Flight Guidance & Motion Planning Engineer

Harmattan AI seeks a Mid-level Flight Guidance & Motion Planning Engineer in Lausanne to design high-speed autonomous flight systems, including trajectory generation and guidance laws.

This position is central to the development of high-speed autonomous flight capabilities, responsible for converting high-level intent into executable, flyable paths. The engineer leads the design of motion planning, trajectory generation, and guidance algorithms, tackling some of the most complex challenges within the flight software stack.

Responsibilities

• Generate dynamically feasible onboard paths that include obstacle avoidance and real-time replanning.
• Convert planned paths into feasible references for the control loop, respecting airframe and actuator constraints.
• Design and implement guidance laws to steer the aircraft along reference trajectories and maintain stability.
• Define and manage input contracts for ego-state data from Navigation and perception systems.
• Develop mode and failsafe logic for various flight phases, including cruise, loiter, approach, and lost-link scenarios.
• Conduct verification through simulation, SITL, and HITL, including Monte Carlo campaigns, followed by flight testing and log-based iteration.
• Mentor junior team members and provide technical support as appropriate.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in aerospace engineering, robotics, GNC, or a related STEM discipline with strong academic performance.
• Demonstrated experience in onboard motion planning, trajectory generation, and tracking systems.
• Background in designing guidance laws for flying platforms.
• Practical experience closing control loops using perception outputs, including handling latency and data dropouts.
• Systems-oriented mindset with a pragmatic approach to failure modes and imperfect inputs.
• Strong discipline in simulation and validation processes.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present guidance strategies and test results to technical and senior stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced environment, with a willingness to tackle tasks of any size.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with learning-based planning or guidance methods, including simulation-based training.
• Experience with vision-based or perception-coupled guidance systems.

About the company

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime focused on building autonomous and scalable defense systems. The company is driven by a commitment to excellence and real-world impact, setting ambitious goals and tackling the most difficult technical challenges. The work environment emphasizes rigor, ownership, and execution.

• Building technologies with tangible, real-world impact.
• Pursuing excellence in all engineering endeavors.
• Setting ambitious goals and embracing the hardest technical challenges.
• A work culture that demands rigor, ownership, and strong execution.