Robotics Actuator Design 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 heart of Helsing's robotics engineering function, responsible for driving the mechanical architecture, design, and development of next-generation robotic systems. You will own complex electromechanical systems from concept through to production, ensuring platforms are robust, scalable, and built for real-world deployment. Working closely with electrical, firmware, and software engineers, you will bring both technical depth and cross-functional leadership to a team building some of the most consequential technology in European defence

The day-to-day

• Lead the detailed design and integration of complex robotic subsystems, including high-precision actuators, structural chassis, and dynamic motion systems, translating high-level concepts into robust 3D assemblies and comprehensive engineering drawing packages.
• Drive cross-functional integration with electrical and software teams to ensure seamless packaging, cable routing, and thermal and sensor integration, resolving technical challenges across the full development cycle.
• Define material selection strategies and fabrication methods, conducting FEA, stress analysis, and tolerance stack-up analysis to ensure designs meet rigorous functional, cost, yield, and lead-time requirements.
• Establish and advocate for mechanical engineering best practices, including modelling standards, GD&T drawing controls, and technical documentation, raising quality across the team.
• Critically evaluate system architectures in design reviews, identifying risks and delivering high-impact solutions that optimise performance and manufacturability from prototype through to production ramp-up.

You should apply if you

• Have shipped complex robotic, mechatronic, or automated systems to market, with a verifiable track record of ownership across the full product development cycle.
• Bring expert-level proficiency in 3D CAD modelling, ideally SolidWorks, combined with deep knowledge of GD&T for precision manufacturing environments.
• Have applied structural and thermal FEA, static simulations, and tolerance stack-up analysis to solve real engineering problems in production-grade systems.
• Have worked extensively across diverse manufacturing processes, including CNC machining, injection moulding, sheet metal fabrication, and additive manufacturing, in high-mix or low-to-medium volume environments.
• Communicate complex technical decisions with clarity to cross-functional stakeholders, from firmware engineers to programme leadership, driving alignment without sacrificing rigour.

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 architecting high-performance, high-power-density actuators and advanced mechatronic systems for legged robotics platforms.
• Background working in agile, small-scale mechanical design teams, with direct experience taking full technical ownership from early concept through to serial production.

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.