--- title: 'Data Acquistion Module Lead at Harmattan AI' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/data-acquistion-module-lead-harmattan-ai-paris-nd5w432k54cz' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-09' --- # Data Acquistion Module Lead at Harmattan AI - **Company:** [Harmattan AI](https://feeny.ai/companies/harmattan-ai) - **Location:** Paris, France - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-11-08 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-09 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/harmattan-ai/883ac851-1b7a-40b6-b446-8cbccf7a7771 ## Job description ## About Us Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces. Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected. ## About the Role As Data Acquisition Module Lead, you own how Harmattan collects the real-world sensor data that trains its onboard detection and tracking models. You run the module end to end: acquisition roadmap, sensor integration, field campaigns, and dataset quality and delivery to the computer vision and AI teams. You lead and grow a team of engineers while staying hands-on in the field. Every flight you run turns scarce test time into usable data. ## Responsibilities - Turn the data needs of the computer vision and AI teams into a prioritized roadmap of collection campaigns. - Plan and run field campaigns across sensors, scenarios, environments and data volumes. - Act as single owner and point of contact for every field session assigned to the module. - Own sensor integration and calibration on aircraft and ground systems, including time synchronization and logging. - Build the pipeline from raw field capture to curated, documented and versioned datasets, with quality checks before leaving the field. - Define dataset acceptance criteria and clear handovers with the computer vision team and the annotation provider. - Arbitrate flight slots and test field access with Flight Operations and Validation to maximize usable data per flight. - Structure the team’s work, hire the profiles the module needs to grow, and mentor engineers. - Stay hands-on by operating alongside the team in the field and reporting regularly on progress, dataset coverage and gaps. Candidate Requirements - At least 6 years of experience in sensor data collection or field testing for perception or AI systems, ideally airborne. - Hands-on experience with EO/IR, radar or comparable sensors, including synchronization, calibration, storage and metadata. - Experience running multi-person field campaigns and leading a small team. - Track record of turning a model team’s needs into a concrete data collection plan. - Piloting or flight operations exposure. - Safety-conscious, organized and pragmatic in the field, and comfortable arbitrating scarce flight time. - Clear communicator toward AI engineers who depend on the data you deliver. - A background in electronics, signal processing, robotics, physics or computer science is a plus; demonstrated field and data experience matters more. We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI. ## About Harmattan AI ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Harmattan AI builds autonomous defense systems—including strike and surveillance drones—using AI-driven autonomy and real-time intelligence for allied forces. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series B, unicorn status) - **Headquarters**: Paris, France - **Founded**: 2024 - **Founders**: Mouad M’Ghari (CEO & Co‑founder) ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Defense & autonomous systems - **Target customers**: B2G – NATO member states, ministries of defence (UK, France, and others) - **Mission**: Deliver scalable, sovereign AI capabilities to allied forces by building mission‑ready autonomous systems that respond in real time, adapt under pressure, and deliver an edge in contested environments. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/) ## Products & Services - **Platform Autonomy**: AI‑driven autonomy layer for drones, enabling real‑time decision‑making and adaptation. - **Mission Orchestration**: Software for coordinating multiple autonomous assets (e.g., collaborative air combat). - **Precision Strike**: Attritable strike drones with embedded AI for target engagement. - **VSHORAD (Very Short‑Range Air Defence)**: Counter‑drone interception systems. - **Persistent ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance)**: Autonomous surveillance platforms for continuous battlefield awareness. - **Electronic Warfare Platforms**: Systems for electronic attack and protection. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/) ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: $1.4 billion (as of January 2026, after Series B). [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/) - **Key Metric**: Total funding ~$240 million ($200 M Series B led by Dassault Aviation + over $40 M prior). [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Dassault Aviation (lead investor & strategic partner), multiple NATO allies as customers. - **Growth Signals**: - Achieved unicorn status within two years of founding. - Awarded several “programs of record” by UK and French Ministries of Defence. [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/) - Scaling industrial manufacturing of drone interception and electronic warfare platforms. - Headcount grew to 131 employees (Built In estimate). [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/harmattan-ai) ## Competitive Advantages - **Two‑layer autonomy model**: Combines platform‑level AI with mission‑orchestration software for coordinated, scalable autonomous forces. - **Sovereign AI**: Focus on delivering non‑dependent capabilities to allied nations, differentiating from US‑centric primes. - **Attritable systems**: Cost‑effective, expendable drones that enable mass deployment without prohibitive losses. - **Speed to relevance**: Claims rapid iteration and deployment cycles, with conflict‑ready production. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/) ## Strategic Focus - Expand product offering into new operational domains (e.g., collaborative air combat with Dassault Aviation). - Scale industrial manufacturing of drone interception, electronic warfare, and ISR platforms. - Deepen integration of embedded AI into next‑generation air combat systems (future combat air systems). [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/) ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: “Elite builders” who “thrive on complexity, move with urgency, and own their work end to end.” Emphasis on purpose, technical excellence, and real‑world impact. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/careers/) - **Values**: Tackle the hardest problems, build what matters, move at the speed of relevance, and aim to redefine frontiers. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/careers/) - **Work policy**: Hybrid model with a mix of remote and on‑site; many roles are in‑office at locations in Paris, Lausanne, London, Arlington (TX), Wissous, Poland, UAE, and Morocco. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/harmattan-ai) - **Engineering culture**: Hands‑on development of mission‑critical autonomous systems; strong R&D focus across AI, computer vision, RF hardware, propulsion, and mission planning. - **Perks**: Not explicitly listed, but the company highlights the opportunity to protect front‑line personnel and shape the future of autonomous defence. ## Sources 1. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/) 2. [harmattan.ai/careers](https://harmattan.ai/careers/) 3. [harmattan.ai/open-roles](https://harmattan.ai/open-roles) 4. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/harmattan-ai) 5. [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/) ## Other roles at Harmattan AI - [Field Service Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/field-service-lead-harmattan-ai-rabat-snasntwv4fa2) — Rabat, Morocco - [FP&A Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/fp-a-lead-harmattan-ai-paris-v7yabp6mvh8r) — Paris, France - [Facilities Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/facilities-coordinator-harmattan-ai-paris-fb3t9gebj0dw) — Paris, France - [Program Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/program-manager-harmattan-ai-rabat-f1bwm8xf657x) — Rabat, Morocco - [Technicien de Maintenance Multi-technique](https://feeny.ai/job/technicien-de-maintenance-multi-technique-harmattan-ai-orly-jpre9kc3p590) — Orly, France - [System Identification Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/system-identification-engineer-harmattan-ai-paris-a52y0646nxtw) — Paris, France - [System Identification Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/system-identification-engineer-harmattan-ai-lausanne-611s0xxg1tqd) — Lausanne, Switzerland - [Director of Engineering, UAS Development](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-engineering-uas-development-harmattan-ai-rabat-4m2fvdpc712j) — Rabat, Morocco - [Global Sourcing Manager Sensors & Optics](https://feeny.ai/job/global-sourcing-manager-sensors-optics-harmattan-ai-paris-m94v0vadep8m) — Paris, France - [Drone System Reliability Technician and Pilot](https://feeny.ai/job/drone-system-reliability-technician-and-pilot-harmattan-ai-orly-yterfe2abwnm) — Orly, France