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

As a System Acceptance Lead, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that our systems meet rigorous internal and customer standards before deployment. Your primary responsibility will be to develop and negotiate acceptance criteria, ensuring that these criteria align with both company objectives and customer expectations. You will lead the creation of acceptance and verification plans, providing a clear framework for systems validation.

This role requires a strategic mindset, strong communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with diverse teams across the organisation and with external stakeholders. Proficiency in both English and German is essential for this position, as you will be working with international teams and clientele. A willingness to travel is also required to meet with clients and stakeholders as necessary. 

The day-to-day

• Collaborate with product managers, developers, and quality assurance teams to define detailed and comprehensive test and acceptance criteria that align with project goals and organizational standards 

• Lead negotiations with customers, often conducted in both German and English, to finalise mutually agreeable acceptance criteria, ensuring clarity and consensus across all parties involved 

• Develop and document comprehensive acceptance and verification plans. These plans should outline the processes, resources, and schedules required for successful system validation 

• Facilitate regular meetings and workshops with internal and external stakeholders to refine acceptance criteria and plans, addressing any concerns or modifications. These sessions will require proficiency in both German and English 

• Monitor the progress of testing activities, ensuring adherence to the acceptance plan and documenting any discrepancies or issues that arise 

• Provide regular updates and reports to senior management and stakeholders on the status and outcomes of acceptance activities in both German and English 

• Coordinate with project teams to resolve any issues that may impact system acceptance, ensuring prompt and effective solutions 

• Continuously review and improve acceptance processes and criteria based on feedback and industry best practices 

• Be willing to travel as necessary to meet with clients, stakeholders, and project teams to ensure that acceptance criteria are understood and implemented correctly 

You should apply if you

• Have a strong background in system testing and validation, with proven experience in formulating and negotiating acceptance criteria 

• Are fluent in both German and English, with excellent communication and negotiation skills, enabling you to effectively collaborate with both technical teams and external customers across language barriers 

• Possess a detail-oriented approach with a strong analytical mindset, capable of defining comprehensive and effective acceptance plans 

• Have experience in project management, with the ability to oversee complex projects and facilitate cross-functional teams 

• Are adaptable and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment 

• Enjoy identifying and implementing process improvements to enhance system quality and customer satisfaction 

• Hold a degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or have equivalent work experience 

• Are familiar with industry standards and best practices in system acceptance and validation 

• Are willing to travel as required to support project needs and foster positive client and team relationships 

Note: We operate at an intersection where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields 

• Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

• The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

• Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

• In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

• We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer

• A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking

• Competitive compensation and stock options

• Relocation support

• Social and education allowances

• Regular company events and all-hands to bring together employees as one team across Europe