Description
Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies.
We are developing an advanced airborne platform with integrated Electronic Support and Electronic Warfare capabilities. We are looking for an experienced engineer to lead the technical definition, design, and integration of the platform's Emitter Location System.
The Day-to-Day
- Define the architecture and system-level requirements of an airborne Emitter Location System.
- Translate operational emitter-detection and geolocation needs into measurable technical requirements.
- Develop and assess antenna-array concepts for airborne direction finding.
- Define the number, type, geometry, orientation, and placement of antenna elements on the aircraft.
- Analyse array performance across the required frequency range.
- Assess the impact of element spacing, array aperture, phase-centre stability, mutual coupling, airframe shadowing, structural blockage, reflections and multipath, installation-induced amplitude and phase errors, and polarisation mismatch.
- Balance direction-finding accuracy, angular ambiguity, frequency coverage, installation constraints, and platform size.
- Develop calibration concepts for antenna, RF-channel, and installation-related errors.
- Define requirements for coherent multichannel RF reception, channel synchronisation, phase matching, amplitude matching, and timing accuracy.
- Develop and evaluate algorithms for amplitude-comparison direction finding, phase-interferometric direction finding, correlative direction finding, monopulse techniques, beamforming, MUSIC, ESPRIT, Capon, and related high-resolution methods.
- Develop robust Direction-of-Arrival estimation methods for dense and complex electromagnetic environments.
- Address challenges such as multiple simultaneous emitters, co-channel signals, low signal-to-noise ratio, short-duration and low-probability-of-intercept signals, frequency-agile and pulse-agile radars, and multipath and platform-induced interference.
- Define confidence metrics and uncertainty estimates for Direction-of-Arrival measurements.
- Develop emitter geolocation methods using successive Direction-of-Arrival measurements and platform motion.
- Integrate aircraft position, attitude, heading, timing, and navigation uncertainties into the emitter-location solution.
- Define interfaces between the Emitter Location System, Radar Warning Receiver, ESM receiver, mission computer, navigation system, and other mission-system components.
- Develop a coherent system concept in which the Radar Warning Receiver and Emitter Location System share receiver resources, detections, signal descriptors, tracks, and threat information where appropriate.
- Assess the trade-offs between wideband threat warning, accurate direction finding, emitter identification, and geolocation performance.
- Define latency, update-rate, probability-of-intercept, dynamic-range, sensitivity, and accuracy requirements.
- Develop simulation environments and representative test scenarios for evaluating array and algorithm performance.
- Perform Monte Carlo analyses and sensitivity studies for antenna-placement errors, RF imperfections, navigation errors, and emitter geometries.
- Support hardware-in-the-loop testing, antenna-range testing, calibration campaigns, ground testing, and flight-test activities.
- Define verification and validation methods for direction-finding and emitter-location performance.
- Coordinate closely with antenna, RF, ESM, Radar Warning Receiver, navigation, software, aircraft, and mission-system engineering teams.
Requirements
- Degree in electrical engineering, communications engineering, physics, aerospace engineering, mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
- Several years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas: direction finding, emitter location, Radar Warning Receivers, Electronic Support Measures, radar signal processing, phased arrays or antenna arrays, multichannel coherent RF systems.
- Strong understanding of antenna-array theory, array manifolds, phase differences, amplitude patterns, beamforming, grating lobes, and angular ambiguity.
- Experience with airborne antenna placement and platform-installation effects is highly desirable.
- Strong understanding of Direction-of-Arrival estimation algorithms and their practical limitations.
- Experience with phase-interferometric or amplitude-comparison direction-finding systems.
- Familiarity with high-resolution subspace methods such as MUSIC or ESPRIT is beneficial.
- Understanding of radar and Electronic Support signal characteristics, including pulse, frequency, modulation, scan, and waveform parameters.
- Experience with Radar Warning Receiver or ESM architectures, including detection, pulse measurement, deinterleaving, identification, threat evaluation, and tracking.
- Understanding of the trade-offs between RWR warning performance and precision emitter-location performance.
- Familiarity with geolocation, state estimation, sensor fusion, and navigation-error propagation.
- Experience defining requirements and interfaces for complex airborne mission systems.
- Experience with electromagnetic simulation tools such as CST, HFSS, FEKO, or comparable tools is beneficial.
- Experience with real-time embedded signal-processing systems, FPGA-based processing, or heterogeneous compute platforms is desirable.
- Strong analytical, communication, and technical-documentation skills.
- Ability to work across antenna, RF, signal-processing, software, navigation, and aircraft-integration disciplines.
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
- A hands-on onboarding program