Offshore Maintainer - AUV/ROV

Why join Salvage and Marine Operations (SALMO)?

SALMO is the MOD’s centre of excellence for marine salvage and emergency response. Our multidisciplinary team, ranging from Master Mariners and Naval Architects to Environmental Scientists and Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) / Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) Operators, delivers critical support to UK Defence operations around the globe. Whether it's locating downed aircraft on the seabed, surveying wrecks, towing warships, or conducting emergency response drills, our work is as varied as it is vital.

What makes this role different?

• Work on unique, non-commercial subsea operations that directly support UK Defence.
• Operate and manage state-of-the-art AUV and ROV systems.
• A balanced role combining operational deployments (approx. 12 weeks per year) with shore-based technical leadership.
• Be part of a highly respected, multidisciplinary team renowned for technical excellence.
• Long-term career stability, exceptional pension, and structured development

‘Every day is different and I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some exciting projects: Bell from famous US destroyer sunk off Scillies returned to its owners [https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2024/february/13/20240213-bell-from-famous-us-destroyer-sunk-off-scillies-returned-to-its-owners]’

What will your job include?

As an AUV/ROV Maintainer, you will be at the heart of SALMO’s specialist subsea capability, helping deliver complex deep-water survey and intervention outputs that directly support SALMO and wider MOD objectives. Using advanced commercial AUV and ROV technology, you will play an active role in keeping critical systems ready, reliable and mission-focused. Working as part of a close-knit, highly capable team, you will tackle technical challenges, resolve faults, support safe and effective operations, and build strong working relationships across maritime delivery. You will champion high safety standards, protect the marine environment and ensure activity remains compliant with relevant maritime regulations. Your expertise will help drive successful operations in demanding settings, keeping SALMO’s marine capability operating safely, efficiently and to the highest professional standards.

The role offers a good work life balance, only deploying at sea for a maximum of 120 days per year with the remaining time taken against leave, training and office-based activity at HMNB Devonport.

We champion flexible ways of working. Whilst onshore, regular in-person on site attendance is required (this is expected to be approximately 60% of your working week) to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

The role is operationally critical and comes with additional allowances under SALMO Terms and Conditions, https://bit.ly/SALMO-Terms-and-Conditions reflecting the importance and intensity of the work you’ll be doing.

For clarity, the SALMO RG allowances you’ll be eligible for:

• Contactable Allowance £3,191.00 pa
• Sponsored Reserve Annual Bounty is: Year 1: £583.00, Year 2: £1,290.00, Year 3 & 4: £1,992.00, Year 5: £2,308.00
• For deployed periods disturbance allowance applies: Week day - £94 per day. Weekend - £158 Per day
• Sea-going-leave (SGL) is accrued at a rate of 4 Leave Days for each 7 days embarked (additional to your Annual Leave Entitlement)

What you’ll be doing

• Deploy at sea with the system, contributing to around 10–12 weeks of operational activity across multiple deployments each year.
• Maintain and assure the availability of the capability, both offshore and onshore, to enable safe, reliable and effective mission delivery.
• Support mobilisation and integration with host vessels, preparing, launching, operating and recovering the vehicle in demanding maritime environments.
• Shape technical procurements by helping identify operational needs and define service requirements that sustain and enhance capability.
• Work closely with the Engineering Manager to plan, organise and deliver engineering and operational tasks that support SALMO outputs.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Lead criterion - Have experience of providing technical advice and delivery of successful subsea survey activities or marine operations.

• Have technical experience of marine operations in a variety of contexts.

• Hold (as minimum) either:

  AND

• An Engineering, Science, Technical, Technology or Marine based qualification at RQF Level 6.
  OR

• A Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Marine based qualification at RQF Level 3, plus a minimum of 3 further years of relevant professional experience.
  OR

• An AUV or ROV Pilot / Technician Grade II certification and nominally 90 days’ minimum offshore experience as ROV Pilot/Technician Grade II and a minimum of 50 hours operating hours as ROV Pilot/Technician Grade II, of logbook demonstrated offshore experience;

AND:

• Be a Sole UK National; and
• Full UK Driving Licence; and
• Be able to satisfy requirements of: