System Architect

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 System Architect, you will own the end-to-end architecture, system definition, and strategic implementation for our entire portfolio of robotic systems, from long-term vision to field deployment, collaborating closely with executive leadership and technical leads, and forming a critical partnership with the Product Manager to ensure efficiency; this pivotal role drives strategic programs like Anti-drone warfare, ISR and strike systems, Equipment fusion (especially aeronautics), or C2 and IA.

Responsibilities

• System-of-Systems Design & Strategy: Translate complex strategic goals into global, system-of-systems designs, defining and championing the overall system architecture strategy across the enterprise.

• Architectural Sizing & Verification: Ensure all systems meet defined needs and are correctly sized through rigorous verification of scope, complex system-of-systems simulations, and precise system sizing, guiding major technical investments.

• Coordination and Technical Leadership: Coordinate large multidisciplinary engineering organizations, providing overarching technical leadership across cross-functional design efforts (mechanical, electrical, software, GNC, ML, product), ensuring long-term performance, robustness, and strategic reliability across the enterprise.

• Specification & Integration Governance: Govern system integration standards and validation processes, contributing to the complex process of specification management by ensuring all architectural prerequisites are met and driving multi-system architecture reviews for enterprise design consistency.

• Continuous Improvement: Implement and institutionalize processes to enhance requirements traceability, system documentation standards, and validation workflows across the entire engineering organization.

• Candidate Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in system engineering or architecture, with significant time in a senior or lead role.

• MSc in Engineering (any field); PhD is a plus.

• Specific Domain: Experience in the defense sector is mandatory, and drones are a big plus.

• Strong knowledge in one of those specializations:

• C2 (Command and Control) & AI

• ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance)

• Strike UAV, loitering munitions

• Anti-drone warfare

• UAV equipments & fusion

• Expert in defining and leading the full lifecycle of complex, multi-system and system-of-systems architectures.

• Strategic, analytical, and mission-driven with expertise in strategic requirements engineering and high-level trade-off analysis.

• Deep engineering understanding across mechanical, electrical, embedded, and enterprise software systems.

• Experience coordinating large, multi-disciplinary engineering organizations and managing complex technical/strategic interfaces.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and technical documentation skills for both technical and executive audiences.

• We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.