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Ship Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Windmill

Design Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

Research, map flows, design in Figma, prototype in code, and ship. * Design and prototype AI chat ... Strong front end engineering. React, TypeScript, modern CSS, accessibility, testing habits ...

GitHub, Inc.

Staff Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

You won't just prototype ideas: you'll help drive them into production systems that ship, scale, and delight users. You'll work at the intersection of design, engineering, and product strategy, and ...

INSTALILY.AI

Design Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

$100K - $120K/yr

They ship high-craft UI while building the systems, tooling, and workflows that help teams move faster and build better products in an AI-native environment. At InstaLILY, design engineers own ...

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Ship Design Engineer information

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How much do ship design engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average hourly pay for ship design engineer in the United States is $50.69, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $39.18 and $61.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a ship design engineer?

Ship Design Engineers are professionals who specialize in designing and developing ships, boats, and other marine vessels. They apply principles of engineering, physics, and material science to create safe, efficient, and functional watercraft. Their work includes designing ship structures, propulsion systems, and onboard systems, as well as ensuring compliance with maritime regulations. Ship Design Engineers collaborate with naval architects, marine engineers, and shipbuilders throughout the design and construction process. They play a crucial role in advancing marine technology and ensuring the seaworthiness of vessels.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a ship design engineer?

To thrive as a Ship Design Engineer, you need a solid background in naval architecture, marine engineering, and structural analysis, typically supported by a degree in naval architecture or related engineering field. Proficiency in CAD software (such as AutoCAD or Rhino), finite element analysis tools, and familiarity with classification society standards are crucial. Strong problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective communication skills help you collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and address complex design challenges. These skills are essential to ensure safe, efficient, and innovative vessel designs that meet regulatory and operational requirements.

What are some common challenges faced by ship design engineers when working on multidisciplinary teams?

Ship Design Engineers often collaborate with professionals from various disciplines, including naval architects, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers. One common challenge is ensuring clear communication and integration of systems across these specialties, as design decisions in one area can significantly impact others. Balancing regulatory compliance, safety standards, and client requirements while managing tight project timelines can also be demanding. Effective teamwork, adaptability, and proactive problem-solving are key to overcoming these challenges and delivering successful ship designs.

What is the difference between Ship Design Engineer vs Naval Architect?

AspectShip Design EngineerNaval Architect
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture, or related fieldsBachelor's or Master's in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, or related disciplines
Work EnvironmentDesign offices, shipyards, engineering firmsDesign offices, shipyards, research institutions
Industry UsageDesigning ship structures, systems, and layoutsConceptual and detailed design of ships, hull form, stability

Ship Design Engineers focus on developing detailed ship designs, systems, and technical specifications, often working on specific components. Naval Architects have a broader role in conceptualizing ship structures, hull forms, and overall vessel stability. Both roles require similar qualifications and often collaborate during the shipbuilding process, but Naval Architects typically oversee the overall design concept, while Ship Design Engineers handle detailed engineering tasks.

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What job categories do people searching Ship Design Engineer jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Ship Design Engineer jobs are:

Ship Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Ship Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $105,435 per year, or $50.7 per hour.

Design Engineer

Windmill

New York, NY • On-site

Full-time

This job post has expired 2 days ago. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

Windmill is building the future of performance.
Windmill is the first context graph for your people: a continuous, cited understanding of your workforce so HR can lead strategically, managers can see their teams clearly, and every person's work speaks for itself.
Learn more: gowindmill.com
We are NYC based and work together in person. If you are not open to relocating to New York, this is not the right opportunity.
The role
You will be our first Design Engineer. You move fluidly between Figma and production code. You turn vague problems into crisp flows, then into reliable components that ship. You care about taste, speed, and quality in equal measure.
What you will do
  • Own critical journeys end to end. Research, map flows, design in Figma, prototype in code, and ship.
  • Design and prototype AI chat experiences that feel fast, useful, and trustworthy.
  • Shape our Slack surfaces. Messages, modals, triage flows, and notifications that people rely on daily.
  • Improve key funnels. Onboarding, 1:1 prep, feedback routing, performance reviews, and calibration boards.
  • Instrument what you ship. Define success metrics, run quick experiments, and iterate with real data.
  • Work across the stack as needed to unblock great UI with simple APIs and data shapes.
What you have
  • 4+ years designing and shipping software used by real customers.
  • Experience building B2B SaaS.
  • Experience with AI chat systems and conversational UX.
  • Mastery of Figma. Strong systems thinking, clean information architecture, responsive layouts, motion.
  • Strong front end engineering. React, TypeScript, modern CSS, accessibility, testing habits, performance instincts.
  • A portfolio and code samples that show your role, decisions, and outcomes.

Our stack today
React, TypeScript, Remix, Tailwind, Postgres, TipTap, Yjs, Slack platform.
How we work
  • Small team. High trust. Direct feedback.
  • Ship weekly. Measure and improve.
  • Prototypes over long specs.
  • Clear ownership with high standards for craft and velocity.

Compensation and location
Competitive salary and meaningful equity. Health, flexible time off. We work together in our NYC office and expect teammates to relocate within a reasonable time frame.

Apply