Hydroid, Inc., a manufacturer of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), announced the appointment of Sandor Becz to the role of vice president of engineering.

In his new role, Becz will lead all engineering activities at Hydroid. This includes Research and Development, as well as new product development and engineering support, the company informed.

Becz joins Hydroid from United Technologies Aerospace Systems (UTAS), where he held enterprise-wide responsibility for component and system design, research and development, process excellence, organizational management and program execution.

Prior to UTAS, Becz was head of global R&D for Lenze S.E., a leader in the development of automation and robotic systems for industrial applications. Becz holds a B.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Connecticut, respectively, and is a licensed Professional Engineer.

He has performed original research in fluid mechanics and hydrodynamics, complex systems design and modeling, and hybrid power systems. Becz is the author of more than 30 articles and holds two patents, Hydroid noted.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sandor to Hydroid’s talented engineering team,” said Duane Fotheringham, president of Hydroid. “Sandor has an extensive and impressive background in engineering, and we are confident that his expertise will propel Hydroid’s reputation forward as a leading manufacturer of AUVs in the United States and abroad.”