Embedded Software Engineer - Som
About the job
- A master's degree in engineering, such as electrical or computer engineering, or a related field; a PhD is a plus, but hands-on bring-up experience is valued more than the specific degree.
- At least five years of embedded software experience, including ownership of board support packages through their lifecycle and maintaining reproducible builds as hardware evolves.
- Strong command of an embedded Linux build system such as Yocto or OpenEmbedded, including custom layers or packages, board support package integration, image builds, and software development kit generation.
- Kernel-space driver development on ARM targets, validated against real peripherals across I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO, PCIe, and MIPI; device-tree work on new boards and hardware revisions; and board bring-up from first power-up to a booting Linux image.
- Experience with bootloader porting, kernel configuration, signed boot, and firmware update mechanisms on production hardware, using security-conscious and deterministic engineering practices.
- Strong C and C++ skills, including kernel-space coding, strong Python scripting skills, and solid version-control practice with Git.
- Ability to isolate faults in drivers, kernel configuration, or hardware using GDB, JTAG, OpenOCD, kernel tracing, ftrace, and perf.
- Rigorous, structured, and systematic working practices; ability to work autonomously; and the ability to communicate and document technical results and present platform and test results to engineers and senior stakeholders.
- Dedication to the company's mission and readiness to work in a fast-paced environment where priorities shift and tasks vary.
- Build and maintain the board support package layer, device trees, and reference images for each board, including custom layers and software development kit generation, and maintain them through kernel upgrades and silicon revisions.
- Own the boot chain, including bootloader porting, signed boot, verified root filesystem, and A/B system updates.
- Develop and validate Linux device drivers across I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO, PCIe, and MIPI, including camera and sensor interfaces.
- Provide startup, clock, and peripheral support on the microcontrollers of boards designed by the team.
- Lead software bring-up on new hardware, participate in design reviews, and debug system-level issues across the hardware-software boundary.
- Define verification test plans and acceptance criteria, automate boot and peripheral testing on real targets, and document each milestone.
- Work with the hardware team on new boards and with Systems and Embedded Software Platform on interfaces and integration.
- Mentor junior embedded engineers, depending on seniority.
- Experience with in-house or non-standard build systems.
- Bare-metal or RTOS firmware experience on microcontroller targets.
- Experience enabling hardware accelerators on embedded systems-on-chip, including VPU and NPU drivers and runtimes.
- Familiarity with perception or control workloads that run on the module.
- Experience in UAS, drone, or defense domains.
About the company
Harmattan AI builds vertically integrated autonomous defense systems for NATO and allied forces. Its products include layered air defence, coordinated ISR and strike UAVs, electronic-warfare tools, and command-and-control platforms, all powered by a software-defined autonomy stack. The systems are designed to operate together, with autonomous decision-making, sensor fusion, and mission execution through its C2 framework. The company differentiates itself through large-scale industrial manufacturing, secured Programs of Record with European and UK defense ministries, and a strategic partnership with Dassault Aviation to embed Harmattan’s controlled autonomy into combat-air systems such as Rafale F5 and UCAS. The goal is to provide trusted, scalable autonomous solutions for defense missions, expanding globally and embedding autonomy into partner platforms to strengthen allied capabilities.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
Series B
Total Funding
$242M
Headquarters
Paris, France
Founded
2024
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 2026 NAMIB testing linked a drone sensor to Rafale targeting in flight.
- June 2026 France ordered 5,000 Sonora ISR drones after a prior 1,000-unit tranche.
- September 2026 Series B raised $200 million at $1.4 billion, funding global expansion.
What critics are saying
- Defence procurement concentration in France and UK ties revenue to two ministries.
- Harmattan claims 10,000 drones monthly, but public production audits remain absent.
- A high-profile Rafale or NATO autonomy failure could freeze deployment and kill trust.
What makes Harmattan AI unique
- Dassault embeds Harmattan autonomy into Rafale F5 and UCAS programs.
- Harmattan ships ISR, strike, EW, and C2 systems from one software stack.
- France and UK Programs of Record validate procurement traction against European peers.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Paid Vacation
401(k) Retirement Plan
Company Equity
Stock Options
Wellness Program
Mental Health Support
Gym Membership
Phone/Internet Stipend
Home Office Stipend
Professional Development Budget
Conference Attendance Budget
Family Planning Benefits
Fertility Treatment Support
Adoption Assistance
Tuition Reimbursement
Professional Certification Support
Mentorship Program
Parental Leave
Relocation Assistance
Employee Discounts
Employee Referral Bonus
Commuter Benefits
Legal Services
Meal Benefits
Pet Insurance
Sabbatical Leave
Hybrid Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
12%1 year growth
2%2 year growth
-2%Bpifrance and Future French Champions have invested in Harmattan AI, a defence company developing autonomous systems, alongside Dassault Aviation. Global law firm White & Case advised on the strategic investment. The transaction was led by Dassault Aviation as part of a strategic partnership to accelerate the integration of controlled autonomy and AI technologies into combat aviation systems. Future French Champions is a joint venture between the Qatar Investment Authority and Bpifrance. Harmattan AI develops autonomous, scalable and attritable defence systems. The White & Case team was led by partners Saam Golshani and Jean-Guillaume Meunier, with support from several other partners, counsel and associates across the firm.
Dassault Aviation and Harmattan AI have successfully tested NAMIB, a new electronic warfare payload, during a collaborative flight with a Rafale F4 fighter jet. The system, mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle, detected and geolocated a radar several dozen kilometres away, transmitting target coordinates to the Rafale for a simulated strike. NAMIB can detect, identify, and geolocate electromagnetic emissions from air defence systems. It operates on tactical drones and fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. Development began in January 2026 as part of a strategic partnership between the two companies. The test demonstrates the Rafale's multi-domain combat capabilities and its ability to integrate with autonomous systems. Harmattan AI is a defence technology company specialising in autonomous robotic systems for contested environments.
The Paris-based defence startup is said to have won backing from German VC Atlantic Labs
The fundraise was led by French aerospace manufacturer Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation SA, developer of the Rafale fighter jet, led a $200 million investment into the relatively unknown drone company Harmattan AI, making it one of Europe’s newest unicorn startups.