A marine robotics business is planning to hire 50 tech specialists in Bristol as part of “explosive growth” plans.

Offshore wind tech firm Vaasrt – a sister business to technology and renewables firm Rovco – said its expansion is part of ambitions to recruit more than 100 roles by the end of 2025.

The jobs in Vaarst’s Bristol headquarters will be in areas such as machine learning, computer vision autonomy, data, AI, and robotics software engineering. The majority of the roles will be mid-to-senior level positions with hybrid and flexible working options available, the company said.

Vaarst is currently valued at nearly £200m having grown rapidly over the past few years, with operations across the UK and Irish seas, Europe, Japan, and the US, working with some of the world’s biggest offshore wind operators.

Brian Allen, chief executive of Vaarst, said: “Technology will be vital in improving the economics of offshore wind and accelerating the energy transition. High-tech solutions will both support existing jobs in the sector and create new ones, all while reducing operational timelines and costs. We’re looking for people who are passionate about technology for good and can help us on our mission to change the economics of offshore wind.”

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The recruitment drive is part of Vaarst’s broader plans for global expansion. The company has already hired nearly 30 new roles across its Bristol and Aberdeen offices in the first few months of 2024. By the end of 2025, it aims to have hired for around 200 new positions globally, including 25 in the US to support recent agreements with firms such as industry giant Orsted, and 10 in Asia. Several new offices will also be opening across European and Asian markets.

James Reynolds, head of talent acquisition at Vaarst, added: “We’ve seen huge growth across our operations over the past couple of years, so we’re excited to bring on some new tech talent to support and continue our growth.”