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

As a (Senior) Expert Export Control you will hold a critical position in ensuring Helsing’s cutting-edge technologies reach our partners while maintaining the highest standards of legal and ethical compliance. You will act as a high-agency specialist, providing expert guidance to project managers and technical teams to navigate the complexities of national and international trade regulations. Your work will directly enable the sovereign capabilities of democratic nations by managing the end-to-end licensing process and overseeing our internal control programs. This role requires a professional who takes full ownership of permit management and thrives in a mission-critical environment where precision and impact are paramount. You will report to the Director Export Control and you will also have interfaces to Export Control colleagues within Helsing.

The day-to-day

Expert Advisory: Act as the primary point of contact for project managers and technical teams, providing clinical advice on export controls within both national and international frameworks
Licensing & Application Management: Execute the end-to-end application process for German export and transfer licenses, including the preparation and administrative management of submissions to the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA)
Regulatory Compliance: Perform rigorous foreign trade law reviews to determine licensing requirements for technology transfers, goods exports, and services, ensuring total alignment with applicable laws
Permit Oversight: Assume full responsibility for the management of German, EU and U.S. authorizations within your defined area, including the tracking and condition monitoring of all active licenses and responsibility of all subequent administrational processes
Operations: Export Control business partner for assigned projects and being responsible within the life cycle of the projects for Hardware and Technology-transfer. You will be responsible for the Classification of goods according to national and international regulations in accordance with the specifications of the internal control program
International Documentation: Secure international import certificates and end-use certificates, coordinating directly with authorities to request goods list information and other essential inquiries
Internal Control & Training: Support the implementation of the Internal Control Program (ICP) and design measurable training and awareness-raising measures to elevate the company's compliance posture
Stakeholder Communication: Manage professional relationships with German and U.S. authorities, customers, and suppliers to resolve complex licensing or logistics queries

You should apply if you

Have deep operational expertise: You have a proven track record of monitoring and ensuring export control compliance with national, European, and U.S. export control regulations within a high-stakes environment
Are a BAFA & ITAR/EAR specialist: You have independently managed complex license applications and understand the nuances of both German (BAFA) and U.S. (re-)export control laws
Can classify complex technology: You possess the technical literacy to classify goods and software according to national and international regulations
Are a clear communicator: You can translate complex legal requirements into actionable advice for technical and non-technical stakeholders alike
Drive outcomes through autonomy: You are comfortable taking independent responsibility for projects, from permit management to supporting cross-functional IT compliance initiatives

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 in a fast-paced software or tech environment
Prior experience supporting IT and Hardware projects
Knowledge of U.S. re-export regulations (EAR/ITAR) in a European context

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: regularly 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

These are the core benefits across all locations, there may be additional benefits in certain locations.

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.

(Senior) Expert Export Control

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About the role