PlanBlue is on a mission to harness the critical role of the seafloor in addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity. Its cutting-edge technology integrates advanced imaging with AI-driven data processing, delivering automated seafloor intelligence that uncovers the seafloor’s true ecological and economic value at scale and at speed. Over the last seven years, we have built a dynamic, diverse team of engineers, business developers, data scientists, and marine experts, bringing together a mix of skills and expertise necessary to achieve our mission.

As we continue to grow, we are seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to join our team. This is a hands-on leadership role ideal for someone who thrives on mentoring others, driving technical excellence, and fostering a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.

What you'll be doing  

• Lead, support, and mentor a growing engineering team, fostering a culture of collaboration, quality, and innovation

• Work closely with our CTO to implement the technical vision and contribute to architectural and roadmap decisions

• Translate business and product goals into clear technical execution plans, driving delivery through sprints and regular planning cycles

• Introduce and maintain best practices in software development, testing, CI/CD, documentation, and team workflows

• Identify and resolve technical risks and blockers while improving development processes and team efficiency

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Business Development, and R&D to ensure engineering efforts are aligned with company objectives

• Play an active role in hiring, onboarding, and growing the engineering function as PlanBlue scales

You’ll help shape not only how we build, but also who we are as a team, contributing to a purpose-driven company where your work directly supports the health of our oceans. This role requires you to be based at our HQ in Bremen, Germany. We’re looking for someone ready and willing to relocate to join our on-site team.

What you will bring

You’re a technical leader who knows how to build trust, guide a team, and deliver results. You have experience in managing engineers through real product cycles: mentoring individuals, resolving blockers, and translating complex goals into actionable work. You bring a balance of technical fluency, operational clarity, and people-first leadership. Whether your background is in software, embedded systems, or integrated hardware, you’re excited to lead in a hands-on, mission-driven environment where your work contributes to ocean protection.

• 2+ years of experience in an engineering leadership role, ideally in a startup or scale-up environment

• Strong understanding of agile development practices (Scrum, SAFe, etc.)

• A track record of leading high-performing, cross-functional teams

• Technical experience in a: Software development, embedded systems, navigation/control, optical systems, or machine learning

• A background in complex product development (e.g. marine tech, aerospace, automotive, robotics)

• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative mindset

• Fluency in English (German is a plus)

What we offer

• A competitive salary, and a chance to lead a team of highly talented, mission-driven engineers who are deeply committed to our impact.

• 28 days of annual leave.

• A bright, welcoming office near an awesome park, with free organic coffee, drinks, and fruits.

• Free diving courses and access to fitness, yoga, and sports studios (Hansefit).

• An opportunity to scale a mission-driven, impact-oriented company.

• A diverse, international team that values collaboration and openness.

• Professional growth through coaching, workshops, conferences, and international research projects.

• Flexible working hours to support a healthy work-life balance.