Systems Engineer (Security) - Space

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 Security Systems Engineer, you will lead the end-to-end security architecture for our upcoming satellite constellations. You will take ownership of the mission's security posture, bridging the gap between space systems, ground segments, external partners, and our customers. Your primary responsibility is to ensure that our constellation is secure by design from day one, designing the overarching security concept of operations and translating complex security requirements into actionable, high-impact engineering outcomes

The day-to-day

• Overall Security Concept: Lead the design, development, and maintenance of the overarching security architecture and concept of operations (CONOPS) for the constellation programme

• Space Segment Security: Drive the integration and implementation of specialized satellite security units (e.g., cryptographic and COMSEC hardware) into the overall satellite bus and payload design

• Ground Segment Security: Oversee the implementation and integration of ground security units within the overall Ground Control Segment (GCS) and Mission Control Segment (MCS), ensuring secure command, control, and data downlinks

• Primary Security Liaison: Serve as the single point of contact for both our government Customer and our industrial partners regarding all security-related engineering, compliance, and operational matters

You should apply if you

• Have successfully delivered complex systems engineering or security engineering solutions within aerospace, defence, or telecommunications projects

• Possess deep expertise operating within highly classified environments and implementing strict military and government security frameworks

• Hands-on experience integrating hardware and software security units, cryptographic modules, and secure communications protocols into complex technical systems

• Can clearly and concisely translate complex security requirements to non-security engineers, customers, and executive stakeholders

• Hold an advanced degree in Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related STEM discipline

• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including payload engineers, ground software developers, and mission operators, to deliver secure cross-functional solutions

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 working specifically with space or ground systems

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

These are the core benefits across all locations; there may be additional benefits in specific sites.

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.