Prototyping Engineer 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 Rapid Prototyping Engineer, you will sit at the intersection of mechanical design, electrical integration, and hardware iteration. You will translate complex concepts and incomplete designs into functional, flight-ready physical prototypes for Helsing's advanced drone platforms. Working closely with design and test engineers, you will own the full build cycle from concept through to field testing, identifying integration bottlenecks, developing custom hardware solutions, and keeping Helsing's developmental fleet operational and ready for flight. Your work directly enables faster learning cycles and more capable platforms, with tangible impact on the pace and quality of Helsing's hardware development programme.

The day-to-day responsibilities include:

• Designing, fabricating, and assembling flight-ready prototypes, covering complex folding structures, deployment mechanisms, and integrated avionics bays.
• Modifying airframes, building custom electrical wiring harnesses, and integrating power distribution and avionics systems.
• Integrating and configuring flight control platforms (PX4, ArduPilot, or equivalent autopilots), flashing firmware, calibrating onboard sensors, and resolving system anomalies during bench and pre-flight testing.
• Planning and executing functional and lifetime test campaigns in the field, using telemetry data to close the loop between physical results and CAD model refinement.
• Collaborating with design and test engineers to surface integration risks early, delivering targeted hardware solutions.

You should apply if you:

• Have taken unmanned aerial systems (multicopter, fixed-wing, FPV, or ISR platforms) or highly complex mechanical or robotic systems through the full cycle from concept to physical assembly to field testing.
• Are proficient in 3D CAD (SolidWorks/PDM or Siemens NX/Teamcenter) and have applied structural validation techniques, including FEA, to aerospace or UAV hardware.
• Are skilled in workshop fabrication, with hands-on experience working with composites, metals, 3D printers, precision hand tools, and soldering stations.
• Have practical experience integrating and troubleshooting flight control platforms, payload electronics, and power distribution systems on UAV or similarly complex platforms.
• Are comfortable working with incomplete documentation and evolving requirements, taking end-to-end ownership of outcomes.

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.

Nice to have:

• Practical background flying, testing, and operating drones in field environments.
• Hands-on knowledge of structural composites, including carbon fibre layup and vacuum bagging.

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields. Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns.

The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world.

What we offer:

• Competitive salary and VSOP options.
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation.
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance.
• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support.
• 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, 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.