We are looking for a Graduate Production Engineer to join our Professional Services team!

Location: Bristol, UK - due to the nature of this role you would be expected to work from our amazing central Bristol office 5 days per week

Contract: Permanent, full time

Salary: This is an 18 month graduate scheme with a starting salary of £28k. Your salary will be reviewed upon completion of each graduate gate (usually every 6 months) with a final salary of c. £32k

About Vaarst

We are Vaarst, a technology company building cutting edge products to solve real-world problems, using techniques in artificial intelligence, autonomy, and computer vision.

We have a core focus on helping the world become a cleaner, greener, and safer place. We seek to deploy technology for good.

We believe in putting innovation to work and creating a difference in the world with boundary-pushing underwater technology for our clients in offshore wind and the subsea industry. Take a look at one of our products in action https://bit.ly/SubSLAMX2!

We are committed to building an inclusive workplace and flexible workplace that brings the best out of our people.. This role will be based in our state-of-the-art Bristol Office Hub, designed with creativity, productivity, and wellness in mind. We understand everyone is different and we’ve designed policies to support our whole workforce in establishing a great work-life balance. We support and encourage applicants of all genders and backgrounds. 

The Role 

Reporting to the Head of Professional Services with strong working relationships with our Hardware Systems Lead & Team Lead - Production Engineering, you will be supported form day one to develop all of the skills and knowledge required to progress through a competency-based graduate scheme.

The grad scheme will take place over the course of 18 months with 6 month competency-based reviews, alongside regular check ins. Your salary will be reviewed at the completion of each gate to reflect the impact you are making in the business as you develop!

The scheme will aim to cover all aspect of the UK engineering spec from A - E competencies to help drive your professional development, within Vaarst you will have a unique opportunity to oversee the entire engineering cycle from concept design through to disposal, Vaarst will cover the costs professional membership fees within your chosen institution 

Responsibilities 

We work in an exciting and dynamic environment where every day is likely to be a little different but here are some of the main responsibilities you will have in the role:

• Hardware construction and oversight of production processes
• Ensuring the hardware is appropriately configured during and after assembly.
• Ensuring the camera system passes a series of Factory Acceptance Tests.
• Improving the end to end process of delivering a camera systems
• Continuous production improvements and design tasks
• Hardware Testing – We test camera systems and sub-assemblies regularly as part of development and returns from deployment.
• Receiving software packages, testing and deploying them onto our SubSLAM Camera Systems.
• Supporting shipped hardware.
• Building knowledge in the company; share yours and absorb others  

About you & what you will bring 

We’re looking for an Graduate Production Engineer who has what it takes to make a real impact in our growing business and help us achieve our ambitious and exciting plans! If you have these skills and experience then this could be you: 

• Keen problem solving skills
• Self motivated starter, with the ability to manage their own work load
• Passion to drive technology within the renewable energy sector
• Familiarity with Technical Documentation Writing
• Experience of Electronic Hardware Assembly
• Awareness of Python - Most production tooling is written in python.
• Awareness of Linux - Our software runs on Ubuntu flavour Linux.

Some of the things we'd really like you to have in addition to the above are:

• Network configuration experience
• Working in an agile, cross functional team.
• Degree or equivalent experience in Electronical/Electronic Engineering, General • Engineering, Electro Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Engineering 

Application Process

We have a simple process we take all our candidates through to help ensure you are the right person for us and that Vaarst is the right company for you.

• Submit your application with your CV, showcasing your skills and experience against the skills listed in the job advert. There will be a couple of questions on elements that are important to the role.
• A short 20-minute phone screen with our HR partner. We will tell you more about our role, the team and business, and allow us to learn more about you, why you applied, and what you can bring to Vaarst. You’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you have.
• CCAT Assessment – The Cognitive Criteria Aptitude test will include questions on verbal, numerical and spatial reasoning.
• A 1.5-hour interview with a couple of members of our team. This part of the process allows you to get a real feel for the work the team is doing and allows us to learn more about your skillsets. In the interview, we will talk about your previous experience in quality and testing. We’ll ask some questions around technologies we use, key skills for the role, and what we look for in a team member. Again, you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you have.

• A possible 30-minute follow-up with our CEO/CTO to check in with you and get your thoughts on whether the role is for you, answer any of your questions that may have come up throughout the process, and clarify expectations
• Offer! If you are successful in the process, we will follow up with an offer for the role.

We have adopted anonymised recruitment. This means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel.

Vaarst is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, should you require any reasonable adjustment throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let a member of the Talent team know.

Benefits

So, you think you might want to join Vaarst? We don’t blame you - this is an amazing place to work!

People join Vaarst because they are excited by the possibility of leaving their own mark on the world and developing solutions that solve real world problems. Although we share the same vision, we value varied perspectives, and we adapt to fit different people from all walks of life. Not only does that make for a genuinely awesome team of colleagues, but it also makes day-to-day life more interesting, and it’s how we keep evolving and getting better at what we do.

What’s in it for you? Not to blow our own trumpet, but you’ll get to work with a passionate, smart and highly driven team with an incredible range of skills.

We also offer a competitive salary, up to 33 days’ holiday (starting at 25 days), a £500 loyalty reward after 2 years’ service and a flexible approach to hybrid/connected working, because we know that work-life balance is important too. Other benefits include:

• Private medical insurance including dental and optical cover 
• Generous pension scheme 
• Progressive and generous parental leave benefits 

• Additional training and personal development 
• A people focused, inclusive culture with monthly social events 

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and ethnic minorities are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification/ skill. At Vaarst we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every skill in the job advert, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Vaarst is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Vaarst is proud to be an equal opportunities employer