System Engineer - System Architecture - Contra

Job Overview

As a Systems Engineer for C-UAS System-of-Systems at Helsing, you will own the high-level architecture of a distributed air defence capability. Helsing is a defence AI company with a mission to protect democracies through technological leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own the top-level (L0/L1) architecture of the C-UAS system-of-systems, partitioning the mission into network, sensor, and effector subsystems
• Specify the network capabilities that let distributed nodes share a common air picture and coordinate engagements, including decentralised operation when the central command node is degraded or absent
• Derive network, sensor, and effector requirements from the operational concept, and own the trade-offs between coverage, resilience, latency, and cost
• Translate operational concepts into a coherent system architecture and clear engagement concepts, then hold that architecture consistent as the design matures
• Keep the architecture open and hardware agnostic, establishing the interfaces that let any qualified node join the network
• Enable engage-on-remote and launch-on-remote by defining how cueing, track handover, and fire control flow across nodes
• Produce a structured architecture that can be exposed externally to partners and customers at the right level of abstraction, without disclosing sensitive detail
• Collaborate daily with the situational awareness and interceptor integration teams, and with AI, software, and hardware engineers, to keep the system-of-systems coherent

Requirements

• Hands-on experience architecting distributed systems or systems-of-systems, ideally for defence, air defence, C-UAS, or comparable networked mission systems
• Ability to define top-level architectures and derive network, sensor, and effector requirements from an operational concept
• Understanding of distributed and decentralised system design: how nodes share state, degrade gracefully, and coordinate without a single point of failure
• Strong foundation in requirements management and interface definition
• Ability to communicate an architecture clearly to both internal engineering teams and external partners and customers
• University degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Computer Science, or a related field
• Business fluency in German and English
• Willingness to travel
• Personal values that match Helsing's: ownership, initiative, dedication to mission, speed, and inclusiveness

Nice to Have

• Working knowledge of tactical networking, mesh communications, or resilient data links in contested environments
• Familiarity with air defence engagement concepts, kill-chain design, or NATO C-UAS framework

Benefits

• 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: 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
• Hands-on onboarding program