Senior RF Engineer at Helsing

Who we are

Helsing develops artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities to protect and defend democracies. We are growing our US operations, cultivating an ambitious and committed team of mission-driven professionals to apply their skills to solve challenging problems.

The role

AI-driven, autonomous systems cannot replace human decision making. To keep the human in the loop, communication to remote unmanned vehicles is crucial. As an RF Engineer for Communications and Networking, you will work in one of the most contested domains of the modern battlefield: the electromagnetic spectrum.

You will design, develop, and deploy advanced datalink systems for UAS-to-ground and UAS-to-UAS communications, including point-to-point and mesh network architectures. Your work will ensure robust, encrypted communications links for UAS operating in non-cooperative and contested environments, directly supporting mission-critical operations for US customers.

You will own radio communication end-to-end as part of new product design and iterations on existing systems. You make pragmatic decisions when to integrate available solutions and when to develop new capabilities that shape the contested environment of the frontline RF space. Working closely with systems engineers, avionics teams, and customer-facing program managers, you will be the key to ensuring the right decision can be made at the right time.

The day-to-day

Design and develop UAS-to-ground and UAS-to-UAS datalink architectures, including point-to-point and mesh network topologies for resilient communications

Develop robust, encrypted communication links for UAS operating in non-cooperative, contested, and denied environments

Integrate tactical C2 networks with UAS platforms, including systems such as IBCS (Integrated Battle Command System), Tactical Scalable Mesh (TSM), and other military communication standards

Stay on top of the market and ever-changing battlefield situations to identify existing, promising, or missing RF solutions

Test, validate, and integrate radio systems into newly developed and existing products, working against customer and internal requirements to build reliable radio solutions

Obtain US FCC spectrum approvals and manage frequency coordination for testing and operational use in US regulatory environments

Collaborate with governmental bodies to get permissions for licensed bands and power outputs to test and demonstrate modern radio systems in regulated RF domains

Design and implement Software Defined Radio (SDR) solutions, working with RF frontends, modem implementations, and application interfaces

Conduct RF link budget analysis and performance modeling to ensure datalink reliability across operational ranges and environments

Work with external partners to access specialized equipment and build up internal lab capabilities for commonly executed tests
Shape discussions inside the company as a go-to expert for radio communications and serve as a technical authority for US customer engagements

You should apply if you

Hold a degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, RF Engineering, or a related field

Have several years of experience designing and deploying military datalinks, mesh networks, or tactical communications systems

Possess deep knowledge of military and civil communication technologies, including Software Defined Radios, data links, air-to-air and air-to-ground communications, mesh networking protocols (e.g., MANET), network management, and secure communications

Have experience integrating UAS with tactical C2 networks and understand military communication architectures and interoperability standards

Demonstrate strong understanding of how radio technology works and where its limitations lie

Have experience with US FCC spectrum management, frequency allocation processes, and compliance with US regulatory requirements

Possess knowledge of RF link design, including antenna design, propagation modeling, and link budget analysis

Understand encryption and cybersecurity requirements for military communications, including AES-256 and other COMSEC standards

Have strong communication skills and enjoy working with internal stakeholders and external companies, including US government agencies and defense contractors

Are pragmatic and validate calculated expectations in the real world to be satisfied

Note: We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarized in a few bullet points.

Nice to Have

Designed, built, and evaluated custom antennas for airborne platforms

Built, worked on, or implemented a Software Defined Radio solution

Experience with specific tactical datalinks such as Link 16, JREAP, CDL (Common Data Link), or Cursor-on-Target (CoT)

Familiarity with Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANET) and dynamic mesh routing protocols

Knowledge of Electronic Warfare (EW) techniques, anti-jam waveforms, and LPI/LPD (Low Probability of Intercept/Detection) communications

Experience with spectrum analyzers and RF test equipment for pre-flight checks and interference mitigation

Understanding of MIMO, OFDM, OFDMA transmission schemes and beamforming techniques

Experience working with Silvus, Persistent Systems (MPU5), or similar tactical radio systems

Knowledge of NATO STANAG communication standards and interoperability requirements

Familiarity with ITAR/EAR export control regulations related to communications equipment

Experience in the defense industry or contested RF environments

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 defense 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 practice 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
A generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to base salary) that includes, but may not be limited to, insurance coverage (medical and travel), flexible paid time off, paid holidays, and remote and/or hybrid work available depending on position. All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable and as may be amended, terminated or superseded from time to time.
Growth toward global roles in our Finance organization

The base salary offered to the successful candidate will be determined by a variety of factors including relevant experience, qualifications, education, skill level, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Helsing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here.