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Subsea Craft

Develops modular maritime and amphibious platforms

Head of QHSE

Full-TimePosted on 10/19/2026
£75k - £85k/yr+ Annual discretionary bonus
Expert
Portsmouth, UK
In Person
Manufacturing Quality & TestQuality Engineering, Validation, Compliance & Quality Systems

About the job

Requirements
  • Lead auditor training.
  • Working knowledge of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and NATO AQAPs.
  • Experience developing departmental capability and management frameworks.
  • Team leadership experience.
  • Demonstrable technical communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Ability to challenge the team and use relevant experience to drive high-quality engineering output.
  • Proactive approach, strong commitment, self-motivation, and ability to lead.
  • Existing right to live and work in the UK.
  • Ability to meet the position's security requirements, including Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS); UK national security clearance is required for certain roles.
  • Satisfactory DBS, driving licence, and reference checks are conditions of employment.
Responsibilities
  • Provide strategic QHSE leadership and advice to the Executive Team on health, safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory compliance matters.
  • Maintain, develop, and improve the integrated management system aligned with ISO 9001, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001 to achieve single certification assessments.
  • Plan, conduct, and oversee internal and external audits to ensure compliance, certification, and continual improvement.
  • Ensure legal compliance with UK HSE, environmental, and product regulations, including RIDDOR and regulatory reporting.
  • Drive continual improvement in quality, safety, environmental performance, and manufacturing effectiveness across all sites.
  • Develop and maintain quality control processes for manufacturing, engineering, and suppliers.
  • Oversee COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, and workplace risk assessments, ensuring controls are implemented and effective.
  • Ensure effective QHSE training, competency management, and awareness across the business.
  • Liaise with enforcement agencies, customers, insurers, and auditors on QHSE matters.
  • Maintain robust document control, management plans, and compliance records that are audit-ready.
  • Support engineering and production teams to ensure designs, processes, and products meet safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
  • Chair QHSE committees and promote a proactive safety and quality culture.
  • Monitor and report QHSE performance metrics, trends, and risks to senior leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Manage supplier quality assurance, including audits, performance metrics, and corrective actions with the supply chain.
  • Lead investigations of incidents, non-conformances, and customer complaints, ensuring root cause analysis and corrective actions are implemented.
  • Act as the focal point for product, process, safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance issues through to resolution.
  • Lead business-wide risk management, including risk registers, hazard logs, environmental aspects, and safety and quality risk assessments.
  • Add two oversees Facilities to existing certification.
  • Line-manage and develop the Health & Safety and Quality Engineering teams, ensuring competence, performance, and engagement.
Desired Qualifications
  • Additional qualifications or certifications in safety, process control, auditing, or related areas.

About the company

SSC creates maritime and amphibious technologies to give naval forces an operational edge by speeding up research, development and delivery of modular platforms. Its products combine discreet manned and unmanned systems across subsurface, surface and air, designed for rapid prototyping and end-user driven customization with modular hardware and adaptable software. The company differentiates itself through continuous collaboration with end users, fast development cycles and multi-domain, future-proof designs that work in contested or denied environments. Its goal is to provide practical technologies that can be quickly validated and deployed to meet mission needs and maintain operational advantage.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Founded

2014

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • September 2026 Mississippi hub adds 56 jobs and U.S. production near Gulf maritime infrastructure.
  • June 2026 Greece approved ten VICTA units, validating export demand and production scaling.
  • September 2026 ALTIUS launch proves MARS payload integration, strengthening sales into autonomous warfare programs.

What critics are saying

  • MARS cassette complexity creates reliability and watertightness risk after September 2026 field changes.
  • Program concentration on defense customers, especially Greece and U.S. expansion, exposes revenue to procurement delays.
  • If VICTA and MARS miss operational trials, prime contractors and militaries will shift to Anduril.

What makes Subsea Craft unique

  • SubSea Craft pairs VICTA covert insertion with MARS modular payloads and field-swappable cassettes.
  • The company controls design, manufacturing, testing, and support in-house across Portsmouth and Mississippi.
  • August 2026 LORILLION investment secures critical battery engineering for VICTA and sovereign supply chains.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Paid Vacation
  • Wellbeing Program
  • Parental Leave
  • Professional Development Budget
  • Training Programs
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Performance Bonus

Company News

Ocean News & Technology
Oct 6th, 2026
SubSea Craft names Chris White Managing Director of Australian operations.

SubSea Craft names Chris White Managing Director of Australian operations. * 6 October 2026 * Edited By: Ed Freeman SubSea Craft has appointed Chris White as Managing Director of SubSea Craft Australia, strengthening its leadership team as the company expands its Australian presence. Chris White (center) with SubSea Craft CEI Camilla Martin. (Credit: SubSea Craft) The appointment follows the establishment of SubSea Craft Australia's facility at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania and reinforces the company's commitment to supporting defense capability, maritime innovation, and regional collaboration. As Australia continues to increase investment in advanced maritime capabilities, autonomous systems, and sovereign defense capability through initiatives including AUKUS, SubSea Craft Australia will play an important role in strengthening engagement with defense, industry, and research partners across the region. A Northern Tasmania native, White brings more than 20 years of Royal Australian Navy experience, where he specialized as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer and served as Commanding Officer of Australian Clearance Diving Team One. Following his retirement from the Navy, he joined the Australian Maritime College, where he established and grew a specialist Autonomous Maritime Systems capability supporting defense training, innovation, and capability development. Most recently, he served as Manager Defense, Autonomous Systems, Engineering & Consultancy before joining SubSea Craft. Camilla Martin, CEO of SubSea Craft, said: "Australia is a strategically important market for SubSea Craft and Chris brings an exceptional combination of operational experience, technical expertise and leadership. His deep understanding of defense capability, autonomous systems and the maritime domain makes him ideally placed to lead our Australian business as we continue to expand our presence in the region." Chris White, Managing Director of SubSea Craft Australia, said: "I'm incredibly excited to be joining the SubSea Craft team. Their focus on innovation, operator requirements mean that their products are world leading and highly operationally applicable. They are a great company doing very exciting things in the maritime domain. I'm looking forward to leading their Australian business and supporting further R&D and product innovation activities from their new facility in Northern Tasmania." Don't miss the headlines. ON&T's top news, every week. More in Milestones

Man Monthly
Oct 6th, 2026
SubSea Craft expands Australian leadership.

SubSea Craft expands Australian leadership. Reading Time: 2 mins read SubSea Craft has appointed Chris White as managing director of SubSea Craft Australia as the company expands its presence in Australia. The appointment follows the establishment of the company's facility at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania and is intended to strengthen its engagement with defence, maritime innovation and regional collaboration. SubSea Craft Australia will support the company's engagement with defence, industry and research partners as Australia increases investment in advanced maritime capabilities, autonomous systems and sovereign defence capability through initiatives including AUKUS. White brings more than 20 years of Royal Australian Navy experience to the role. He specialised as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer and served as Commanding Officer of Australian Clearance Diving Team One. Following his retirement from the Navy, White joined the Australian Maritime College, where he established and grew a specialist Autonomous Maritime Systems capability supporting defence training, innovation and capability development. Most recently, he served as Manager Defence, Autonomous Systems, Engineering & Consultancy before joining SubSea Craft. SubSea Craft CEO Camilla Martin said White's experience would support the company's Australian expansion. "Australia is a strategically important market for SubSea Craft and Chris brings an exceptional combination of operational experience, technical expertise and leadership," Martin said. "His deep understanding of defence capability, autonomous systems and the maritime domain makes him ideally placed to lead our Australian business as we continue to expand our presence in the region." White said he was looking forward to leading the Australian business and supporting further research and development. "I'm incredibly excited to be joining the SubSea Craft team. Their focus on innovation, operator requirements mean that their products are world leading and highly operationally applicable," White said. "They are a great company doing very exciting things in the maritime domain. I'm looking forward to leading their Australian business and supporting further R&D and product innovation activities from their new facility in Northern Tasmania." The appointment comes as Australia continues to develop advanced maritime and autonomous capabilities, with SubSea Craft Australia positioned to work with defence, industry and research organisations from its Northern Tasmania facility. Explore autonomous robots for advanced maritime capabilities.

Australian Defence Magazine
Oct 6th, 2026
SubSea Craft appoints new MD.

SubSea Craft appoints new MD. 6 October 2026 2 / 3 free articles left. SubSea Craft has appointed Chris White as Managing Director of SubSea Craft Australia. The appointment follows the establishment of SubSea Craft Australia's facility at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania. A Northern Tasmania native, White brings more than 20 years of Royal Australian Navy experience, where he specialised as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer and served as Commanding Officer of Australian Clearance Diving Team One. Following his retirement from the Navy, he joined the Australian Maritime College, where he established and grew a specialist Autonomous Maritime Systems capability supporting defence training, innovation and capability development. Most recently, he served as Manager Defence, Autonomous Systems, Engineering & Consultancy before joining SubSea Craft. "Australia is a strategically important market for SubSea Craft and Chris brings an exceptional combination of operational experience, technical expertise and leadership. His deep understanding of defence capability, autonomous systems and the maritime domain makes him ideally placed to lead our Australian business as we continue to expand our presence in the region," Camilla Martin, CEO of SubSea Craft, said. "I'm incredibly excited to be joining the SubSea Craft team," Chris White, Managing Director of SubSea Craft Australia, said. "Their focus on innovation, operator requirements mean that their products are world leading and highly operationally applicable. They are a great company doing very exciting things in the maritime domain. I'm looking forward to leading their Australian business and supporting further R&D and product innovation activities from their new facility in Northern Tasmania."

Drimble Media
Oct 1st, 2026
England-based SubSea Craft expanding operations, locating U.S. facility on Mississippi Coast

England-based SubSea Craft expanding operations, locating U.S. facility on Mississippi Coast brandonsup Thu, 10/01/2026 - 10:56 AM

Ocean News & Technology
Sep 25th, 2026
SubSea Craft establishes US autonomous maritime production hub at Port Bienville.

SubSea Craft establishes US autonomous maritime production hub at Port Bienville. * 25 September 2026 * Edited By: Ed Freeman Advanced maritime technology company SubSea Craft is locating operations in Hancock County. The project represents a corporate investment of nearly $6.1 million and will create 56 jobs. (Credit: Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission) Headquartered in Portsmouth, England, SubSea Craft develops and delivers advanced maritime platforms and autonomous technologies for customers across defense, security, and commercial markets, with growing operations in the United States. The company is locating in an existing facility at Port Bienville, where it will establish its primary US commercial production center. From the Bay St. Louis location, the company will manufacture advanced composite components for autonomous surface vessels, conduct testing and software validation, and provide maintenance and technical support for customers across the country. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. Hancock County and AccelerateMS are assisting with the project, as well. SubSea Craft expects to begin operations in the second quarter of 2027 and plans to fill the 56 jobs by 2028. "After considering multiple locations for this project, SubSea Craft found what it needed in Hancock County to move fast and get to work," said Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork. Port Bienville offers existing space and strong infrastructure that can turn a site decision into an operating facility without wasting time, plus Gulf access that is crucial for advanced maritime and defense technology. Ocean News has the assets and the workforce to compete in the blue economy, and SubSea Craft's decision proves it." "The United States is a key market for SubSea Craft, and Hancock County provides an ideal location to meet growing demand for autonomous maritime systems," said Camilla Martin, Chief Executive Officer, SubSea Craft. This facility will enable Ocean News to manufacture, integrate, test, and support advanced autonomous maritime systems at pace, strengthening its ability to support both US and international customers while creating highly skilled jobs in the region. Ocean News is excited to join Mississippi's growing maritime and advanced manufacturing community and look forward to being a long-term partner in the state." Don't miss the headlines. ON&T's Top 10, every week. More in Milestones