---
title: 'Software Engineer, DevSecOps at Helsing'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-devsecops-helsing-washington-dzfk89jzf1xy'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Software Engineer, DevSecOps at Helsing

- **Company:** Helsing
- **Location:** Washington, DC
- **Posted:** 2026-08-18
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://helsing.ai/jobs/4953564101?gh_jid=4953564101

## Job description

## Who we are

Helsing develops artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities to protect and defend democracies. We build Altra, an AI-powered drone software platform, and HX-2, our autonomous drone. We are growing our US operations, cultivating an ambitious and committed team of mission-driven professionals to apply their skills to solve challenging problems.

## The role

You will join the Platform Engineering team as a security-focused engineer responsible for embedding security into every layer of our developer platform and software delivery pipeline. You will own the security posture of our development environment — ensuring CMMC Level 2 compliance, hardening our software supply chain, and implementing the controls required for product teams to achieve ATO against NIST and other cybersecurity frameworks. You will work closely with platform and product engineers to build secure CI/CD pipelines, enforce policy-as-code, and maintain the shared infrastructure that all teams depend on. This role combines hands-on engineering with deep security expertise: you are not just auditing compliance, you are building the systems that make compliance automatic.

The day-to-day

- Deploying, updating, and securing Kubernetes workloads through ArgoCD and GitOps workflows
- Building and maintaining secure CI/CD pipelines that enforce policy, scan for vulnerabilities, and produce auditable build artifacts
- Maintaining and hardening shared services (GitLab, Artifactory, container registries) that the entire organization depends on
- Implementing and enforcing security controls aligned with CMMC L2, NIST 800-171, and other frameworks required for ATO
- Securing the software supply chain: image signing, SBOM generation, dependency scanning, and provenance tracking
- Conducting threat modeling to surface architectural risks before they become incidents
- Detecting, investigating, and responding to security incidents across infrastructure and applications
- Working with product teams to ensure their workloads meet security and compliance requirements before and after deployment
- Supporting the secure hosting of ML/AI workloads, including model training environments and sensitive data handling

You should apply if you

- Have 5+ years of experience in DevSecOps, security engineering, or infrastructure engineering with a security focus
- Have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related field
- Have deep experience with Kubernetes - deployment, networking, RBAC, pod and cluster security, and operational troubleshooting
- Are proficient with ArgoCD or similar GitOps tooling for managing Kubernetes workloads at scale
- Have strong experience writing and maintaining Helm charts
- Are proficient in Python and Bash, with experience automating security and compliance workflows
- Understand software supply chain security, including container image hardening, FIPS-validated cryptography, vulnerability scanning, SBOM, and artifact signing
- Have hands-on experience implementing security controls from frameworks like NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, or CMMC
- Are comfortable with CI/CD pipeline design, particularly building in security gates, policy-as-code, and automated compliance checks
- Have working knowledge of AWS and can collaborate effectively on infrastructure decisions
- U.S. citizenship required

## Nice to have

- Experience with Go or other systems programming languages
- Experience shepherding systems through an ATO process
- Familiarity with DISA STIGs and the Risk Management Framework (RMF)
- Familiarity with Terraform and infrastructure-as-code for cloud resources
- Experience with Nix or NixOS
- Experience with SIEM platforms (e.g., Elastic) and security monitoring/incident response
- Experience securing and deploying ML/AI workloads — GPU environments, training pipelines, data classification
- Red teaming or penetration testing experience
- Certifications such as CKS, Security+, or CISSP
- Experience in defense, intelligence, or other regulated environments

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields

- Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

- The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

- Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defense industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

- In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

- We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practice responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

## What we offer

- A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking

- A generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to base salary) that includes, but may not be limited to, insurance coverage (medical and travel), flexible paid time off, paid holidays, and remote and/or hybrid work available depending on position. All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable and as may be amended, terminated or superseded from time to time.

Helsing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.  Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found [here](https://helsing.ai/candidate-privacy-and-confidentiality-regime/).

## About Helsing

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Helsing builds artificial intelligence-driven autonomous systems and defense hardware to protect democratic nations, integrating airborne, maritime, and electronic warfare capabilities.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D in progress, May 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Munich, Germany
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Torsten Reil, Gundbert Scherf, Niklas Köhler

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Defense technology, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems
- Target customers: NATO-aligned governments, defense ministries, and allied militaries (B2G)
- Mission: "Protect our democracies" – using software and AI to enhance battlefield decision-making, precision engagement, and national security

## Products & Services
- **HX-2**: AI-enabled strike drone, mass-manufactured in “Resilience Factories” (1,000+ per month)
- **HF-1**: AI-powered electronic warfare system (autonomous combat aircraft for electronic attack)
- **SG-1 Fathom**: Underwater autonomous glider for maritime surveillance and infrastructure protection
- **Cirra**: AI for electronic warfare, already flight-tested (Feb 2026)
- **CA-1 Europa**: Joint project with HENSOLDT for advanced electronic attack capabilities
- **Altra**: Recce strike software for battlefield intelligence
- **Centaur**: AI system for autonomous air dominance
- **Lura**: Underwater autonomous mass system

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed (latest deal $1.2B in progress, May 2026)
- **Total Funding**: ~$1.5B (Series D $694M in July 2025; Series C $489M in July 2024; Series B $222M in Sept 2023; Series A $119M in Nov 2021; Seed in Jan 2021)
- **Key Investors**: Prima Materia (led Series A & D), General Catalyst (led Series B & C), plus 12 total investors
- **Key Partners**: HENSOLDT, EURENCO, Grob Aircraft (subsidiary), Airbus Defence and Space (talent source)
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 78.4% YoY (515 employees per LinkedIn; PitchBook reports 900); second German Resilience Factory operational (Feb 2026); expanded to 17 countries; acquired HELSING LIMITED and Helsing Germany GmbH; 192 active job postings (June 2026)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Full-stack defense AI**: Combines software, hardware, and mass manufacturing in-house, unlike traditional primes or pure software firms.
- **Resilience Factories**: Proprietary high-volume production lines for drones (1,000 HX-2/month) with local supply chains, enabling rapid scaling.
- **Ethical commitment**: Publicly emphasizes responsible AI deployment and democratic governance, differentiating from less transparent competitors.
- **Pan-European footprint**: Offices in Munich, London, Paris, Berlin – drawing top talent from across Europe and the US, with strong ties to governments.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling autonomous systems across air, land, sea, and underwater domains.
- Deepening partnerships with European defense ministries and industrial primes (e.g., HENSOLDT, EURENCO).
- Expanding electronic warfare and AI-powered strike capabilities (e.g., CA-1 Europa, Cirra).
- Recruiting heavily for AI research (RL, CV, foundation models, robotics), hardware engineering, and program management.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven**: Explicitly focused on protecting democratic values – attracts talent who want meaningful impact in defense.
- **Culture**: Values include “move fast, act with conviction, do what’s right – even when it’s hard”; ground-up playbook, skeptical of conventional wisdom.
- **Growth**: 78% YoY headcount growth, 192 open roles, and rapid internal advancement.
- **Diverse team**: Combines software engineers, deep learning specialists, program managers from top companies (Palantir, Google, Amazon, BAE Systems, McKinsey).
- **Locations**: Hybrid-friendly offices in Munich, London, Paris, Berlin; also remote or flexible for some roles.
- **Perks**: Not explicitly listed, but significant investment in R&D and manufacturing suggests strong resources for tools and equipment.

## Sources
1. [helsing.ai](https://helsing.ai/)
2. [helsing.ai/careers](https://helsing.ai/careers)
3. [linkedin.com/company/helsing](https://www.linkedin.com/company/helsing)
4. [pitchbook.com/profiles/company/481513-60](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/481513-60)

## Other roles at Helsing

- [Commercial Director](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-director-helsing-munich-nrx1v118r35d) — Munich, Germany
- [Senior Flight Test Engineer {PL}](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-flight-test-engineer-pl-helsing-munich-0brx5h30nh5r) — Munich, Germany
- [(Senior) Programme Manager Mission Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-programme-manager-mission-systems-helsing-munich-wpnm64kf9x6q) — Munich, Germany
- [Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/guidance-navigation-control-engineer-helsing-london-z8wnt6e8nwq8) — London, United Kingdom
- [Workplace Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/workplace-manager-helsing-barcelona-s7t2ht20k0yv) — Barcelona, Spain
- [Team Lead - Training and Mission Success - International](https://feeny.ai/job/team-lead-training-and-mission-success-international-helsing-london-yc7xf7v2fk4f) — London, United Kingdom
- [Warehouse Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/warehouse-manager-helsing-munich-d3jw3ww8mer3) — Munich, Germany
- [Warehouse Clerk](https://feeny.ai/job/warehouse-clerk-helsing-munich-hte766v8ej6c) — Munich, Germany
- [Warehouse Operator](https://feeny.ai/job/warehouse-operator-helsing-munich-rv1me3vxmz29) — Munich, Germany
- [Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-commercial-finance-business-partner-helsing-munich-wcm87snmyfbq) — Munich, Germany