Submarine Building Careers

what kind of a job is building submarines and who would you target to work for doing that

Building submarines is a highly specialized, technically demanding, and often classified job typically falling under **defense and aerospace manufacturing**. It's one of the most complex forms of engineering work due to the unique challenges submarines pose—high-pressure underwater environments, stealth requirements, nuclear propulsion (in military cases), and long-duration life support. --- ### 🔧 What Kind of Job Is It? Submarine-building jobs span several industries and disciplines: #### 1. **Engineering Roles** - **Naval Architects**: Design the shape and structure of the submarine. - **Mechanical Engineers**: Develop propulsion systems, moving parts, pressure-resistant systems. - **Electrical Engineers**: Work on sonar, communications, weapons systems, and nuclear power. - **Software Engineers**: Develop control systems, sonar software, threat detection, and navigation software. - **Systems Engineers**: Integrate various parts into a functional whole, often with knowledge of military specs. - **Test Engineers**: Ensure all components work under extreme pressure, silence, and electromagnetic constraints. #### 2. **Skilled Trades / Technical Work** - **Welders (esp. certified in underwater or nuclear-grade welding)** - **Machinists, Pipefitters, Electricians, Composite Material Technicians** - **Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Inspectors** #### 3. **Project Management / Logistics / Procurement** - **Program Managers** with clearance to oversee multi-billion dollar timelines. - **Supply Chain Analysts**, especially for defense-grade material compliance. #### 4. **Specialized Fields** - **Nuclear Technicians/Engineers** (for nuclear submarines) - **Acoustics Engineers** (for stealth and sonar tech) - **Hydrodynamics Specialists** --- ### 🎯 Who Would You Target to Work for? Submarine construction is often government-contracted, so you'd look at **defense contractors**, **naval shipbuilders**, and **government agencies**. #### 🔵 In the U.S., target companies/agencies like: - **General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB)** – Primary builder of U.S. Navy nuclear subs. - **Huntington Ingalls Industries (Newport News Shipbuilding)** – Builds and maintains both aircraft carriers and submarines. - **Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)** – Government arm overseeing design, engineering, and acquisition. - **BWX Technologies** – Nuclear propulsion systems. - **Raytheon / Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman** – Electronic systems, combat systems, sonar, and integration. - **Booz Allen Hamilton / Leidos** – For systems integration and classified software-related work. #### 🔵 International Options: - **BAE Systems** (UK) - **Naval Group** (France) - **Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems** (Germany) - **Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering** (South Korea) - **Mitsubishi Heavy Industries** (Japan) --- ### 🔒 Clearance and Requirements Most roles, especially in the U.S. or NATO-aligned countries, require: - **Security clearance (Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI)** - **U.S. citizenship or equivalent national security requirement** - **ITAR compliance** (for working with controlled technologies) - Degrees or certifications depending on level --- ### 🧠 Ideal Candidate Profile - Strong STEM background (BS/MS/PhD in engineering or physics) - Experience in high-reliability environments (aviation, space, nuclear) - Able to pass background checks and obtain clearance - Skilled in collaborative, high-budget, long-term project work - Veteran or ex-military service in submarines/navy is a bonus --- If you're interested in working in this field, let me know your background and goals — I can help map out how to get into the industry.