GNC Engineer at Harmattan AI (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Harmattan AI· Lausanne, Switzerland·
Role details
Harmattan AI at a glance
France's first defense-tech unicorn, building attritable AI-piloted strike, interception, and ISR drones for allied militaries.
Harmattan AI is a vertically integrated defense prime building autonomous drone systems for allied militaries. It designs the full stack, from airframes and payloads to embedded compute and the autonomy algorithms that let drones sense, decide, and act at the edge without GPS or a network link, coordinated across a swarm by its mission-orchestration layer.
$242M raised · latest: Series B · $200M · January 2026 · backed by Dassault Aviation, FirstMark Capital, Atlantic, Motier Ventures
Summary
Design and develop advanced guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) solutions for UAVs, including sensor fusion, flight control systems, and flight computer maintenance. The role involves simulating flight performance, analyzing data, and supporting full-stack system integration for autonomous defense systems.
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 a GNC Engineer on the UAV team, you’ll design and develop advanced guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) solutions. From integrating and fusing sensor data to developing control laws and flight trajectories, you'll take your work from simulation to embedded implementation—and ultimately to live flight testing.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop state-of-the-art navigation and sensor fusion algorithms for UAVs
- Design and implement GNC and flight control systems
- Build filtering and estimation strategies for robust and efficient flight performance
- Run extensive simulations (Monte Carlo, SITL, HITL) and coverage testing
- Analyze test flight data and refine algorithmic performance
- Support full-stack system integration: GNSS, INS/IMU, localization, and fusion
- Maintain and evolve a flight-proven flight computer across multiple UAV platforms
REQUIREMENTS
- Education : Engineering school or master's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field
- 3+ years of experience in aerospace GNC systems
- Strong foundations in control theory, estimation, and sensor integration
- Proficient in Python and embedded C/C++
- Experience with simulation tools (e.g., Gazebo) and version control (Git)
- Familiarity with open-source autopilots (PX4, Ardupilot, Betaflight, etc.)
- Hands-on electronics and integration skills: debugging, soldering, harnessing
- Bonus: FPV pilot hobbyist
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.
Why work at Harmattan AI
- 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
- Values: Tackle the hardest problems, build what matters, move at the speed of relevance, and aim to redefine frontiers. harmattan.ai
- 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
- 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.