Lead Systems Engineer - Passive RF Sensing

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.

As the Lead Engineer for Passive RF Sensing, you will own the end‑to‑end integration and performance of the aircraft's electronic surveillance systems, such as the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR/ESM), from requirements through to flight test. Your primary focus will be on translating mission threats into sensor requirements, defining the antenna architecture for optimal direction‑finding, and managing the emitter library data. A critical aspect of your role is leading the co‑site coordination to protect the sensitive receivers from onboard transmitters and driving the verification campaign to deliver a fully qualified sensor system.

• Own day‑to‑day integration and performance of passive RF sensors (ESM/ELS/RWR functions as applicable) from requirements through flight test.
• Translate mission threat scenarios into sensor requirements.
• Define antenna/array architecture, placement and baseline geometry for DF, and RF distribution.
• Lead DF performance work.
• Specify and validate sensor performance.
• Own library and classification support (as required): emitter parameter sets, mode/PRI/PW/frequency agility handling, confidence metrics, and update process.
• Drive co‑site/EMC coordination with onboard transmitters (radar, datalinks, IFF): desense protection, blanking/inhibit timing, filtering/limiting, and test validation.
• Plan and execute verification & test with a special focus on installed sensor performance.
• Coordinate with software/avionics teams on data interfaces.
• Manage supplier technical control: review specs, acceptance tests, algorithm releases, and change requests; track issues to closure with objective evidence.
• Define and maintain interfaces/ICDs to avionics and mission systems.
• Produce program artifacts: requirements, verification matrices, test plans, performance reports, and flight readiness inputs.

• Hold a relevant degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Have experience in working on passive RF sensors (ESM/ELS/RWR) for airborne or similarly complex platforms.
• Understand threat radar phenomenology (PRI/PW/Frequency agility, scanning, modes) and can convert scenarios into measurable sensor requirements.
• Have hands‑on experience with DF architectures (phase/amplitude interferometry, correlative DF, multi‑channel arrays) and DF error‑budgeting/calibration.
• Can specify and validate receiver performance (sensitivity/NF, dynamic range, IP3/compression, spurious response) and interpret lab/flight data.
• Have delivered co‑site/EMC mitigation on platforms with strong transmitters (radar, datalinks, IFF): desense protection, blanking/inhibit, filtering/limiting.
• Have experience with emitter libraries / classification workflows (parameter sets, confidence scoring, update/version control) or can ramp quickly.
• Can own interfaces/ICDs to mission computer/avionics (timing/time sync, message formats, health/BIT, recorder/telemetry).
• Have led verification & test (stimulus/injection, chamber/range, flight test support) and can drive issues to objective closure with suppliers.

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…