Director of Naval Architecture – Advanced Offshore Systems & Vessel Retrofit

Impossible Metals

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Impossible Metals is building the next generation of offshore systems to unlock critical minerals in a way that is both environmentally responsible and economically superior. Our approach combines autonomous underwater vehicles, advanced robotics, and innovative offshore vessel systems. We are not a traditional marine company—we operate at the intersection of robotics, ocean engineering, and venture-scale innovation. Our team is entrepreneurial, hands-on, and driven by solving problems that have never been solved before. This is a high-impact, build-from-scratch role that requires strong skills in technology, retrofit & vendor project management, and team building & management. We are seeking a Director of Naval Architecture to lead a small team in managing the outsourced design, retrofit, and integration of large offshore bulk container vessels that will support autonomous subsea mining operations at scale. While there is a concept design in place, there is a need to build out the team’s naval architecture capability to refine this solution. You will be responsible for building a small team to support you and with this team you will manage the design, retrofit and commissioning of a number of bulk transport vessels. You will play a central role in defining how our vessels operate, how equipment is deployed and recovered, and how we safely and efficiently run complex offshore missions in challenging sea states.

Requirements

Degree in Naval Architecture or Marine Engineering
10–15+ years of experience in offshore vessels with a focus on industrial ship retrofit design and project management.
Strong understanding of: Vessel retrofit and conversion projects
Strong understanding of: Offshore crane and handling systems
Strong understanding of: Stability, hydrodynamics, and seakeeping
Experience working with classification societies (e.g., DNV, Lloyd’s Register)
Familiarity with DP retrofits
Familiarity with offshore operations
Experience interfacing with shipyards and equipment vendors
Comfortable operating in high ambiguity, early-stage design environments

Nice To Haves

Experience with autonomous or subsea systems
Background in heavy lift or offshore construction vessels
Exposure to novel marine architectures or first-of-kind systems

Responsibilities

Evaluate and select naval architecture engineering firms.
Manage contracts and relationships with engineering, marine operations / shipping and yards.
Build a small team of like-minded individuals to support the work.
Liaise between the other technical development teams within Impossible Metals to ensure compatibility of activity and ship based engineering decisions.
Develop concept vessel arrangements to support AUV deployment, recovery, and operations
Lead the externally contracted development of concept, preliminary, and detailed design of offshore vessels.
Manage the outsourced launch and recovery systems (LARS), cranes, and handling equipment team.
Work with partners on DP system integration, stability, seakeeping, and operability analysis
Own classification strategy (e.g., DNV, ABS) for regulatory and insurance compliance
Support ship acquisition, retrofit planning, and shipyard execution
Participate in vendor selection and RFP processes for marine systems
Travel to shipyards, offshore trials, and partner sites globally