not Limited To

• the hydro-surface design/optimisation,
• the control surface and actuation design/optimisation,
• the propulsion systems and its integration into the foil junctions, and
• the integration of the foils into the vessel platform.
  
  

With everyone working out of the same facility, our boat production teams are tightly integrated with the design team. Rather than having the design and build team detached from each other, you can literally see your work materialise, day by day.

As for you, your experience might come from dabbling in motorsports, aerospace or the energy sector but you'll have honed your skills in mechanical designs and complex assemblies. We don't need you to be an expert on marine or electric vehicles, but you do need to be intelligent, a fast learner, and curious - this will have a much more significant impact on how you come up to speed on the technical details.

Internally, you will work within the wider Hydrofoil team to make sure we're maintaining Vessev's right to fly. We have the best talent on site - these are people who have built America's Cup boats, worked on rocket systems, and have extraordinary engineering experience from all over the world. This is a role that will have plenty of scope to have a lasting impact, not only at Vessev but the wider marine industry

We are making an iconic New Zealand company - something that is cherished by everyone who interacts with us. Our dream is for you to create something that you are insanely proud of.

What Your Day Could Look Like

Owning mechanical design and analysis

Our biggest commercial offering, the VS一18 will need ongoing refinement to meet our performance requirements and designed to international standards. You'll need to be comfortable with designing and prototyping complex assemblies, structural analysis, finite element analysis (FEA) and CAD. This will help you validate designs against load cases, and optimize for strength, weight, and performance.

Completing the loop

A hydrofoiling boat is a complex product of interdependent systems, with each part of the conceptual design having a significant effect on several other aspects. When we get it right, this means that any improvements can get amplified through a design loop of cascading gains.

Streamline mechanical design elements

Being early on in our commercial production journey, progress is fast but iteration moves faster. Our solutions require a thoughtful approach to our foil system design. You will always be on the cutting edge, on top of the latest industry trends, emerging technologies, and design innovations to stay ahead of the curve. This might mean selecting off-the-shelf components when appropriate to streamline the design and reduce costs, but also knowing when a custom solution is necessary to meet specific project requirements.

Showcase Your Ingenuity

While there is plenty of experience and talent, Vessev is always open to new ways of doing things, better. You might come up with clever ways of improving existing solutions by reducing complexity or optimising load paths. It's not just about buying a part and putting it on, it's about looking at a particular problem and asking yourself "can I make something groundbreaking here?"

Manage designs through to production

Among their other roles, our engineers form the bridge between design and production, so you're in constant contact with the manufacturing team (both in house and outsourced) to ensure every design is crafted with feasibility, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in mind.

While this list encompasses a broad range of responsibilities, it reflects the significant opportunities within Vessev's Hydrofoil team. As we continue to expand, you'll have the chance to specialise across these areas, contributing to personal growth and the company's success. The dynamic nature of this role offers a unique opportunity to shape and evolve with a rapidly growing company.

Requirements

You do not need to hit every requirement to apply. Within this role, determination, drive, and creativity can be as important as experience.

Qualifications And Experience

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
• Experience with mechanical component and system design, analysis and optimisation
• An understanding of mechanical design from prototyping through to production
• Ability to create and interpret technical drawings, specifications, and assembly instructions
  
  

Bonus experience

• Experience with electric propulsion systems and actuators
• Knowledge of composite materials and structural design
• Knowledge of applied fluid dynamics
• Experience with FEA (Finite Element Analysis), CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and other simulation tools
• Proficient in data analysis using Python
• General experience within the marine industry
  
  

If you have read up to this point, think Vessev is the right fit for you, but you don't think this role is right for you, consider getting in touch with us.

We are growing fast.

Our company

Our purpose at Vessev is to propel a more liveable world - one with better commutes, fewer cars on the roads, additional routes to affordable housing, better connections with nature, clean air, and clean water. We're doing that by designing and manufacturing electric hydrofoiling vessels - the most performant electric vessels ever. Through extraordinary increases in efficiency and comfort - they unlock entirely new sustainable opportunities on our under-utilised waterways.

We value trust, honesty, and a certain can-do spirit that only comes from the desire to blow expectations out of the water. Above all else - we care about doing our best work. Our team have built America's Cup-winning racing yachts, delivered orbital rockets into space, created iconic international technology products, earned multiple PhDs, and helped build existing internationally renowned companies. We are backed by some of the best including Blackbird Ventures, Icehouse Ventures, and K1W1.

There are 33 million vessels in the world today, and nearly all of them are fossil fuel-powered. Demand for practical, sustainable solutions is growing exponentially in every sector, and marine is no exception. What we are creating at Vessev is the most performant way to move on the water and will have a large role to play in this once-in-a-generation transition.

We're not just making electric boats. We are making better boats that can make a genuine impact.

Together, we can propel a more liveable world.

Office first but not office only

Important events are nearly always held in person. That sense of connection and spontaneity cannot be replaced, and the work that we do is no exception. We believe in an office-first culture for the highly collaborative and world-class nature of what we do. "Flying boats to help save the world" will need more than Zoom calls to take flight.

Being in the office lets us build real relationships—not just through meetings but through the everyday interactions that create trust and a sense of teamwork. These connections allow us to disagree, give feedback and do meaningful and aligned work. Some of the best ideas come from quick conversations or impromptu brainstorming sessions. Being in the same space makes it easier to share thoughts and solve problems together. Working side by side helps us make decisions quickly, stay aligned, and keep pushing the ball forward.

With that being said, we are office first, but not office only. We place a huge amount of trust in our team to do what is best for Vessev. Ultimately, we are a sum that is greater than its parts and being together is what helps us reach extraordinary outcomes.

Why our people love Vessev

• We are developing a foundational technology for the future of marine sustainability. There are fewer than 100 electric hydrofoiling vessels on the water today. We are at the earliest innings of this great transition and joining Vessev is a chance to make some waves (metaphorically speaking).
• Genuine impact - the technology we are creating isn't just green. It uses up to 90% less energy than conventional vessels and has used economic benefits to propel its adoption.
• "First flights" are massive memorable events that we all share in and coming up we will have some huge events associated with our larger vessels.
• A hugely talented and collaborative team to work with.
• Our products are quite public - we're not just creating an iconic New Zealand company, we will be creating an iconic company on the global stage.
• We offer 20 weeks fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers and 4 weeks fully paid secondary caregiver leave (conditions apply).
• We offer attractive remuneration packages made up of salary, and generous employee stock ownership plans (role dependent)
• Usage of our 1500sqm facility and tools for personal projects (conditions apply)
• Being on the water is part of our job - our facility even borders the Tamaki River with outdoor seating available for daily use.
• If the water is where you want to be, you will find no shortage of boaters, beach goers, sailors, foilers, surfers, and kiteboarders in our community.
  
  

Join our team

Vessev is committed to creating the best possible work experiences that we can - a place where everyone can do their best work. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and under-represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but don't necessarily tick every requirement on this job description, please still get in touch and apply to Vessev.

We'd love to chat to see if you'll be an epic fit

If this opportunity sounds like you, please apply below by sending through your cover letter explaining why you're excited about this role and working at Vessev, along with your CV, and we'll be in touch

If you have questions please send them to careers@vessev.com

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• Seniority levelMid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment typeFull-time

Job function

• Job functionEngineering and Information Technology
• IndustriesMaritime Transportation

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