Systems Engineer (Hybrid) in London

Helsing is a defence AI company. As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI.

The role involves driving the end-to-end technical delivery of advanced capabilities, with a primary weighting towards software-intensive systems. You will own systems engineering activities across the full V-cycle - spanning requirements definition, system architecture, detailed design, integration, verification, validation, and release. Serving as a key technical integrator across disciplines, you will collaborate daily with software architects, AI engineers, and hardware developers to ensure system-level alignment and technical consistency. Combining rigorous analytical depth with confident customer-facing communication, you will conduct system-level testing, drive rapid design iterations through root-cause failure analysis, and interface directly with customer stakeholders.

The day-to-day responsibilities include:

• Driving systems engineering execution across the entire V-cycle (requirements capture, architecture, design, integration, verification, validation, and release), with an emphasis on software systems.
• Planning and executing system-level testing; analysing complex test data and leading root-cause analysis on failures and anomalies to steer rapid design iterations.
• Collaborating daily across multi-disciplinary engineering tracks - partnering closely with software architects, hardware developers, and AI engineers to maintain interface management and architectural coherence.
• Championing modern engineering practices, data-driven diagnostic approaches, and collaborative development tools to accelerate delivery.

You should apply if you:

• Have delivered a software product to a UK MoD or other B2B/B2G customer, or at minimum delivered an integrated hardware and software product end-to-end.
• Possess comprehensive experience across the full engineering V-cycle (requirements, architecture, design, integration, verification, validation, release), with your experience weighted towards software rather than hardware.
• Have a proven ability to conduct system-level testing, analyse test data, and support complex root-cause failure analysis to drive rapid iteration cycles.
• Are comfortable collaborating daily with software architects, hardware developers, and AI engineers to maintain system-level consistency and alignment across disciplines.
• Hold an active UK Security Clearance (SC).
• Communicate with full fluency in English, written and spoken.

Nice to Have:

• Experience working with Palantir or equivalent data integration and analytics toolsets.
• Practical systems engineering or delivery experience in Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS).
• Practical use of AI tools to accelerate engineering workflows (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT/Claude, or specialist tools for requirements analysis, test data review, and documentation).
• Python or general software development skills.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML.
• Willingness to work in London and travel to customer sites across the UK.

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields. Helsing’s work is important. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world. Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. Advances in our field are not incremental: work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about.

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 (Nilo.health).
• Social: regularly 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.

These are the core benefits across all locations; there may be additional benefits in certain locations. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity.