Naval Architect and CFD expert
Ulstein Design & Solutions B.V. - Rotterdam
Application deadline: Early as possible
Where strong engineering meets an open, human team culture.
At Ulstein Design & Solutions BV, we design offshore vessels that need to perform safely, efficiently and sustainably in the real world. From offshore wind installation ships to subsea construction vessels, our work has direct impact on offshore operations for decades. That awareness shapes how we think and design: practical, curious, collaborative and focused on the long term.
We are part of the Norwegian Ulstein Group, a family-owned maritime innovator with more than a century of shipbuilding history. Yet our Rotterdam office remains small on purpose. Around 25 colleagues who value trust, craftsmanship and teamwork over hierarchy. It is a place where people help each other naturally, where knowledge is shared openly and where humour and professionalism coexist without effort.
Let's get to know each other
If you would like to get a feeling for our team first, we are happy to arrange an informal chat or simply just join us for a coffee with one of our colleagues. No pressure, just a conversation.
Or you can send us your CV and a few words and we will get back to you.
We hope you reach out.
What will you do?
As a Naval Architect and CFD expert, you will play a key role in the design and development of game changing ships for the offshore energy market.
You will:
- Be an integral part of the design team, contributing to general naval architectural like main dimensions, layout, weight estimates, stability and performance evaluations
- Develop the hull shapes for game changing ships in the offshore energy market
- Use CFD analyses to develop and optimise hull shapes considering resistance, propulsion and seakeeping
- Set up, run, and post‑process CFD simulations using appropriate tools, grids, and physical models, ensuring technical quality and traceability
- Coordinate model test programs with test institutes and our clients to validate the design
- Document methods and results in technical reports and presentations, suitable for both internal review and client communication and class approval
- Actively contribute to the development and standardisation of CFD methods, best practices, and workflows within Ulstein
- Depending on seniority, mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical guidance within the team
Who are you?
You are an analytical and pragmatic engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of theory, simulation, and practical ship design. You are comfortable taking ownership of technical topics and communicating complex results clearly.
You bring:
- A Master’s degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, or a related field.
- Proven experience with CFD applications in a maritime or offshore context
- Experience with general naval architectural work, particularly in concept and basic design
- Hands‑on experience with one or more CFD tools commonly used for ship hydrodynamics (e.g. Star‑CCM+, OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent, or similar)
- A solid understanding of ship hydrodynamics, including resistance, propulsion, waves, and flow physics
- Experience with meshing strategies, turbulence modelling, numerical stability, and result validation
- The ability to work structured, independently and accurately, while remaining a strong team player
- Clear communication skills in English (spoken and written); Dutch is an advantage but not required
- A proactive mindset, with curiosity for improving methods, assumptions, and design outcomes
- Affinity with innovative vessel concepts and complex offshore operations
Nice to have:
- Experience with concept design support and decision‑making under uncertainty
- Exposure to model testing, data correlation, or Full‑Scale CFD
- Familiarity with scripting or automation (e.g. Python) to support simulation workflows
Why Ulstein
- A friendly, international team culture without silos
- Space to grow, think, contribute and influence
- Work that contributes to sustainable offshore energy
- Designs that go from concept to construction
- Hybrid working possibilities
Ready to reach out?
We are ready if you are. Contact us for an informal chat or send us your CV if you are confident that this is where you would like to work.
Phone
Address
Cornerstone Building (6th floor) Rotterdam Airportplein 32 3045 AP Rotterdam The Netherlands
About Ulstein Design & Solutions BV
Located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. We are a ship designer with proven track record in the offshore industry. We design game changing ships for the offshore energy market. Sometimes brilliantly simple, sometimes sufficiently complex.
About Ulstein
Ulstein Group is a family-owned company comprising several marine enterprises including ship design, shipbuilding and marine power & automation systems. Ulstein’s vision is to Create tomorrow’s solutions for sustainable marine operations. The company was founded in 1917, and is headquartered in Ulsteinvik, Norway.