
Project Quality Engineer at Harmattan AI (Paris, France)
Harmattan AI· Paris, France·
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
Harmattan AI seeks a Project Quality Engineer to integrate quality standards into the product design and development lifecycle. The role involves ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and EN 9100, leading design reviews, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure mission-critical defense systems meet rigoro...
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
We are looking for an Engineering Quality Engineer to ensure quality requirements and standards are systematically integrated throughout the entire product design and development lifecycle. Working closely with Project Managers and the Engineering teams, you will champion quality planning from the design phase to Start of Production, ensuring project compliance with ISO 9001, EN 9100 standards, and internal quality gates.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Quality Management System & Project Alignment
- Assist in defining and implementing project-specific Quality Plans tailored to new programs.
- Ensure Design Control procedures are rigorously applied, maintaining traceability and verification of all design inputs and outputs.
- Contribute to the follow-up of non-conformities, corrective and preventive actions, with a specific focus on design-related issues and engineering changes.
- Participate in internal audits, covering the design and engineering processes.
- Design & Development Quality
- Lead and facilitate quality activities during the design lifecycle, including Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Criticality Reviews, and risk assessments for new designs.
- Actively participate in design reviews to ensure design maturity, requirement validation, and verifiability.
- Manage the review and approval of design documentation, specifications, and test plans to confirm compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.
- Support the seamless transition of design to manufacturing, ensuring quality requirements are embedded in the production process.
- Collaboration and Communication
- Work with cross-functional teams, including R&D, Engineering, and Supply Chain, using platforms such as Jira or Confluence to document and track quality topics related to design projects.
- Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including customers and regulatory bodies, on project quality status and resolutions.
- Continuous Improvement
- Participate in initiatives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the design and development processes, focusing on reducing design-related risks and ensuring first-time-right product realization.
- Collect and analyze quality data from the design phase to support performance monitoring and reporting for project milestones.
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS
- Degree in quality, industrial, aeronautical, or mechanical engineering.
- 2–3 years of relevant experience in a Design Quality, Project Quality, or Product Assurance role, preferably in the aerospace, defense, or high-tech sectors, with at least one successful first permanent role.
- Solid knowledge of ISO 9001 and strong familiarity with EN 9100/AS9100 Design and Development clauses.
- Demonstrated experience in applying design-stage quality tools such as FMEA, DFMEA, FMECA, and conducting Design Reviews.
- Experience with Jira/Confluence or similar collaboration tools for managing project tasks and quality documentation.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams and departments in an international environment.
- Communication & Commitment: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; full alignment with Harmattan AI’s mission and willingness to go the extra mile to support our growth.
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.