Multimodal Sensing Test Engineer

EngineersOfAI; München; Presencial; EUR 90.000 - 130.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Helsing in Munich seeks a sensing system architect for test to bridge optics, electronics and mechanical integration. You translate sensing requirements into test cases and specify OGSE/EGSE/MGSE to support characterisation across EO, LWIR and LiDAR.

From prototype to production, you own calibration traceability, conduct cross-modality synchronisation campaigns, and drive data quality. You will contribute to fielded sensor performance and root cause analysis with a hands-on, engineering mindset.

Formación

• Expertise in optical sensing and multi-sensor integration.
• Experience with calibration and test equipment for EO/LWIR/LiDAR.
• Ability to translate requirements into structured test cases.

Responsabilidades

• Characterise EO systems: MTF, SNR, dynamic range, distortion, vignetting, and spectral response.
• Characterise LWIR systems: NETD, spatial resolution, uniformity, and dynamic range with calibrated blackbodies.
• Characterise LiDAR systems: range accuracy, angular resolution, detection probability, and false-alarm rate.
• Specify, procure, commission and maintain OGSE, EGSE, MGSE, with calibration traceability.
• Run temporal synchronisation campaigns across EO, LWIR and LiDAR; assess timestamp drift.
• Configure multi-modal calibration targets visible to EO/LWIR/LiDAR; test stability after thermal cycling.
• Produce first-article characterisation reports and evaluate alternate sensor configurations.

Conocimientos

Sensor integration

Optical alignment

Test planning

Descripción del empleo

Who we are

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams - and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

The role

You will sit in the Optics Cluster of the Test Department, with a scope that crosses cluster boundaries. Sensing subsystems are not purely optical problems. They sit at the intersection of optics, electronics, embedded software, and mechanical integration. An EO camera in perfect focus but misaligned with the LiDAR produces dangerous data. An LWIR sensor that passes standalone characterisation but fails next to a hot avionics bay tells a different story on the airframe.

You will act as a sensing system architect for test. You will translate sensing requirements into structured test cases, specify the optical, electrical, and mechanical ground support equipment (OGSE, EGSE, MGSE) needed to run them, and serve as the department's technical authority on sensor synchronisation, calibration, and multimodal data quality. Your work covers the full lifecycle: prototype characterisation, production acceptance, supplier evaluation, and in-service root cause analysis. The truth is in the field.

The day-to-day

• Characterise EO systems: MTF, SNR, dynamic range, distortion, vignetting, and spectral response, using collimators, integrating spheres, resolution targets, and calibrated light sources.
• Characterise LWIR systems: NETD, spatial resolution, uniformity, and dynamic range with calibrated blackbodies, including the impact of self-heating across the operational temperature range.
• Characterise LiDAR systems: range accuracy and precision, angular resolution, detection probability, and false-alarm rate under representative ambient light, target reflectivity, atmospheric, and vibration conditions.
• Specify, procure, commission, and maintain OGSE, EGSE, and MGSE. Own calibration traceability.
• Run temporal synchronisation campaigns across EO, LWIR, and LiDAR. Characterise trigger latency, PPS accuracy, and timestamp drift over mission duration.
• Execute intrinsic, extrinsic, and temporal calibration across modalities. Design multi-modal fiducial targets visible to EO, LWIR, and LiDAR at once. Assess calibration stability after thermal cycling, vibration, and simulated ageing, and set re-calibration intervals for production.
• Produce first-article characterisation reports for new sensor deliveries. Evaluate alternative sensor configurations to support design trade-offs.