Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

About the company

XSub Robotics develops autonomous underwater vehicles and maritime robotic platforms for defence and security use. The team builds long-range, persistent AUVs, edge-compute payloads, and sensing systems designed to operate in GPS-denied, low-communication, high-risk underwater environments. Engineers here work in a fast-moving, product-oriented setup and take ownership from concept through sea trials.

Role overview

We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to own the mechanical design of underwater vehicles and related subsystems. The position involves system-level thinking, detailed design, prototyping, testing, and cross-functional integration for mission-critical subsea products.

Key responsibilities

You will lead mechanical design efforts for AUVs and large long-endurance underwater vehicles, with responsibility spanning subsystem design, integration, validation, and reliability improvement.

• Own end-to-end mechanical design for AUVs and XL-UUV-class underwater vehicles, including subsystem ownership and system integration concerns.
• Design subsea pressure housings and large pressure hulls, covering material choice, wall thickness calculations, collapse and buckling checks, and modular hull concepts; familiarity with BPVC standards is expected.
• Develop propulsion-related mechanical components with attention to mission endurance, hydrodynamic efficiency, drag reduction, and energy use.
• Select and size motors and bearings, and design motor housings, shafts, and bearing housings.
• Contribute knowledge of blade design where applicable.
• Create structural and hydrodynamic designs that account for drag, buoyancy balance, stability, static and dynamic loading, vibration, and fatigue under repeated cycles.
• Engineer sealing and penetrator interfaces such as O-ring grooves, shaft seals, and face seals for both static and dynamic conditions, with a focus on long-term reliability, wear, and redundancy.
• Design robotic mobility mechanisms, including kinematics, adhesion approaches such as magnetic or vacuum systems, torque estimation, and surface traction studies.
• Perform requirement analysis, concept screening, feasibility studies, and simulation-led validation using analytical and numerical methods.
• Build and refine prototypes through machining, assembly, tolerance stack-up checks, and fit verification.
• Support field testing and sea trials, validate long-duration missions, and improve designs based on operational feedback.
• Work closely with electrical, software, and field service teams during integration and qualification testing.
• Improve reliability through DFMEA, PFMEA, root-cause analysis, and reliability growth tracking across mission cycles.
• Prepare engineering documentation including detailed GD&T drawings, tolerance analyses, BOMs, test plans, and design reports.
• Mentor junior engineers and interns, lead design reviews, and promote strong engineering practices across teams.

Requirements

• B.Tech or B.E. in Mechanical Engineering is required.
• Strong experience in mechanical design for underwater or similar high-reliability systems.
• Deep understanding of GD&T is mandatory.
• Working knowledge of subsea pressure systems, structural calculations, and collapse/buckling analysis.
• Experience with propulsion, sealing, shafting, bearings, and mechanically integrated assemblies.
• Ability to perform simulation-based validation and support prototype testing.
• Comfort with hands-on manufacturing support, assembly, fitment checks, and design iteration.
• Experience collaborating with electrical and software teams on integrated products.
• Ability to lead technical reviews, mentor team members, and drive reliability-focused engineering.

About the work environment

This role is based in Chennai, India. The company’s work style is highly hands-on and fast iteration driven, with real hardware progressing quickly from lab builds to sea trials.

Additional notes

No separate perks, vacancy count, joining date, or application deadline were specified in the source. The role is presented as a salary-based job, but the pay details were provided only as an annual range.