---
title: 'Mechanical Engineer (Hardware Tooling) at Harmattan AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-hardware-tooling-harmattan-ai-paris-qeqsaf27pta7'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Mechanical Engineer (Hardware Tooling) at Harmattan AI

- **Company:** [Harmattan AI](https://feeny.ai/companies/harmattan-ai)
- **Location:** Paris, France
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/harmattan-ai/8ae97746-b061-499a-854b-fd43d164ec41

## 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 Mechanical Engineer on Harmattan AI's R&D Hardware Tooling team, you will design and build the internal lab fixtures, jigs, rigs, and bench structures that help our engineering teams develop and validate products faster. You will own the mechanical side of tooling end-to-end: from bench and lab fixtures to environmental validation rigs, instrument enclosures, and RF/antenna characterisation mechanics. Unlike product design optimised for mass production, tooling mechanics here prioritise precision, repeatability over many cycles, and fast in-house fabrication. You will work at the intersection of mechanics, electronics, and development across every Harmattan hardware program.

## TECHNICAL SKILLS

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Design fixtures, jigs, enclosures, and bench structures in SolidWorks with full integration of electronics and instrumentation, maintaining complete 2D drawings with GD&T to guarantee fixture precision and repeatability.
- Design clamping, alignment, and actuation mechanisms — manual and pneumatic — for repeatable, ergonomic positioning of prototypes during bring-up and characterisation.
- Build fixtures rapidly in-house (3D printing, CNC, aluminium framing) and via quick-turn suppliers; iterate fast based on hands-on validation with the tooling hardware and software engineers.
- Own the development of bench and lab fixtures, environmental and reliability validation rigs, instrument/DAQ enclosures, RF/antenna characterisation mechanics, and modular bench structures for the R&D teams.
- Validate fixture repeatability, durability over many cycles, and operator ergonomics; use basic FEA and thermal/CFD where required (e.g. environmental rigs) to confirm designs.
- Manage quick-turn machining and printing suppliers; specify framing hardware and drive procurement with Supply Chain.
- Define and maintain a modular, reusable fixture-mechanics standard across product teams, directly reducing bring-up time and improving characterisation repeatability.
- Maintain fixture designs, drawings, build instructions, and maintenance records as the single source of truth for the team.

## CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

- Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Consumer Electronics, or equivalent.
- Proven experience designing lab or development fixtures, jigs, or rigs — or a track record of shipping physical products with a desire to build the tools behind them.
- Proficiency in SolidWorks, including complex assembly modelling and 2D drawings with GD&T.
- Hands-on experience with rapid prototyping and in-house fabrication (3D printing, CNC, off-the-shelf framing systems).
- Ability to integrate electronics and instrumentation into fixtures and enclosures with reliable measurement access.
- Strong instinct for tolerancing, repeatability, and fixture accuracy; comfortable working to tight positional constraints.
- Experience with mechanism and actuation design (clamping, alignment, pneumatic) is a strong plus.
- Basic FEA and thermal/CFD to validate designs is a nice-to-have.
- Appetite for ownership and fast iteration — a maker who gets hands dirty, works independently, and thrives in a small team without heavy process.

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

- [Forward Deployed Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-software-engineer-harmattan-ai-united-arab-emirates-h1ph5ed6wera) — United Arab Emirates
- [Embedded Electrical Engineer - SoM](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-electrical-engineer-som-harmattan-ai-zurich-nfmnmqmj7qkw) — Zurich, Switzerland
- [Embedded Electrical Engineer - SoM](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-electrical-engineer-som-harmattan-ai-lausanne-25bs7fgkpqjz) — Lausanne, Switzerland
- [Product Operations Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/product-operations-intern-harmattan-ai-paris-598y5hqzq0v7) — Paris, France
- [Embedded Electrical Engineer - SoM](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-electrical-engineer-som-harmattan-ai-paris-4kfy8a0s9nsw) — Paris, France
- [Software Engineer - Gimbal](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-gimbal-harmattan-ai-paris-964y8cys7ssa) — Paris, France
- [Forward Deployed Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-software-engineer-harmattan-ai-paris-t3v3brcs9b32) — Paris, France
- [Drone System Validation Technician and Pilot](https://feeny.ai/job/drone-system-validation-technician-and-pilot-harmattan-ai-rabat-z2eczm57bd4w) — Rabat, Morocco
- [Validation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/validation-engineer-harmattan-ai-rabat-j6rf9bn7tje4) — Rabat, Morocco
- [Flight Operations Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/flight-operations-engineer-harmattan-ai-rabat-m3nxbfykp8at) — Rabat, Morocco