Lead Field Engineer

Helsing

$90K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of relevant engineering experience, ideally in field operations.
  • Strong technical aptitude with complex hardware and software systems.
  • Experience with assembling, deploying, and troubleshooting autonomous systems.
  • Proficient with software deployment tools and command-line interfaces.
  • Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams of three or more.
  • Flexible and comfortable working in field conditions for extended periods.

Responsibilities

  • Lead operations for field testing campaigns and design test plans.
  • Conduct end-to-end testing of software and hardware products in various environments.
  • Transport and set up testing equipment on-site, including in remote and maritime locations.
  • Install and configure AI software on edge devices for field use.
  • Repair and maintain marine systems to minimize operational downtime.
  • Develop and enhance safety procedures and best practices for field operations.
  • Train end users and ensure safety during all testing events.
  • Manage a team of field engineers and foster collaboration between departments.

Benefits

  • Focus on results rather than hours worked.
  • Generous compensation package including health and travel insurance.
  • Flexible time off policies and paid holidays.
  • Opportunities for remote or hybrid work arrangements.
  • Career growth toward global finance roles.
Full Job Description
The role

A Senior Field Engineer leads operations. They design the test campaigns, coordinate the teams, manage external partners, and are accountable for the result. They understand not just the technical work but the commercial and program context it sits in - why this demo matters, what the customer needs to see, how this feeds into the product roadmap. They shape what gets done, not just how.
The day-to-day
  • Test combined software and hardware products end -to -end in the lab and in the field, capturing data and providing structured feedback to Helsing's mechanical, electrical, software, and AI engineers to drive product improvement
  • Prepare, transport, mobilize and demobilize equipment at test locations - including ports and offshore military test ranges and remote environments - and execute tests in real-world conditions at sea
  • Install AI software onto edge computing devices using Helsing's in-house deployment tools, ensuring systems are correctly configured for field conditions
  • Repair and maintain marine mechanical and electrical systems in the field, minimizing downtime and keeping test programs on schedule
  • Design, refine, and improve test plans and safety standard operating procedures, raising the bar for how Helsing conducts field operations. For example, this may include purchasing hardware, trialing new software tools for inventory management and QA, establishing new secure storage facilities, and preparing safety cases and submissions to aviation authorities.
  • Define the resources required to maintain an effective and efficient field-testing operation - for example, procuring hardware, trialing new software tools for inventory management and QA, or establishing support vehicles/vessels and waterfront on-site storage
  • Embed with and train end users, and ensure safety of all participants at field test events
  • Advise on training course design and in-service support procedures, helping to shape how end users interact with Helsing's products
  • Travel to testing locations across the US as well as UK, Germany and beyond as required
  • Embed with and host Helsing UK and EU Field Engineers to establish company spanning best practices, procedures, and culture.
  • Build and manage a team of field engineers to be the front lines of product deployment and critical connection from the end-users to product development
You should apply if you
  • Have strong technical aptitude and can understand complex hardware and software products at a systems level - you are driven to understand how something works, or why it does not
  • Have experience assembling, deploying, and troubleshooting robots, aircraft, watercraft, or other autonomous or electromechanical systems
  • Are comfortable with software deployment and debugging tools including command-line interfaces, and creation and implementation of field fixes to mitigate hardware and electrical issues.
  • Communicate clearly in writing and speech, producing concise documentation and explaining technical concepts effectively to both engineering and non-engineering audiences
  • Have independently owned critical workstreams, identified problems and taken the initiative to resolve them without waiting for direction
  • Are comfortable working at test sites for periods of up to two weeks
  • Have a practical, hands-on approach to working with hardware, equipment and field environments
  • Have managed teams of three or more, or executed complex tests as part of an independently functioning team with shared responsibility

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
  • Experience testing software and/or hardware products at any stage of maturity, from prototype to production system
  • Experience working at remote field sites and/or on the water in an operational or technical capacity
  • Experience training end users on complex hardware and/or software products, or providing in-service support
  • Experience building operations from scratch: new site, new test types, new team, and working in a rapid-pace startup environment
  • Prior military experience, particularly weapons, CONOPs, or tactics training
  • Experience working across team functions - Field Engineering, AI/Software, Hardware, Product - and not being limited by team boundaries.


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.

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