Robotics Senior DFM Engineer

Who we are

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

The role

Based in Barcelona, this role sits at the boundary between engineering innovation and production reality, bridging prototype development and scalable manufacture for Helsing's robotics portfolio. You will collaborate closely with mechanical design engineers to ensure that novel robotic systems can be built efficiently, reliably, and at scale, applying DFM and DFA principles from the earliest design stages. Working across engineering, quality, and supply chain functions, you will turn complex design intent into production processes that hold up in the real world

The day-to-day

• Lead the transition from prototype to production-ready designs, applying DFM and DFA principles to redesign components and assemblies for improved manufacturability, cost efficiency, quality, and reliability across CNC machining, sheet metal, injection moulding, and additive manufacturing
• Develop, document, and optimise manufacturing processes, work instructions, bills of materials, and assembly procedures, building the production infrastructure needed to scale robotic systems from low volume to repeatable, high-quality output
• Specify, procure, and develop fixturing, tooling, and manufacturing equipment, ensuring assembly processes are well-supported and production-ready from day one
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and quality teams to surface and resolve manufacturing issues early in the design cycle, reducing downstream cost and rework through structured problem-solving and continuous improvement
• Drive improvement initiatives across efficiency, quality, and cost reduction, using data from production builds to inform design iteration and process refinement

You should apply if you

• Have delivered manufacturing processes for complex mechanical or electromechanical products, with a verifiable track record of taking designs from prototype through to scalable production in high-mix, low-to-medium volume environments
• Bring deep technical knowledge of DFM and DFA across CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, injection-moulded plastics, and additive manufacturing, with the ability to redesign components to reduce cost and improve yield without compromising performance
• Are proficient in 3D CAD modelling, ideally SolidWorks, and experienced in producing manufacturing documentation including BOMs, work instructions, and drawing packages to production-grade standards
• Have specified and procured manufacturing equipment, tools, and fixtures, and understand how to build the production infrastructure needed to support repeatable, quality-consistent assembly
• Communicate clearly across mechanical design, electrical, production, quality, and testing teams, resolving cross-functional manufacturing challenges with precision and clarity

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Nice to Have

• Experience working on robotic, automation, or mechatronic systems, with familiarity with the specific manufacturing constraints and assembly challenges these platforms present
• A track record of owning the full prototype-to-mass-production journey, including supplier engagement, process qualification, and production ramp-up

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 defence 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 practise 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

• Competitive salary and VSOP options

• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation

• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance

• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health)

• Social: regular company events and monthly social allowances

• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers

• Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work

• A hands-on onboarding program (affectionately labelled “Infraduction”), in which you will be building tooling and applications to be used across the company. This is your opportunity to learn our tech stack, explore the company, and learn how we get things done - all whilst working with other engineering teams from day one

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. 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.