Company Summary

Lobster Robotics engineers autonomous underwater vehicles for precision seabed mapping. Our technology delivers millimetre-scale data for offshore energy and security of critical underwater infrastructure. In the past year, we expanded to 16 people and shifted from prototype to operational deployment. We combine research depth with field pragmatism, building systems that work in the real world. Backed by strong traction from the Dutch Navy and increasing involvement in NATO trials, we’re entering a phase of rapid scaling. We are looking for experienced engineers who can independently shape and deliver the next generation of underwater perception and mapping technology.

What You’ll Do

• Design and test the main propeller and duct system for our new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), balancing thrust performance, efficiency, robustness, and ease of manufacturing.

• Enhance our tunnel thrusters, focusing on duct geometry and thruster clearance to significantly improve efficiency and thrust.

Redesign and upgrade our thrust measurement system to improve usability, bidirectional measurement capability, and measurement accuracy, ensuring reliable test data for design validation.

What We’re Looking For

• A strong academic background in mechanical and/or maritime engineering.

• Completed at least one university-level course on propeller or marine propulsion system design.

• Solid theoretical grounding in hydrodynamics and mechanical design principles.

• Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., Onshape, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar).

• A practical mindset—you’ve built things before, and you’re comfortable turning ideas into prototypes.

A portfolio of past projects (personal, academic, or competitive) is highly encouraged to demonstrate your hands-on skills and creativity.

Why It’s Cool

• You'll work on real propulsion systems that go into real AUVs, not just simulations or hypothetical projects.

• Your design decisions will have a direct impact on mission-critical performance in underwater exploration and inspection.

• Get hands-on with hydrodynamic testing, rapid prototyping, and iterative development alongside experienced engineers.

• Learn how to balance theory and real-world constraints in a fast-paced hardware development environment.

• Gain deep insight into maritime robotics, including exposure to thrust measurement systems, manufacturing constraints, and design-for-deployment in subsea conditions.

This is what we expect you to bring to the table:

You have extensive practical experience designing and building projects outside your academic studies. We seek a candidate with a strong portfolio of projects, prepared to showcase examples during the interview and provide detailed explanations of their functionality, design decisions, challenges faced, and solutions implemented. Your past projects demonstrate reliability and innovative, yet simple designs. You excel at working independently, proactively seek structured feedback, and prioritize collaboration and clear communication.

Who are we?

Lobster Robotics develops autonomous underwater drones for high-resolution seabed mapping and inspection. We operate in real-world environments where GNSS, subsea comms, and human intervention are not available. That means our systems need to make decisions locally: using sensor fusion, onboard processing, and real-time autonomy.

The engineering challenges are complex and cross-disciplinary. We work on systems that combine vision, acoustics, controls, and embedded computing, all under tight energy and compute constraints. It’s a highly technical environment where decisions have to hold up in the field and not just on paper.

Lobster is the leading company in the Netherlands in autonomous subsea robotics. We’re entering a crucial phase, with strong traction from the Dutch Navy and growing interest across NATO. The work ahead is varied, fast-moving, and high impact - and we’re looking for engineers who are ready to build what doesn’t exist yet.

“You’ll own real problems, build for the field, and see the impact of your work.”

Daan de Groot, CTO at Lobster Robotics

Our values

We value clarity, ingenuity, and safety. If something goes wrong, we expect clear communication, a smart workaround, and a safe process. That’s how we operate.

We also care about impact. Our drones reduce CO₂ emissions by replacing large survey ships. They help protect marine ecosystems and support the safety of critical infrastructure.

What we offer you

• End-to-end ownership of technically complex projects, from concept to deployment

• A core role in shaping our next-gen underwater drones and autonomy stack

• A focused, capable team with short lines, no overhead, and strong technical depth

• A workplace where planning is taken seriously, and your time is respected

• Real-world variety: lab work, system design, and field deployments across Europe and beyond

• A stable company with growing traction from the Dutch Navy and NATO

• Internship compensation of €500 per month

• Office location at YES!Delft with all standard facilities (parking, showers, bike access, etc.)

Interested in working with us?

Apply now by sending your resume and motivation letter to hr@lobster-robotics.com!