Director of Engineering - US Region

Harmattan AI; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmattan AI is seeking a Director of Engineering in Austin, TX to build and lead an engineering organization for autonomous defense systems. You will own the full technical chain from airframe to ground segment, drive qualification through to series production, and shape a scalable supplier ecosystem.

You will lead through hiring, strategic project management, and design reviews across multiple disciplines, while maintaining technical credibility in the group.

Qualifications

• Educational background: MSc in mechanical, aerospace, electrical or related engineering.
• Proven leadership with experience managing managers.
• 10+ years in engineering, with 4+ years in engineering management.
• Experience standing up or scaling an engineering site, hiring at pace.
• Track record taking hardware from qualification to series production in UAV/autonomous systems.
• Technical engagement across disciplines with clear written positions on cross‑module questions.
• 100% dedication to Harmattan AI's mission in autonomous defence systems.

Responsibilities

• Organisational building: stand up the engineering group and hire key roles.
• Project management: deliver key milestones and coordinate teams.
• Technical ownership: own the full chain from airframe to ground segment and flight tests.
• People management: manage managers; lead regular cross‑discipline design reviews.
• Supplier ecosystem: develop and manage a supplier base.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

People management

Technical ownership

Domain knowledge: UAV/Autonomous

Education

MSc in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical or related engineering

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

As the Director of Engineering at Harmattan AI, you will build and lead an engineering organisation with various engineering modules from the ground up.

You will own the full technical chain, take the system through qualification and into series production, and build a supplier base and engineering ecosystem that sustains it.

Responsibilities

• Organisation Building: Stand up the engineering group including hiring key engineering roles.

• Project Management: Act as a project manager handling the delivery of key milestones.

• Technical Ownership: Own the full technical chain across airframe, propulsion, avionics, launcher and ground segment, through to flight test and trials.

• People Management & Mentorship: Manage managers while staying close to the engineering, run regular design reviews across multiple disciplines.

• Supplier Ecosystem: Develop a supplier base.

Candidate Requirements

• Educational Background: An MSc in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical or a strongly related engineering field. A track record of building organisations will outweigh the degree.

• Proven Leadership: An engineer who moved into management and then into managing managers.

• Experience: 10+ years, with at least 4 in engineering management. You have stood up or materially scaled an engineering site, including hiring at pace.

• Track Record: You have taken a hardware system through qualification and into series production. Background in UAV, autonomous systems or advanced robotics.

• Technical Engagement: While this is a leadership role, you remain credible across every discipline in the group without claiming depth in any, and you take written positions on the cross-module questions no one else will close.

• Commitment: 100% dedication to Harmattan AI's mission of building autonomous defence systems

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