Lead Engineer – Ground Control Station (GCS) & Hardware Simulator

Helsing•4h ago

MunichOnsiteFull-timeMid Level2+ yrs exp

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
its ethical implications.
The role
As Lead Engineer for Ground Control Stations and Hardware Simulators , you will serve as the primary technical authority for the mechanical, electrical
systems architecture of military-grade, ruggedised hardware. Based in Germany, you will own the full lifecycle of GCS units, from portable field systems to vehicle-integrated configurations
high-fidelity Hardware-in-the-Loop simulators. Your work sits at the intersection of hardware engineering and operational deployment: translating design intent into physical systems that perform reliably in harsh environments. You will bridge software teams, mechanical designers
production partners, ensuring that every system shipped meets the uncompromising standards that defence operations demand.
The day-to-day
Define and drive a modular, scalable hardware architecture for GCS units and simulation racks, ensuring strict compliance with MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461
delivering systems that are maintainable and upgradable in the field
Work on Modular Hardware Design by establishing and driving a highly modular, scalable, and service-friendly hardware architecture for GCS units and simulation racks, ensuring ease of maintenance and upgradability.
Lead hands-on prototyping, wiring
assembly of early-stage GCS and simulator units, taking designs from CAD through to workshop floor reality, including cabling, custom wire harnesses, power distribution
Oversee the physical and electrical integration of subsystems including high-performance computing, rugged displays, RF communication datalinks
pilot control interfaces, ensuring coherent and robust electro-mechanical outcomes
Define and execute rigorous verification and validation plans covering thermal chamber, vibration, and ingress protection testing, producing documented evidence of compliance for defence and programme stakeholders
Collaborate with fabrication partners, CNC machinists, sheet metal manufacturers
cable assembly houses to ensure design for manufacturing, smooth pilot production runs
on-time delivery against programme milestones
You should apply if you
Have designed and shipped ruggedised electronic enclosures or portable field equipment for aerospace, defence, robotics
heavy-industrial simulator programmes, with demonstrable compliance against military or industrial environmental standards
Bring practical, hands-on proficiency across the full build cycle, including crimping, soldering, mechanical assembly, and hardware fault-finding using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and other bench instruments
Have produced electrical system documentation including power budgets, grounding schematics, wire-harness drawings
connector selection (e.g. Amphenol, Glenair) to a standard suitable for handover to manufacturing partners
Have deep knowledge of military and industrial standards (e.g., MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, IP ratings) and practical methods for achieving EMI shielding and shock/vibration isolation.
Are familiar with UAV systems and simulation (e.g., Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, Pixhawk/PX4 flight controllers, ROS, and flight simulator software) is a strong asset.
Are proficient in 3D CAD modelling tools such as SolidWorks or Siemens NX for mechanical enclosure design, rack-mount layouts, and sheet metal fabrication packages
Communicate clearly in English across multidisciplinary teams, acting as the effective interface between software developers, mechanical designers, and workshop or production staff
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
Familiarity with UAV systems and simulation environments, including Hardware-in-the-Loop testing, Pixhawk/PX4 flight controllers, ROS, or flight simulator software integration
Experience coordinating supplier relationships across CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and cable assembly, with practical knowledge of design-for-manufacturing principles at pilot production scale
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
where robustness, safety
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
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
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
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
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
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
to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about
What we offer
Competitive salary and VSOP options
Relocation support : up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation
Learning : €500 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
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
data concerning your sexual orientation.
Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here .

Required skills

hardware engineeringelectrical engineeringmechanical engineeringsystems architectureprototypingCADpower distributionRF communication