Systems Engineer

About Us

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission‑critical systems to allied forces.

Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real‑world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.

As Systems Engineer, you will own the end‑to‑end architecture of our C2 and autonomous mission systems — ensuring that hardware, software, AI/ML, and operator workflows integrate into a cohesive, deployable platform. We are looking for a hands‑on technical systems thinker who has built and shipped real products and understands how complex subsystems behave in practice. Your mandate: ensure the platform works reliably in real‑world operational environments — from architectural definition through integration, validation, and deployment.

• Define end‑to‑end system architecture, major components, and data flows
• Identify hardware constraints (compute, sensors, accelerators, OS) and their impact on system performance
• Evaluate architectural trade‑offs (processing distribution, module frequency, process separation, etc.)
• Produce clear interface definitions and integration plans

• Lead integration across hardware, software, AI/ML, and operator interfaces
• Drive systems from development through validation and production readiness
• Participate in architecture reviews and provide pragmatic technical judgment

• Develop simulation and field test plans
• Diagnose system‑level performance gaps and propose corrective actions
• Incorporate operator feedback into system evolution

• 5–10 years building and shipping complex technical products (defense, aerospace, robotics, autonomy)
• Hands‑on experience integrating hardware and software subsystems
• Strong technical culture across:
• Compute platforms (GPU / NPU familiarity)
• Embedded or mission‑critical systems
• Real‑time or near real‑time architectures
• Experience taking systems from development to production or field deployment

• GNC or flight control background
• UAV / robotics / ISR systems experience
• C2 or mission systems exposure

• Contract Type:
  Full‑time / Permanent
• Work Schedule:
  
  Arlington, Virginia / On‑site
• Compensation: $140K-$175K + equity + benefits

We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.