Senior Team Lead, Launcher & Ground Segment Systems

About the Role

As Senior Team Lead for Launcher & Ground Segment, you will own the complete development of ground-related systems from concept to field deployment. You will define system architecture, lead a cross-disciplinary engineering team spanning mechanical, electrical and software disciplines, and validate designs at the trials site.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, lead and grow a cross-disciplinary engineering team spanning mechanical, electrical and software engineering disciplines
• Drive architecture and implementation of launch structures, transport, handling, launch power systems, electronics, harness, launch control software and command-and-control interfaces
• Personally deliver mechanical design and electronics bring-up until the team is fully in place; hands-on technical contribution is expected
• Lead cross-functional design coordination with airframe, propulsion, flight test and C2 teams; arbitrate technical disagreements and ensure decisions hold
• Conduct feasibility studies, trade-off analyses and system-level assessments to guide technical choices and settle architecture questions
• Own integration, prototyping, qualification and field campaigns; ensure performance targets are met in real operating conditions
• Drive design and architecture reviews maintaining consistency between requirements, design and testing; own technical evidence that gates programme milestones
• Manage hardware suppliers and establish the local supply base

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years in mechanical or mechatronics engineering within defense, aerospace or robotics, including at least 2 years leading or coordinating engineers across multiple disciplines
• MSc in Mechanical, Mechatronics or Aerospace Engineering or closely related technical field; proven track record of building systems valued over degree alone
• At least one deployable mechanism taken from concept to field use
• Proven experience across full system lifecycles
• Qualification exposure under a defence customer
• Clear evidence of hands-on engineering and building, not only specifying systems
• Broad engineering culture: comfortable reading schematics, state machines and CAD models with equal fluency
• Entrepreneurial, hands-on mindset; comfortable working independently, designing from first principles, taking local decisions and maintaining rigor on safety-critical aspects

About Harmattan AI

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following a $200M Series B funding round valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces. We operate with clear values: real-world impact, excellence, ambitious goals and tackling the hardest technical challenges in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership and execution are expected.