Payload Integration Manager

Salary: £45,000-£55,000 DOE

Full Time

Permanent

Who we are: SubSea Craft is a fast growing, privately-funded, UK-based innovative maritime technology company specialising in next-generation, high-performance watercraft and systems. We operate at the intersection of advanced engineering, cutting-edge design, and user-centric innovation, delivering safe, effective, and enabling solutions for both commercial and defence applications.

What we offer:

Pension Contribution – Pension scheme with the option to contribute via salary sacrifice.

Annual Bonus Scheme – Eligibility to participate in the company’s annual discretionary bonus scheme, linked to individual and company performance.

Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover – Comprehensive protection including Life Assurance (4x salary) and Critical Illness Cover for added financial security.

Annual Leave – Entitlement to 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

Christmas Leave – A Christmas shutdown is typically observed.

Wellbeing Day – An additional Wellbeing Day each year to focus on personal health and wellbeing.

Family Leave – Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.

Private Healthcare – Access to comprehensive private healthcare coverage to support your physical and mental wellbeing.

Professional Development – Commitment to ongoing learning and career growth, supported by training programmes and access to LinkedIn Learning.

Flexible Working – Opportunities for flexible working arrangements to promote work–life balance.

Inclusive Culture – A professional environment that values diversity, innovation, and collaboration.

Role Overview:

As Payload Integration Manager within the Product team, you will play a critical role in delivering rapidly integrated, operationally relevant payload capabilities across surface, aerial, and subsurface platforms.

Operating in a prototype‑warfare environment, you will ensure the right payloads are identified, integrated, and fielded at pace, combining technical execution, operational insight, and pragmatic decision‑making. Working closely with Business Intelligence, Engineering, Operations, Commercial, and a broad supplier network, you will turn intelligence and mission need into working, trial‑ready payload integrations.

This is a hands‑on, delivery‑focused role for someone who builds, integrates, tests, iterates, and ships real capability, prioritising mission success over process.

Responsibilities will include:

Own payload integration from concept to trial, delivering rapid integration of sensors, weapons, and mission systems across surface, aerial, and subsurface platforms.

Identify and prioritise payload options through continuous engagement with a wide range of payload and weapon suppliers, assessing feasibility, integration effort, and operational impact.

Translate intelligence and operational need into integration reality, working closely with Business Intelligence and Operations to align payload choices with threat, CONOPS, and mission success criteria.

Rapid prototyping and physical integration, using CAD and rapid prototyping techniques (including 3D printing) to design mounts, housings, adapters, and interim solutions that enable fast testing and iteration.

Pull critical inputs from Engineering, converting platform constraints (power, data, controls, mechanical interfaces, safety) into practical, executable integration solutions.

Act as the cross‑functional integration hub, aligning Operations (trials and mission feedback), Engineering (technical data and constraints), and Commercial (supplier viability, timelines, and cost realism).

Support trials, demonstrations, and operational testing, resolving integration issues in real time and adapting payload solutions based on live feedback.

Define pragmatic payload requirements, ensuring safety, repeatability, and speed without over‑engineering or unnecessary process.

Provide subject‑matter expertise on payload and weapons integration risks, trade‑offs, and future rapid‑delivery options.

Qualifications and Experience:

3+ years’ experience in weapons, sensor, or payload integration within defence, aerospace, maritime, robotics, or autonomous systems domains.

Strong practical understanding of mechanical, electrical, and control interfaces, with the ability to work hands‑on alongside engineers.

Experience delivering prototype or rapid‑iteration capability, not just concept or paper design.

Working knowledge of CAD and experience with rapid prototyping / 3D printing to accelerate integration and trials.

Proven ability to engage heavily with external suppliers while coordinating effectively with internal engineering, operations, and commercial teams.

Comfortable translating incomplete or evolving operational needs into working payload integrations.

Familiarity with safety cases, certification constraints, and live trial environments.

Adaptable, self‑driven, and effective in fast‑moving, high‑pressure delivery settings.

Willing to travel domestically and internationally at short notice.

Able to obtain and maintain UK Security Clearance (minimum SC).

Note: Due to the nature of work undertaken at SubSea Craft, the selected candidate must be capable of meeting the security requirements of the position, which would include as a minimum existing right to live and work in the UK, Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), with UK National security clearance required for certain roles.*

Values: Our people are our greatest asset, we continually strive to provide an excellent working environment to enable our team to do their best work. We have an agile professional workforce: we are founded on the belief that our people are valued and our business is trusted, inclusive and commercially-adept.

What we expect from you:

Teamwork, mutual respect and collaboration

Initiative and independent working

Honesty and integrity

Business and commercial awareness

Agility, adaptability and continuous development

We are committed to building an inclusive, diverse workplace where everyone can thrive. If you require any support or adjustments to interact with us, please let us know.

*Please note that all offers of employment are conditional and subject to satisfactory DBS, driving licence and reference checks. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify candidates from employment. We will consider criminal record information alongside the wider range of evidence gathered at the application, interview, and pre-employment checking stages.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to everyone. If you are shortlisted, we will aim to contact you within 14 days of your application or the closing date (if stated). We may retain your details for future suitable roles unless you advise us otherwise.

For details of how we process your personal data, please refer to our Privacy Notice.