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
Harmattan AI is pushing the boundaries of high-speed autonomous flight. The Guidance & Control module steers the aircraft, from motion planning and control laws to the flight mode behaviour on top. As its Module Lead, you own the roadmap, the team, and the interfaces to the rest of the company.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Guidance & Control Team: Build and lead the team, from the hiring plan and the technical bar to the growth of the engineers on it.
Module Roadmap: Define and own scope, milestones, priorities and trade-offs, and carry accountability for delivery.
Guidance & Motion Planning: Set how guidance is designed and verified, from motion planning and trajectory generation to the guidance laws that track the reference, with the flight mode and failsafe behaviour on top.
Control Laws: Set how control is designed, tuned and verified across the airframe family, from inner rate and attitude loops to outer position loops.
Interfaces & Requirements: Hold the interfaces to the adjacent modules, consuming aerodynamic models, ego state and the autopilot platform from the teams that own them, and align with the product and systems teams on what the module owes the aircraft.
Flight Verification: Prove the module's work in flight, with campaigns planned together with the flight test team, and stay close enough to the logs to challenge a diagnosis.
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
Educational Background: MSc or PhD in aerospace, controls, robotics or a related field, or equivalent practice.
Technical Depth: Has shipped guidance or control software on real vehicles, multirotor or fixed wing, and is deep enough to challenge a design review and read a flight log.
Leadership: Built or led an engineering team, hired and grown engineers, and owned a module or programme against a hard external deadline.
Professional Attributes:
Rigorous and hardware honest, sceptical of a result that only exists in simulation.
Decisive, able to set direction and unblock the team rather than absorb the work.
Clear communicator, comfortable with engineers and senior stakeholders alike.
Location & Languages: Based in or willing to relocate to Lausanne, Paris or Zurich. Fluency in English required, French a plus.
Commitment: 100% dedication to Harmattan AI's mission of providing a defensive edge to allied nations through ethical, high-impact technology.
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.
Skills Required
- MSc or PhD in aerospace, controls, robotics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Experience shipping guidance or control software on real vehicles, including multirotor or fixed-wing aircraft
- Ability to challenge technical design reviews and interpret flight logs
- Experience building or leading an engineering team
- Experience hiring and developing engineers
- Experience owning an engineering module or program against a hard external deadline
- Fluency in English
- Based in or willing to relocate to Lausanne, Paris, or Zurich
- French language proficiency
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
