Hardware Engineer - Physical Products in London

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 a Hardware Engineer you will be instrumental in translating requirements into robust, efficient, and field‑ready hardware designs. Your expertise will span mechanical and electronic systems, ensuring the high performance and reliability of Helsing's UAV platforms — directly advancing our mission to empower democratic societies with cutting‑edge AI solutions.

The day-to-day:

• Own the end-to-end hardware design of UAV systems, from early-stage prototyping through to flight‑ready builds.
• Integrate mechanical, electronic, and sensor subsystems into cohesive, manufacturable drone architectures.
• Develop and iterate physical prototypes rapidly, balancing performance, weight, and durability constraints.
• Define and execute hardware validation and flight‑readiness testing, including bench, integration, and field trials.
• Collaborate closely with software, firmware, and avionics teams to ensure seamless hardware/software integration.
• Produce clear design documentation, schematics, and BOMs in accordance with company quality standards.
• Evaluate and select COTS components, working with suppliers to meet technical and programme requirements.

You should apply if you:

• Have hands‑on experience designing and building UAV or similar complex autonomous hardware systems.
• Are comfortable working across both mechanical and electronic domains — from airframe structures to PCB layout and power systems.
• Have a strong prototyping mindset, with experience taking hardware from concept to flying article at pace.
• Are proficient with CAD tools (e.g. SolidWorks, Siemens NX) and comfortable with electronics design tools (e.g. Altium).
• Have experience defining and running hardware validation and test campaigns.
• Thrive in fast-moving environments where iteration speed and engineering judgement matter equally.
• Exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

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 bullet points.

What we offer:

• Competitive salary and stock options (ESOP).
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation.
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance.
• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health).
• Social: regular company events and monthly social allowances.
• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work.
• A hands‑on onboarding program (affectionately labelled “Infraduction”), in which you will be building tooling and applications to be used across the company.

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity.