Naval Architect at RusselSmith Group

Job Summary

• The Naval Architect is responsible for the design, development, and optimization of marine vessels and offshore structures. This role involves hull design, stability analysis, structural integrity assessment, and ensuring compliance with international maritime regulations.
• The successful candidate will collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver safe, efficient, and high-performance marine platforms suitable for demanding operational environments.

Essential Duities and Responsibilities

• Design and develop hull forms, general arrangements, and structural layouts for marine vessels and offshore structures
• Perform hydrostatic and hydrodynamic calculations including stability, resistance, propulsion, and seakeeping analyses
• Conduct structural analysis using finite element methods to ensure vessel strength and integrity under operational loads
• Ensure vessel designs comply with international maritime standards (IMO, SOLAS, MARPOL) and classification society rules (ABS, DNV, Lloyd’s Register)
• Prepare detailed engineering drawings, weight estimates, and technical documentation for construction and regulatory approval
• Collaborate with marine, mechanical, electrical, and production teams to ensure seamless integration of ship systems
• Support material selection, corrosion protection strategies, and fatigue analysis for marine environments
• Participate in design reviews (Concept, Preliminary, and Critical Design Reviews) and provide technical risk assessments
• Oversee model testing, simulations, and sea trials to validate vessel performance
• Provide on-site engineering support during construction, inspection, and commissioning phases
• Develop and maintain design standards, calculation templates, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for structural or performance-related issues
• Mentor junior engineers and promote continuous improvement in naval architecture processes

Qualification/Skills

• BEng / BTech in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, or Ocean Engineering
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in vessel design, structural analysis, or shipbuilding projects
• Proficiency in marine design and analysis software (AutoCAD, Rhino, Maxsurf, ANSYS, or equivalent)
• Strong understanding of hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, ship stability, and structural mechanics
• Knowledge of classification society requirements and marine regulatory frameworks
• Experience in finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an advantage
• Familiarity with ISO quality systems and marine production standards
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional and fast-paced engineering environments.