Director of Engineering - Optronics

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 Optronics 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 Optronics team in Paris – covering gimbal optics, opto‑mechanical design, and the electro‑optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems that give our drones their sensing payload. The team is small and in growth mode; you will more than double its headcount in your first year.

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 small, well‑mapped EU optronics talent market.
• Process Standardisation: Develop and implement standardised work processes across optical, opto‑mechanical, and EO/IR engineering 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 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 Optics, Photonics, Opto‑mechanical Engineering, 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 optronics, gimbal, or opto‑mechanical engineering teams that have shipped a stabilised optical payload or EO/IR product to deployment or production. Backgrounds at Safran Electronics & Defense, Thales Optronics, Lynred, Hensoldt Optronics, Teledyne FLIR, or comparable EU optronics organisations are the most likely match.
• 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.