Senior Systems Engineer

Sr. Systems EngineerOPT provides intelligent maritime solutions and services that enable safer, cleaner, and more productive ocean operations for the defense and security, oil and gas, science and research, and offshore wind markets, including Merrows™, which provides AI-capable seamless integration of Maritime Domain Awareness Systems across platforms. Our PowerBuoy® platforms provide clean and reliable electric power and real-time data communications for remote maritime and subsea applications. We also provide WAM-V® unmanned surface vehicles (USV's) and marine robotics services. The Company's headquarters is located in Monroe Township, New Jersey and has an additional office in Richmond, California.We are seeking a Sr. Systems Engineer to join a multidisciplinary engineering team in our Richmond, CA office, supporting the development and deployment of WAM-V® autonomous surface vehicles and PowerBuoy® systems. This role is ideal for a highly capable, hands-on engineer who thrives in fast-paced prototyping and field deployment environments, building, testing, iterating, and solving practical engineering problems. You will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering and integration teams to drive engineering execution and help deliver robust, field-ready systems.The Sr. Systems Engineer will serve as a technical mentor and coordination point across engineering disciplines, helping align development efforts, unblock technical challenges, and maintain momentum across multiple concurrent projects. This role remains deeply hands-on and will involve active participation in system bring-up, reviewing designs, debugging, testing, and field operations. The ideal candidate is comfortable taking ownership of complex technical problems from concept through deployment and helping drive systems to operational readiness. This is a high-impact role with the opportunity to help shape the evolution of next-generation marine robotics systems while working directly on real-world autonomous platforms.ResponsibilitiesLead day-to-day technical execution across multidisciplinary engineering efforts to deliver reliable, field-ready systemsSupport system integration, bring-up, debugging, and validation of WAM-V® and PowerBuoy® platformsContribute to engineering execution, planning, and resource allocation across multiple concurrent development efforts, prototype builds, and sea trialsWork directly on challenging technical problems involving electromechanical systems, communications, controls, and autonomous behaviorsConduct design reviews and provide hands-on mentorship to engineers across disciplinesCollaborate closely with software architecture and systems integration teams to ensure subsystem compatibility and successful platform integrationCollaborate with the commercial team on contract-specific development efforts and overall VoM for internal project scopeSupport prioritization, task coordination, and engineering execution in partnership with leadershipAssist with field testing, sea trials, and operational deploymentsHelp establish and reinforce engineering best practices, documentation standards, and development processesContribute to hiring and development of engineering staffQualificationsRequired:US citizenshipBachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or related discipline)Minimum 6+ years of engineering experience in complex electromechanical or robotics systemsStrong system-level understanding of integrated hardware/software systemsHands-on experience with system design, integration, debugging, and field testingFamiliarity with at least some combination of embedded systems, firmware, CAD, controls, networking, or electromechanical integrationExperience working across multidisciplinary engineering teamsStrong technical problem-solving skills in fast-paced development environmentsAbility to mentor engineers and support cross-functional collaborationFamiliarity with networking, communications systems, embedded systems, or controlsWillingness to participate in field deployments and sea trialsExcellent communication and problem-solving skills and ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environmentsDesired:Master's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or related discipline)Experience with robotics, autonomous systems, marine systems, or unmanned vehiclesExperience with embedded systems, controls, and real-time softwareWorking knowledge of project management toolsExperience working in prototyping-heavy, hardware-focused environmentsExperience supporting field deployments and operating systems in real-world environmentsPrior experience mentoring engineers or leading small technical teamsEligibility for U.S. government security clearance (if required)Ocean Power Technologies provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.Salary range is $165,000 - $175,000 and includes the following:Bonus potentialRestricted Stock AwardBenefits include:MedicalDentalVisionLife InsuranceDisability Insurance401(k)