Software Engineer - Backend

About Helsing

Helsing is a defense AI company dedicated to protecting democratic societies by achieving technological leadership. We uphold the responsibility of ethically developing and deploying advanced technologies like AI to safeguard sovereign decision-making and democratic values. Our team comprises dedicated engineers, AI experts, and program managers who engage in open, transparent discussions on the ethical and technological aspects of defense-related AI.

Role Overview

In this position, you will build AI-driven software and supporting infrastructure enabling semi-autonomous platforms to localize, navigate, and perceive their environments in real time. The software must operate reliably under diverse, dynamic conditions with significant technical constraints. The end-users operate in high-risk environments demanding robustness and ease of use.

Engineering Challenges

• Distributed systems with challenges such as intermittent connectivity and byzantine faults
• Embedded computing involving limited computational resources and reverse engineering
• Robotics tasks including control systems and task management
• Networking over long-range, low-bandwidth radios and cross-medium routing
• Deployment infrastructure with air-gapped devices and heterogeneous device fleets
• Security concerns like secure data sharing in low-trust environments lacking TLS and handling sensitive information
• Machine learning system development including model building, storage, and dissemination

Our work frequently pushes the boundaries of applied research and real-world adaptations of emerging technologies.

Daily Responsibilities

• Review and unblock teammates' code contributions, proposals, and RFCs to aid collective progress
• Initiate and implement new features, algorithms, infrastructure, and products across the technology stack
• Engage as a mentor or mentee and assist in improving the interviewing and hiring process
• Share expertise through tech talks, focused learning groups, and office hours
• Maintain and enhance existing codebases, predominantly in Rust and Python, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to improve reliability and reduce technical debt
• Enhance tests and benchmarks to guarantee robustness and performance visibility
• Participate in weekly demos to showcase work, gather feedback, and foster team awareness

Candidate Profile

• Produces readable, maintainable, and efficient code
• Possesses strong English communication skills, both written and verbal
• Enjoys collaboration, code reviews, and pair programming
• Comfortable with asynchronous workflows such as PRs, RFCs, and email discussions
• Has backend development experience with languages such as Rust, Java, Go, or C++
• Familiar with backend interface technologies like REST, GraphQL, gRPC/Protocol Buffers, and Apache Arrow
• Committed to continuous personal and team improvement as well as fostering a positive culture
• Considers ethics integral to engineering practices

Additional Encouragement

We promote diversity and encourage applications from women and other underrepresented groups even if all qualifications are not fully met, valuing ability and impact beyond bullet points.

Preferred but Not Required Skills

• Rust and Python programming
• Containerization and cloud-native architectures (Docker, Azure, AWS)
• Metrics and monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK)
• SQL databases and streaming data systems
• Routing protocols like IGP and BGP
• Cryptographic protocols including Signal and WireGuard
• Hardware interfaces such as Arduino
• Robotics control systems
• Production-level machine learning systems

Why Join Helsing?

• Contribute directly to defending democratic nations while balancing ethical and geopolitical concerns
• Engage with unique technical challenges requiring robust, safe, and ethically grounded solutions
• Work at the forefront of technological advancements in reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, and deployment infrastructure
• Be part of groundbreaking improvements and novel capabilities in defense technology backed by significant government contracts
• Participate in a culture that values proactive debate, responsible autonomy, critical thinking, and outcome-focused work

What We Provide

• Outcome-driven work environment without rigid time tracking
• Competitive salary and equity options (VSOP)
• Relocation assistance
• Social and educational allowances
• Regular company-wide events to foster team cohesion across Europe
• An immersive onboarding program building tools used company-wide, enabling early engagement with the stack and teams

Equal Opportunity

Helsing is fully committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of demographics. Applicants are requested not to submit sensitive personal data about race, ethnicity, politics, religion, union membership, health, or sexual orientation.