At SYOS, we’re building the next generation of autonomous vehicles across air, land and sea. Our UK maritime team is growing, and we’re looking for a Maritime Operations Team Leader to provide day-to-day direction to maritime operational personnel and coordinate the resources required to deliver activities safely, efficiently and professionally.

The role supports demonstrations, trials, training, customer engagements, exercises, commissioning

activities and operational deployments involving vessels, USVs and associated equipment. You will have primary responsibility for operational planning, personnel coordination, logistics, resources and delivery.

The role will involve regular travel within the UK and internationally to support demonstrations, trials, training activities, exhibitions, customer events, commissioning and operational deployments. 

What you’ll do:

• Lead and coordinate the day-to-day activities of the Maritime Operations Team, ensuring effective planning, resourcing and delivery.
• Plan and coordinate maritime activities, ensuring the required personnel, vessels, USVs, equipment and facilities are available and ready.
• Allocate maritime personnel to activities in consultation with the Chief USV Pilot and relevant Event Leads.
• Act as Event Lead where required, coordinating the safe and effective delivery of operational activities.
• Ensure activities are delivered in accordance with company procedures, risk assessments, maritime requirements and health & safety standards.
• Work closely with the Chief USV Pilot to plan and resource USV demonstrations, trials, training and deployments.
• Ensure suitably qualified and competent personnel are available for planned USV activities and support operational readiness.
• Work with the Commissioning Team Leader to coordinate the transition of vessels and USVs from commissioning, testing and sea trials into operational service.
• Maintain operational schedules, readiness trackers and activity plans, identifying dependencies, constraints and resource conflicts.
• Coordinate operational logistics including travel, accommodation, transportation, site access, launch and recovery arrangements.
• Ensure operational briefings, risk assessments, method statements, procedures and other required documentation are in place.
• Monitor operational performance and provide regular readiness updates, escalating risks, issues and resource constraints as appropriate.
• Work closely with Engineering and Commissioning to provide operational input into trials, vessel and USV development, modifications and technical issues.
• Support customer demonstrations, trials, training and deployments, providing professional maritime leadership and operational input where required.
• Coordinate with customers, suppliers, harbour authorities, regulators, venues and other external stakeholders to support successful maritime activities.
• Ensure operational feedback, lessons learned and actions are captured, communicated and followed through to completion.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational processes, procedures and ways of working, promoting consistency and best practice across maritime operations.
• Support the continued development and growth of SYOS’s maritime operational capability, while promoting company values, culture and high standards of safety and professionalism.

What you’ll bring:

• Proven experience in maritime operations, marine trials, workboats, USVs or a similar operational environment. 
• Previous experience leading or coordinating operational teams, vessels, equipment and resource.
• Experience planning and delivering maritime trials, demonstrations, training or deployments.
• Good understanding of risk assessments, safe systems of work, method statements and operational planning.
• Practical experience of small boat operations, towing, launch and recovery.
• Experience working within safety-critical environments alongside engineering and commissioning teams.
• Experience in customer-facing operational or technical roles.
• Ability to identify operational risks, manage issues and maintain accurate operational documentation.

Essential Qualifications & Training requirements:

• First Aid at Work  
• Full UK Driving Licence (max 6 points)  + category B combined with a willingness to drive and tow domestically and internationally. 
• MCA /RYA Maritime skipper qualification. Advanced or above 
• Trailer Towing Competency  
• Load Restraint and Cargo Securing Training  
• Forklift/Telehandler licence 

As we continue to grow, we are recruiting across multiple functions and levels within SYOS. We encourage you to apply for the role that best matches your experience. However, during our review process we may identify other opportunities that could be a good fit for your skills and experience, and we may discuss these with you.

Why SYOS?

Join a growing team building real autonomous systems for air, land and sea.

You’ll have the opportunity to lead the electrical and avionics production of advanced autonomous maritime platforms while helping establish the processes, standards and culture that will support SYOS’s continued growth in the UK.

Lead the team. Integrate the technology. Build the future.

Apply now and help shape the future of autonomous marine systems.

Security Requirement

To be eligible for this role, you must be able to meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). This includes confirming your identity, legal right to work in the UK, recent employment history, and criminal record (unspent convictions only).

We are not accepting unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies. Any CVs sent without prior agreement, including those shared directly with hiring managers, will be considered gifted and no fees will be payable.