Embedded Test Software Engineer – Hardware Interface & Automation

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

The Embedded Test Software Engineer is the software backbone of Helsing's Test Department, serving all four hardware clusters: Environmental, Electrical, Iron Bird, and Ground Testing. Sitting at the precise boundary between hardware and software, this role designs, develops, and maintains the firmware tools and PC-side automation frameworks that transform manual, one-off test campaigns into repeatable, traceable, and scalable engineering processes. Working across microcontroller firmware and Python-based orchestration, this engineer builds infrastructure that reveals the true behaviour of hardware under test, feeding structured findings back into the design cycle and directly supporting Helsing's ability to field reliable, mission‑critical systems,

The day‑to‑day

• Design and build embedded test firmware in C/C++ on STM32 and RP2040 platforms, implementing CAN, DroneCAN, UART, SPI, and I2C interfaces to simulate, stimulate, and fault‑inject across all four hardware test clusters
• Develop Python‑based test orchestration frameworks that control full test sequences, capture and structure multi‑source data, and generate automated engineering reports, eliminating manual post‑processing for cluster engineers
• Integrate and commission COTS test instruments and custom test PCBs into repeatable, version‑controlled bench rigs, and build the software interface layer connecting HIL simulation environments to hardware under test
• Diagnose hardware and firmware failures using oscilloscopes, logic analysers, and protocol decoders, translating physical‑layer evidence into structured, actionable findings that design engineering teams can act on directly
• Build and maintain a regression test library spanning CAN/DroneCAN protocol behaviour, interface timing, and power profiles, producing formal clearance reports that gate each hardware and firmware revision before integration proceeds

You should apply if you

• Have developed embedded firmware in C/C++ at both HAL and bare‑metal level on ARM Cortex‑M platforms, including peripheral configuration for real‑time, timing‑critical applications
• Have built and shipped test automation frameworks in Python, integrating hardware communication protocols such as CAN, DroneCAN, or MAVLink into repeatable, production‑ready pipelines
• Have hands‑on experience diagnosing hardware and firmware failures using oscilloscopes and logic analysers, with the ability to capture, decode, and interpret physical‑layer protocol traffic
• Understand CAN bus architecture in depth, including frame structure, arbitration, error handling, and bus loading, and can design test scenarios at the protocol level
• Have worked in a regulated engineering environment where software traceability, version control, and validation records are integral to the workflow