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 RoleWe are looking for a Software Engineer to join our Geometric Scene Understanding team in Paris. In this role, you will bridge the gap between complex mathematical research and mission-critical production software. While our Computer Vision (CV) engineers design the core algorithms for 3D reconstruction—such as SfM, SLAM, and Neural Radiance Fields—you will be responsible for transforming these computationally heavy prototypes into high-performance, real-time engines capable of running on resource-constrained tactical hardware.
You will be the architect of the pipeline that ingests live drone telemetry and video to output a real-time 3D rendering of the battlefield, providing a decisive edge for the Common Operational Picture (COP).
High-Performance Pipeline Construction: Architect and build the software pipeline to ingest, decode, and perfectly synchronise multi-drone video streams and telemetry data.
Hardware Acceleration: Profile CV algorithms and rewrite bottlenecks using GPU acceleration (CUDA, Vulkan, or TensorRT) and CPU multi-threading to achieve near real-time 3D reconstruction.
Spatial Data Management: Implement efficient 3D data structures, such as Octrees or Voxel grids, to store, compress, and stream point clouds or meshes without compromising system memory.
Prototype-to-Production Translation: Collaborate with CV engineers to translate Python/PyTorch prototypes into production-grade C++ code that can run for hours without heap fragmentation or leaks.
Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) Testing: Deploy builds to physical tactical PCs and monitor real-world performance, including thermal throttling and GPU utilisation during live drone operations.
Candidate Requirements
Educational Background: A BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field. Strong foundational knowledge of Linear Algebra, 3D Geometry, and Computer Architecture is critical.
Technical Mastery: Absolute mastery of C++ and low-level memory management. Deep expertise in GPU programming (writing custom CUDA kernels) is required.
Proven Experience: * Minimum of 5-6 years of experience for senior-level candidates.
Track record of shipping high-performance software in production, such as game engines, rendering pipelines, or autonomous vehicle perception stacks.
Experience optimising complex algorithms for edge devices or embedded systems under strict real-time constraints.
Systems Engineering: Ability to design ingestion buffers for asynchronous, high-bandwidth data streams (e.g., video at 30fps and telemetry at 100fps) ensuring temporal alignment.
Adaptability & Mission Focus: Thrives in a fast-paced startup environment and is 100% dedicated to building ethical defensce technologies that bring a strategic edge to allied nations.
Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to lead syncs between CV research teams and C2 backend modules
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.
Skills Required
- Minimum of 5-6 years of experience in high-performance software development
- Strong mastery of C++ and low-level memory management
- Expertise in GPU programming and writing CUDA kernels
- Educational background in Computer Science or Engineering
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.
