Director of Engineering - RF Systems

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 for RF Systems at Harmattan AI, you will act as a vital management layer between R&D modules and leadership, focusing on elevating our people and standardising our engineering excellence. This is a "hands-off" people management role designed to relieve pressure on senior leadership by building high-performing teams, improving internal tooling, and standardising work processes across the company without sacrificing execution speed. You will be a visionary partner to our leadership, contributing to organisational structure and the long-term technical vision. In this role, you will lead our RF Systems teams in Paris — covering radar, radio, and electronic warfare. This is research-heavy, defence-critical engineering at the boundary of physics and product, operating under cleared-environment constraints that differ from commercial work. Responsibilities - People Management & Mentorship: Act as a dedicated people manager for engineers, overseeing performance reviews, career growth, and training initiatives. - Recruitment: Own the recruitment process as the number one priority, building and maintaining an effective engineering team to meet our ambitious growth plans in a scarce, cleared-defence RF and EW talent market. - Process Standardisation: Develop and implement standardised work processes across radar, radio, EW, and signal-processing teams to ensure high-quality output and consistency. - Engineering Infrastructure: Audit and improve internal tooling—deciding between off-the-shelf and custom solutions—to ensure engineers have the best resources to succeed. - Organisational Strategy: Contribute to the organisational structure by reorganising modules and initiating changes to optimise cross-functional (XFN) delivery. - Vision & Execution: Collaborate with leadership to build the company vision, bringing fresh ideas to the table rather than just executing existing plans. Candidate Requirements - Educational Background: A strong academic record in Electrical Engineering, RF, Signal Processing, or a related technical field. - Proven Leadership: Previous experience as an Individual Contributor (IC) who has successfully transitioned into a management role, allowing you to deeply understand the technical challenges your team faces. - Experience: Direct experience leading radar, RF, electronic warfare, or RF navigation engineering teams in a defence prime or cleared-environment scale-up. You have led at least one programme through qualification under MIL-STD, NATO STANAG, or TEMPEST discipline. Fluent French and English required; active or recent cleared status (FR, NL, UK, or EU equivalent) is a strong plus. - Technical Engagement: While this is a management-focused role, you should still possess a desire to "keep your hands dirty" and remain engaged with the technical aspects of the work. - Soft Skills & Communication: Exceptional soft skills and communication abilities, with a "high-bar" for excellence and a natural ability to elevate those around them. - Commitment: 100% dedication to Harmattan AI's mission of building autonomous defence systems and a readiness to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.