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 (XFN) delivery.


• Vision \& Execution: Collaborate with leadership to build the company vision, bringing fresh ideas to the table rather than just executing existing plans.

• 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.

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