Data Acquisition Engineer / Drone Pilot
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 Data Acquisition Engineer/Drone Pilot, you will lead the end-to-end data collection lifecycle for our platforms.
This is a "hands-on" role that requires a unique blend of field operations and meticulous data processing. You will be responsible for ensuring that high-quality raw data is successfully captured, processed, labeled, and stored for our engineering teams.
Responsibilities
Mission Execution: Travel to various sites and execute end-to-end missions by strictly adhering to predefined DAD scenarios to ensure the systematic collection of high-quality data across diverse environments and mission profiles.
Data Processing: Manually perform post-capture processing, including format conversion, temporal cutting, and basic filtering using client-provided scripts to optimize data volume and quality.
Technical Quality Control: Conduct real-time assessments of image sharpness, lighting, and sensor performance to ensure "clean" data collection before processing.
Data Pipeline Management: Oversee the transition of raw field data through processing and labeling stages into final Data Storage (Cloud/Local servers).
Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with Automation Software Engineers, Manufacturing, and R&D to understand their data needs and deliver high-value data solutions.
Candidate Requirements
Strong understanding of the "Exposure Triangle" (ISO, Shutter, Aperture) and how flight parameters impact Ground Sample Distance (GSD) and motion blur.
Ability to follow complex technical documentation (like a DAD) with zero deviation.
Experience with cloud services for data storage, compute, and orchestration.
Wide engineering culture around flight dynamics, control systems, avionics, and/or RF systems.
Bonus: Pilot certification, experience with military or industrial drone platforms.
Detail-oriented with excellent documentation and organizational skills.
Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and guide teams toward success.
Willingness to travel to remote sites.
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.