Director of Engineering - UAS

Harmattan AI seeks a Director of Engineering for UAS to lead engineering teams in Lausanne and Paris, focusing on people management, process standardization, and technical vision. The role requires experience in hardware engineering leadership and a commitment to the company’s mission in autonomous defense systems.

The Director of Engineering for UAS will serve as a management bridge between R&D and leadership, focusing on team development and engineering excellence. This hands-off people management role aims to reduce pressure on senior leaders by building high-performing teams, improving internal tools, and standardizing processes without slowing execution. The position oversees UAS engineering across aerodynamics, mechanical design, electronics, propulsion, prototyping, and Systems-on-Module, with a focus on physical prototypes and test campaigns. The Director will also contribute to the company’s long-term technical vision and organizational structure.

Responsibilities

• Manage engineering personnel by overseeing performance evaluations, career development, and training programs.
• Lead recruitment efforts as a top priority, building and sustaining a strong engineering team across six hardware disciplines and two locations.
• Create and enforce standardized workflows for mechanical, electrical, and propulsion engineering to ensure consistent, high-quality results.
• Assess and enhance internal tools, choosing between off-the-shelf and custom solutions to support engineers effectively.
• Help shape the company’s organizational structure by reorganizing modules and driving changes to improve cross-functional delivery.
• Work with leadership to develop the company’s vision, contributing innovative ideas beyond executing existing plans.

Requirements

• A solid academic background in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Prior experience as a technical contributor who transitioned into management, providing insight into engineering challenges.
• Proven track record of leading multi-disciplinary hardware engineering teams (30+ engineers) in UAV, drone, eVTOL, or advanced robotics environments.
• Experience delivering a complex multi-disciplinary hardware system — such as an airframe, propulsion system, full UAV, or humanoid platform — from prototype to deployment or production.
• A commitment to staying technically engaged and hands-on with engineering work.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a high standard for excellence and the ability to inspire and elevate others.
• Full dedication to Harmattan AI’s mission of developing autonomous defense systems, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure setting.

About the company

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense company developing autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following a $200M Series B funding round, the company is valued at $1.4 billion and is expanding its teams and technical capabilities. It emphasizes real-world impact, excellence, ambitious goals, and tackling the most difficult technical challenges. The company operates in a rigorous environment where ownership and execution are essential.

• Focus on building technologies with real-world impact.
• Commitment to excellence and ambitious technical goals.
• Tackling the hardest engineering challenges.
• High expectations for rigor, ownership, and execution.