Technical Project Manager

Technical Project Manager: Autonomous Marine Systems (Abu Dhabi)A leading government-backed deep-tech research institute in Abu Dhabi is scaling a portfolio of unmanned maritime platform programmes from advanced prototyping through to industrialisation and mass production. We're hiring several senior Technical Project Managers to lead this delivery.This is not an enterprise IT, business applications, or digital transformation PM role. We're looking for people who've delivered physical hardware systems vehicles, robotics, or complex engineered equipment and are equally comfortable owning the software/mission-systems layer (C2, combat management, digital twin, mission planning platforms) that operates them. Pure enterprise software or IT infrastructure delivery experience, without a hardware/physical-systems component, is not a fit.What you'll be doing: Owning portfolio-level technical delivery across multiple concurrent programmes spanning defence, energy, and science applications — managing budget, schedule, risk, resourcing, and stakeholder relationships from concept through to industrialised, production-scale delivery.What we're looking for hands-on delivery experience in one or more of:Unmanned/autonomous vehicle platforms: surface, underwater, aerial, or ground robotics systems (marine platform experience valued but not required)Industrialisation and mass-production scale-up - prototype/pilot through to repeatable, high-volume manufacturing (automotive, aerospace, defence, or advanced manufacturing sectors all considered)Complex, multi-discipline engineering programme delivery: EPC/EPCI-style portfolio ownership, cross-functional engineering teams, vendor and supply chain management, technical risk governance at scaleYou'll need:10+ years' experience in technical project/programme management of physical engineering systemsDemonstrated ownership of budget, schedule, and multi-stakeholder governance — not just technical execution on a single projectExperience managing cross-functional engineering teams and external vendors/suppliersComfort operating in a fast-moving applied-research and defence-adjacent environmentFormal PM certification (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent) preferredNice to have:Launch and recovery systems (LARS), survey/sensor payloads (sonar, magnetometer, CTD), command & control or mission planning software, digital twin/asset management platformsDefence sector or government institute experienceUAE residency or existing GCC ties