Head of Systems Engineering - Physical Products

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 Head of Systems Engineering, you will own the strategy, design, and delivery of systems engineering across Helsing's hardware-centric and mechatronic programmes. You will lead the definition and integration of complex physical systems spanning ground-based and aviation-based platforms – work that directly shapes the operational capability of allied defence forces.

As a member of the engineering leadership team, you will engage directly with industry partners, procurement agencies, and defence forces, taking a central role in shaping the architecture of Helsing's integrated systems. You will ensure technical excellence and robustness at the intersection of complex physical platforms and cutting-edge AI, translating deep customer insight and an acute understanding of technological trends into a culture of holistic system thinking.

Working closely with executive and delivery teams, this role combines long-term strategic vision with careful, accountable oversight of the engineering organisation's execution. You will build and develop a systems engineering function of real depth and capability, standardise the tool landscape – including MBSE – and ensure that all systems engineering activities across the company are delivered on time, to quality, and within cost.

The day-to-day

• Define, implement, and scale the overall systems engineering strategy, processes, and tooling – including Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) – across all physical product lines

• Build, lead, and develop a department of systems engineers, architects, and safety specialists, creating the conditions for sustained high performance and professional growth

• Establish and own system architectures for complex mechatronic systems, ensuring coherent alignment across software, AI, and defence system requirements

• Serve as the technical authority on critical defence system attributes – including Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (RAMS) – and ensure regulatory compliance across all programmes

• Collaborate with software architects, mechanical and electrical engineers, and AI specialists to translate high-level operational requirements into deeply integrated, effective solutions

• Hold accountability for system integration, verification, and validation, as well as the qualification and certification of all hardware-software platforms

• Ensure effective information flow and technical alignment across cross-functional teams, keeping system and software development objectives coherent at scale

• Establish and enforce quality assurance protocols, lead thorough root-cause analyses, and mitigate system-level risks across the full product lifecycle

• Manage department timelines, resource allocation, and budgets to deliver concurrent programmes within scope and on schedule

• Monitor emerging technological trends and translate them into architectural proposals that enhance Helsing's physical defence systems and their integration with AI capabilities

You should apply if you

• Have built and led systems engineering functions for complex mechatronic, autonomous, or defence hardware programmes – spanning architecture, integration, and qualification through to certification

• Have delivered end-to-end integration, verification, and validation of hardware-software platforms in safety-critical or regulated environments

• Have applied MBSE methodologies and systems architecture frameworks to manage requirements and complexity across large-scale physical systems

• Bring deep expertise in RAMS principles and the regulatory landscape governing defence or aerospace hardware

• Have engaged directly with defence customers, procurement agencies, or industry partners, translating operational needs into precise engineering requirements

• Are fluent in English and eligible to obtain the security clearance required under the relevant national framework

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

[PLEASE ADD BULLETS]

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

•
Competitive salary and stock options (ESOP)

•
Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation

•
Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance

•
Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health)

•
Social: regular company events and monthly social allowances

•
Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers

•
Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work

•
A hands-on onboarding program (affectionately labelled “Infraduction”), in which you will be building tooling and applications to be used across the company. This is your opportunity to learn our tech stack, explore the company, and learn how we get things done - all whilst working with other engineering teams from day one

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.