Systems Engineer - Command and Control (Air)

Who we are

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards. 

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously. 

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications. 

The role

As a Systems Engineer – Command and Control (Air), you will be part of a team that develops cutting-edge Command and Control (C2) capabilities for an autonomous fighter jet – from concept to maiden flight. You will work on the design, development, and deployment of a C2 system-of-systems that will fundamentally change how militaries command and control autonomous aircraft.   In this role, you will collaborate with a diverse, high-calibre team of engineers, government stakeholders, industry partners, and suppliers. You will be entrusted with the entire system lifecycle, from initial requirements definition and architectural design through to integration, validation, and final certification. This is a role for an engineer who is driven to see complex systems through to successful operational deployment.

The day-to-day

• Contribute to the end-to-end systems engineering lifecycle, from concept and architecture design through to final system deployment.

• Define and manage the system architecture, ensuring compliance with military standards for high-integrity, security, and mission-critical performance.

• Drive system integration, validation, and verification activities for all hardware, software, and communication components.

• Manage relationships with industry partners and suppliers to ensure the successful selection and integration of components.

• Develop and maintain key technical documentation, including system specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and test plans.

• Report on technical progress, risks, and milestones to the Chief Engineer and Programme Management.

You should apply if you

• Hold a relevant degree such as a Bachelor's or Master's in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.

• Have a proven track record of designing and developing aircraft systems – military or civil – with hands-on experience in systems engineering, and system integration.

• Are an excellent communicator, capable of presenting complex technical information clearly and effectively to internal and external stakeholders.

• Are able to work on-site at our Tussenhausen (Unterallgäu) location 2-3 days per week.

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Nice to Have

• Experience in any of the following is a plus:

  • Ground Control Station

  • High-integrity systems

  • Certification (esp. DO-178C, DO-254)

  • Defence

  • Safety analysis

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields 

• Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

• The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

• Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

• In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

• We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer

• A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking

• Competitive compensation and stock options

• Relocation support

• Social and education allowances

• Regular company events and all-hands to bring together employees as one team across Europe

 

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

  Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here.