Director of Naval Architecture – Advanced Offshore Systems & Vessel Retrofit

<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold">Location:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt"> US Gulf coast region (with domestic and global travel)</span></p> <p><br></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold">About Us</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">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. See an animation of our concept here: </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMt4fu0nGe0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMt4fu0nGe0</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">If you’re looking to work on incremental ship design, this is not the role. If you want to help invent entirely new offshore operating models—this is.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold">The Role</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">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. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">This is a high-impact, build-from-scratch role that requires strong skills in three main areas of : </span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Technology</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Retrofit & Vendor Project Management </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Team building & management. </span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold">What You’ll Do</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Evaluate and select naval architecture engineering firms.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Manage contracts and relationships with engineering, marine operations / shipping and yards.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Build a small team of like-minded individuals to support the work.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Liaise between the other technical development teams within Impossible Metals to ensure compatibility of activity and ship based engineering decisions.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Develop concept vessel arrangements to support AUV deployment, recovery, and operations</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Lead the externally contracted development of concept, preliminary, and detailed design of offshore vessels.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Manage the outsourced launch and recovery systems (LARS), cranes, and handling equipment team.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Work with partners on DP system integration, stability, seakeeping, and operability analysis</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Own classification strategy (e.g., DNV, ABS) for regulatory and insurance compliance</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Support ship acquisition, retrofit planning, and shipyard execution</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Participate in vendor selection and RFP processes for marine systems</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Travel to shipyards, offshore trials, and partner sites globally</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold">What We’re Looking For</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Degree in Naval Architecture or Marine Engineering</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">10–15+ years of experience in offshore vessels with a focus on industrial ship retrofit design and project management.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Strong understanding of:</span> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Vessel retrofit and conversion projects</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Offshore crane and handling systems</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Stability, hydrodynamics, and seakeeping</span></li> </ul> </li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Experience working with classification societies (e.g., DNV, Lloyd’s Register)</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Familiarity with DP retrofits </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Familiarity with offshore operations</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Experience interfacing with shipyards and equipment vendors</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Comfortable operating in high ambiguity, early-stage design environments</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold">Bonus Points</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Experience with autonomous or subsea systems</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Background in heavy lift or offshore construction vessels</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Exposure to novel marine architectures or first-of-kind systems</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold">How We Work (Culture)</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Entrepreneurial: We move fast, make decisions quickly, and take ownership</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Builder mindset: We value people who can go from concept → analysis → execution</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Cross-disciplinary: You’ll work closely with robotics, software, and operations teams</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Low bureaucracy: Small team, high trust, high accountability</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">Mission-driven: We are tackling one of the most important critical metals supply chain challenges of our time</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">This is a place where:</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">You will be expected to lead, not wait</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">You will have real influence over major technical decisions</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt">You will help define systems that don’t yet exist in the industry</span></li> </ul>

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