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.
About the Role
We are seeking an Application Software Engineer to join our R&D team in Lausanne, Switzerland. In this high-priority role, you will be a founding member of a new team dedicated to developing the ground control station (GCS) software that serves as the foundation of our autonomy stack. Your primary mission will be to design and build an industrial-grade ground control software.
Responsibilities
Develop Core GCS Features: Design and ship the features at the heart of the piloting experience — flight planning, airspace awareness, live video — with the same attention to operator UX as to technical correctness.
Systems Integration: Work closely with the Autopilot development team to ensure seamless communication between the GCS code and drone hardware.
Agile Execution: Participate in standard agile workflows, including two-week sprints, to deliver high-priority features defined by the product team.
Software Excellence: Take full ownership of your code, from architectural design to rigorous testing and maintenance, ensuring the delivery of industrial-grade software.
Mentorship (Senior Profiles): For candidates with approximately 10 years of experience, provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers as the team grows.
Candidate Requirements
Educational Background: A degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physics is preferred.
Proven Software Architecture Skills: You have a track record of designing and delivering complex, production-quality software systems — not just writing code, but making sound architectural decisions that stand the test of time. While the current stack is Linux-based, experience with Android is also of interest.
Fluency with Modern Application Frameworks: Hands-on experience with Dart/Flutter or C++/Qt/QML is highly valued; you should be comfortable evaluating and adopting modern tooling to build performant, maintainable cross-platform applications.
Industry Experience: Direct experience developing ground control stations at a drone company is a significant advantage.
Adaptability & Autonomy: You should demonstrate a high degree of independence and proactivity, moving beyond a "lone wolf" mentality to thrive in a collaborative team environment.
Communication & Collaboration: A commitment to team-based activities like code reviews, viewing them as essential to maintaining high software quality.
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.
Skills Required
- Degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physics
- Proven experience designing and delivering production-quality software architectures
- Experience developing Linux-based application software
- Hands-on experience with Dart/Flutter or C++/Qt/QML
- Experience integrating application software with autopilot/drone hardware
- Strong collaboration practices including code reviews and agile workflows
- Ability to work autonomously and proactively in a collaborative team
- Experience mentoring junior engineers (for senior profiles)
Harmattan AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Harmattan AI and has not been reviewed or approved by Harmattan AI.
-
Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay ranges are publicly shown for multiple U.S. roles (e.g., $140k–$200k base) and appear broadly in line with late‑stage startup/defense‑tech expectations based on the postings cited.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is repeatedly referenced in several job postings as part of total compensation, which can increase upside potential at a recently funded, high‑valuation company.
-
Strong & Reliable Incentives — Sign‑on bonuses are explicitly mentioned in a hiring post for candidates who can start quickly, indicating the use of cash incentives in at least some hiring situations.
Harmattan AI Insights
What We Do
Harmattan AI is rising as a next-generation defense prime, building the future of autonomous warfare. We leverage AI-driven autonomy, real-time intelligence, and conflict-ready production to deliver attritable systems and autonomous mission management software. Designed for the real-world needs of warfighters, our solutions enable faster deployment, sharper decision-making, and battlefield dominance.
