Field Engineer

About the Company

We're Building Robots That Drive Boats (And They Actually Work)

MAHI isn't your typical tech startup writing code in a cushy office. We're building the brains and nervous system for autonomous vessels, real boats, real water, real wind in your face. Our field computer and software stack is already deployed and operating in the wild, not gathering dust in a lab. We have two bases: our main office in Mechelen where we engineer the magic, and a test facility in Oostende where we put that magic through hell to make sure it works when a captain's life depends on it.

This is hardware that gets wet. Software that battles the sea. And we need someone who can make sure it all works when it matters most.

The Role: Engineering Solutions in the Real World

Forget the clean room. Forget the comfortable desk job. This is boots-on-deck, engineering-on-the-fly work where you solve complex integration challenges in real maritime environments. You're the crucial link between our engineers' brilliant designs and actual vessels cutting through waves.

What You'll Actually Do

Installation & Integration

• Mount sensor units, computing hardware, and power systems on everything from pilot boats to commercial vessels

• Run cables through tight spaces that weren't designed for our tech (spoiler: they never are)

• Make our cutting-edge systems play nice with decades-old marine equipment

Sea Trials & Validation

• Join vessels for on-water testing—sometimes calm mornings, sometimes choppy afternoons

• Run validation campaigns where our tech proves it can handle real maritime conditions

• Support client demonstrations where we show off what autonomous navigation actually looks like

Troubleshooting & Problem Solving

• Diagnose issues when a sensor acts weird or a connection drops during operations

• Figure out whether it's hardware, software, or just the sea being the sea

• Loop back field observations to our R&D team so they can make systems even more bulletproof

Configuration & Support

• Configure software for specific vessel types and mission profiles

• Be the tech expert during sea trials when clients ask "can it do X?"

• Help improve system reliability based on what you see happening in real conditions

What Your Week Looks Like

Monday might be prepping systems in the Mechelen lab. Tuesday you're installing on a vessel in Oostende harbor. Wednesday you're on the water running tests. Thursday you're troubleshooting an issue that only happens when waves exceed 1.5 meters. Friday you're on a plane to support an international client demo.

No two weeks are identical. That's the point.

You're Perfect For This If:

You have the technical chops:

• Professional Bachelor's in Electro-Mechanics, Electronics, Automotive, or similar

• Hands-on experience with electrical wiring, mechanical mounting, sensor installation

• At least one course worth of knowledge in networks, electronics, and embedded systems

You have the right mindset:

• You solve problems instead of just identifying them

• Ambiguity doesn't scare you—half the job is figuring out solutions that don't exist yet

• You communicate clearly with everyone from PhDs to boat captains

• You're cool with getting your hands dirty (sometimes literally)

• English proficiency is essential, Dutch is a major plus

Bonus Points:

• Experience with marine systems, drones, autonomous vehicles, or anything that moves on its own

• You've worked on hardware that operates in harsh environments

What to Expect:

This role is based on-site with regular travel. Most of your time is split between Mechelen and Oostende, but expect international trips for installations and client support. Some weeks are predictable. Some weeks a client needs urgent support and you're suddenly essential to making a six-figure deal happen.

The maritime industry moves at its own pace (slow), but startups move at theirs (fast). You'll need to navigate both worlds.

What You'll Get:

Real Impact Your work directly determines whether our systems perform when it counts. No abstract metrics—you see vessels operating autonomously because you made the tech work.

Technical Diversity One day you're integrating power systems. The next you're configuring AI navigation software. Then you're diagnosing a network issue while a boat pitches in the waves. You'll become a rare breed: someone who understands both the bits and the bolts.

Adventure Access to test vessels, state-of-the-art autonomous systems, and plenty of sea air. You'll work in harbors, on boats, and occasionally in conditions that remind you why marine engineering is hard.

Growth Join a passionate team of engineers who are redefining what's possible in maritime autonomy. This is a front-row seat to an industry transformation decades in the making.

The Startup Experience Work directly with founders and core team members. See your feedback shape product development. Build something that matters in one of the world's most traditional industries.

The Bottom Line

This isn't a routine engineering job. This is for someone who wants to be where innovation meets reality—where software meets saltwater, where brilliant engineering meets "will this actually work on a rocking boat in the North Sea?"

You'll troubleshoot weird problems. You'll travel. You'll occasionally get wet. But you'll also be part of making maritime autonomy a reality, not just a concept. And when you see a vessel navigating on its own, powered by systems you installed and validated, you'll know exactly why this work matters.

If you want to build the future of maritime tech with your own two hands, this is your shot.

Apply now. The sea is waiting.

• Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium

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