Systems Engineer - Physical Products

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 Systems Engineer / Architect, you are responsible for both the architectural design and the hands-on implementation of complex systems for Helsing’s mechatronic and software-defined programmes. You will act as the visionary who defines how the system fits together, as well as the "builder" who actively makes it work. You will translate high-level operational concepts into robust physical and logical architectures, partitioning complex multi-domain systems across hardware and software. At the same time, you are not an "ivory-tower" theorist—you will spend significant time in the lab integrating hardware, debugging mechatronic issues, and validating that the physical product meets your design intent. Working closely with mechanical, electrical, and AI engineering teams, you will utilise Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies to track subsystems and define critical interfaces. In this role, you are responsible for bridging the gap between cutting-edge AI software and high-performance physical hardware, ensuring on-time and high-quality technical delivery. The day-to-day Develop and own the overarching system architecture for complex, multi-domain platforms (e.g., drones, sensor pods, ground support systems), partitioning them into manageable hardware and software subsystems. Act as the primary owner of the system model, utilising Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools (e.g., Cameo, Enterprise Architect) and SysML to document system behaviours, state machines, and interfaces. Actively participate in the physical integration of mechatronic systems in the lab and field, working directly with hardware and software to test, troubleshoot, and validate performance. Lead multidisciplinary trade-off analyses (e.g., SWaP-C: Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) to determine the most effective, scalable architectural solutions. Translate high-level architectures into detailed subsystem and component specifications, establishing clear requirements and interface control documents (ICDs). Conduct system-level testing, analyse test data, and support complex root-cause analysis on failures to drive rapid design iterations. Collaborate daily with software architects, hardware developers, and AI engineers to ensure system-level alignment and technical consistency across all disciplines. Identify emerging trends and propose new structural solutions to enhance our physical defence systems and their integration with AI capabilities. You should apply if you Have 4+ years of hands-on experience in systems engineering and/or system architecture for complex mechatronic, defence, aerospace, or autonomous systems. Have practical expertise in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML, alongside a strong foundation in requirements management. Possess a "builder's mindset"—you are comfortable working in a lab environment, reading electrical schematics, navigating 3D CAD models, and using basic diagnostic tools. Have in-depth knowledge of how to bridge physical engineering realities (electromechanical design, embedded systems, sensors) with advanced software/AI architectures. Have a university degree in Systems Enginee