Marine Design & Engineering Projects Senior Naval Architect

RINA is currently recruiting for a Marine Design & Engineering Projects Senior Naval Architect to join its office in Fort Lauderdale within the Marine Design & Engineering Division.

Mission The Senior Naval Architect is responsible for leading naval architecture activities across newbuild, retrofit, and conversion projects. The role ensures technically sound, compliant, and optimized design solutions that meet client expectations, classification society requirements, and regulatory standards, while contributing to innovation and continuous improvement within the organization. #FORESHIP Key Accountabilities

• Naval Architecture Leadership & Design Ownership
• Lead naval architecture activities for newbuild, retrofit, and conversion projects, assuming full technical responsibility for assigned scopes.
• Define and drive technically sound, compliant, and optimized design solutions across all project phases, from concept through detailed design and execution.
• Provide technical direction and oversight to junior naval architects, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and adherence to best engineering practices.
• Technical Calculations & Key Deliverables
• Develop, review, and approve core naval architecture deliverables, including hydrostatics, intact and damage stability analyses, weight estimates, general arrangements, and feasibility studies.
• Ensure all calculations and documents meet project requirements, classification society rules, and applicable international regulations.
• Validate assumptions, methodologies, and results, taking accountability for technical integrity and design robustness.
• Hull Form Development & Performance Optimization
• Lead hull form development and modifications, assessing impacts on stability, resistance, seakeeping, and regulatory compliance.
• Evaluate design alternatives and trade-offs to optimize vessel performance, safety, operability, and efficiency.
• Support performance-driven design decisions related to weight control, trim optimization, and energy efficiency.
• Multidisciplinary Design Coordination
• Coordinate naval architecture activities within multidisciplinary engineering teams (structural, machinery, HVAC, electrical, interiors) to ensure integrated and coherent vessel design.
• Resolve technical interfaces and conflicts, ensuring naval architecture requirements are fully aligned with overall project objectives.
• Act as a key technical reference within the project team for naval architecture-related matters.
• Client, Shipyard & Classification Society Interface
• Serve as technical interface with clients, shipyards, and classification societies for naval architecture matters.
• Prepare and present design justifications, technical reports, and responses to comments, leading discussions during design reviews and technical meetings.
• Ensure effective resolution of regulatory and class comments in a timely and professional manner.
• Project Management, Planning & Control
• Managing projects through scope definition, work breakdown, resource planning, cost estimation, and schedule control for naval architecture activities.
• Monitor progress of assigned scopes, identify risks and deviations, and implement corrective actions as required.
• Contribute to the successful delivery of projects in line with contractual requirements, milestones, and budgets.
• Quality Assurance, Standards & Compliance
• Ensure all naval architecture deliverables comply with company standards, quality procedures, classification rules, and applicable international regulations.
• Perform and oversee technical reviews to guarantee accuracy, consistency, and traceability of calculations and drawings.
• Promote a strong quality culture within the naval architecture team.
• Continuous Improvement, Innovation & Knowledge Sharing
• Drive continuous technical improvement by identifying opportunities for design optimization, weight reduction, energy efficiency, and sustainability.
• Contribute to the development of internal tools, methodologies, and best practices.
• Actively mentor team members and support knowledge sharing and professional development within the Marine Consulting Design team.

Education Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s Degree in Naval Engineering

Qualifications 5–10 years of professional experience in ship design or marine engineering, with strong exposure to stability, structures, and/or hull form development.

Proven technical leadership on complex newbuild or retrofit projects, preferably involving cruise ships, ferries, or large passenger vessels.

Demonstrated experience working directly with classification societies and regulatory authorities.

Experience in ship conversions, feasibility studies, and/or dry-dock support is an advantage.

Proficiency in naval architecture software such as NAPA, GHS, Maxsurf, or equivalent tools for hydrostatics, stability, and hull modeling.

Strong experience with AutoCAD, Rhino, and other 2D/3D modeling tools for layout and geometry review.

Competencies

• ADDRESS THE WAY - Have a big picture of different situations and reinterpret it in a perspective way
• BUILD NETWORK - Forge trust relationships, across departments, and outside the organization
• CLIENT INTIMACY - Embrace internal and external client needs, expectations, and requirements to ensure maximum satisfaction
• EARN TRUST - Take everyone's opinion into account and remain open to diversity
• MAKE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS - Structure activities according to priorities, actions, resources and constraint
• MANAGE EMOTIONS - Recognise one's and other's emotions and express and regulate one's reactions
• PIONEER CHANGE - Actively embrace change and benefit from the new circumstances
• PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - Promote commitment by keeping promises as a Role Model
• THINK FORWARD - Capitalise on experiences and translate them into action plans for the future

RINA is a multinational company providing a wide range of services in the energy, marine, certification, infrastructure & mobility, industry, research & development sectors. Our business model covers the full process of project development, from concept to completion.

At RINA, we endeavor to create a work environment where every single person is valued and encouraged to develop new ideas. We provide equal employment opportunities and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected and safe from discrimination or harassment of any kind. It is the policy of RINA to provide equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy) national origin, age, disabilities, marital status, sexual orientation, genetics, military status, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans (veterans who served during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a badge has been authorized), and Armed Forces service medal veteran, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We are strongly committed to this policy and believe in the concept and spirit of the law. RINA does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or agencies. Any resume submitted to any employee of RINA without a prior written search agreement will be considered unsolicited and the property of RINA. Please, no phone calls or emails.