Technical Lead Engineer, UAV Development

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 Technical Lead Engineer, UAV Development, you will serve as the primary technical authority for the integration and optimisation of Helsing's complex drone systems, working across mechanical, electrical, thermal,  avionics  and flight software disciplines. You will govern requirements, manage Interface Control  Documents  and lead verification and validation from simulation through to flight test.   

The day-to-day

Lead multi-disciplinary engineering integration across mechanical structures, electrical distribution, thermal management, avionics and flight software, establishing Interface Control Documents and maintaining full requirements traceability from system level to subsystem throughout the product lifecycle  

Define and lead the verification and validation strategy, governing test protocols from simulation and bench testing through to flight-test campaigns, ensuring every system-level requirement is demonstrably satisfied before programme milestones  

Lead technical risk assessments including DFMEA and Functional Hazard Assessments, defining mitigation strategies that guarantee system safety and reliability in flight and ensure compliance with relevant regulations including EASA, FAA and SORA frameworks  

Establish engineering workflows and chair critical design reviews including PDR and CDR, providing the technical authority that determines design maturity, cost-efficiency and scalability at each programme gate  

Act as the primary technical interface for critical suppliers, manufacturing partners and customers on subsystem procurement, integration and technical negotiations, ensuring supplier outputs meet system requirements and programme timelines  

You should apply if you

Have led multi-disciplinary hardware and software integration programmes as technical lead, systems engineer or lead architect within aerospace, robotics or UAV development, with a strong foundational background in mechanical engineering and broad expertise across electrical, thermal and flight software domains  

Have defined and managed system-level requirements and Interface Control Documents using tools such as Jama or DOORS, applying V-model development processes and systems engineering methodologies to maintain traceability across complex product lifecycles  

Have led verification and validation strategies across simulation, bench and flight-test environments, and are familiar with aviation standards such as DO-160 or ARP4754, or civil and military drone regulatory frameworks  

Have chaired design reviews, governed technical risk assessments and acted as the primary technical interface for suppliers and customers, translating complex engineering trade-offs into clear decisions that keep programmes on track  

Act decisively with minimal guidance, own outcomes end-to-end and initiate solutions without waiting for direction  

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 fe …