Build the system that saves lives.
Herakles Defense is building autonomous interceptor drones to counter the deadliest threat on modern battlefields.
We're assembling a world-class engineering team — from guidance algorithms to edge AI to airframe design — and we're looking for experienced advisors who want to shape a defense company from the ground up. Find your role.
01/ WHERE WE ARE
Pre-Seed. First Intercept Proven. Team Forming.
FPV kamikaze drones kill soldiers every day. They cost €300, fly at 150 km/h, and no deployed system reliably stops them.
Our interceptor drone tracks, pursues, and neutralizes them autonomously.
The guidance algorithm runs in simulation, our image-based visual servoing pipeline tracks and hits moving targets and our hardware prototype is built.
Next step: real-world air-to-air intercept on our own hardware. The core engineering problems are defined, now we need the team to solve them at scale.
Company Snapshot:
Stage: Pre-Seed — Fundraising
Location: Munich, Germany (Remote-friendly)
Founded: 2025
Core Team: 2 Founders + Engineering Pipeline
Tech: PX4, YOLO, Jetson, MAVLink, C++/Python
Market: Counter-UAS — €6.6B → €20.3B by 2030
/02 WHAT WE OFFER
Ground Floor. Real Equity. Real Impact.
-Equity Participation
4-year vesting, 1-year cliff. You're building a company, not filling a seat.
-Competitive Salary
Market-rate compensation from day one of funding. Pre-seed discount offset by meaningful equity.
-Direct Founder Access
No layers, no middle management. You talk to the people who make decisions — because you are one of them.
-Real Hardware
Drones, Jetson boards, sensors, 3D printers, a workshop. You build things that fly.
/03 OPEN ROLES
Find Your Mission.
We're hiring across the full stack of autonomous drone engineering — from algorithms to airframes. Some roles are immediate hires, others are pipeline positions for our next phase. All are real, all matter.
Computer Vision & Edge AI Engineer
The eyes of the interceptor.
A small drone flies at 150 km/h against a cluttered sky. You have one camera, an edge processor, and less than 10 milliseconds to detect, classify, and track it — starting from 200+ meters out. Our guidance law works. Our hardware is built. But if the vision pipeline loses the target, none of it matters. This is the hardest unsolved problem in our system — and the reason this role exists.
What You'll Do
Build and optimize the real-time visual detection and tracking pipeline for aerial targets
Deploy and fine-tune YOLO models on edge hardware (NVIDIA Jetson, RSP Hailo, Qualcomm QRB5 )
Train custom object detection models for small drone targets at long range (200m+)
Implement model pruning, quantization, and TensorRT/RKNN acceleration for embedded deployment
Work with sensor fusion between camera, IMU, and tracking algorithms for robust target lock
Push the visual detection range to 300m+
What We're Looking For
Hands-on experience developing and deploying object detection models on edge devices (Jetson, Hailo, Coral, or similar)
Strong background in computer vision: detection, tracking, segmentation in real-time
Experience with model optimization: TensorRT, ONNX, quantization, pruning
Comfortable with Python and C++ in production pipelines
Bonus: experience with aerial imagery, drone tracking, or defense/aerospace applications
Bonus: familiarity with Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO) or SLAM
- Location: Remote (EU preferred) or Munich
- Full-time (40h/week)
- Salary + Equity
- Start: At funding close
GNC / Flight Systems Engineer
The brain of the interceptor.
Our intercept guidance already works in simulation and controlled Real-world environments. But that's V1. The real challenge: improving and fine-tuning the algorithm, building robust state estimation for noisy real-world sensors, and making the math work at full speed on real hardware. You take what works in sim and make it fly for real.
What You'll Do
Improving the existing guidance system and exploring new approaches
Design Kalman Filters (EKF/UKF) for target state estimation from noisy sensor data
Integrate guidance algorithms into PX4 flight stacks via MAVLink, ROS2
Build SITL/HITL test environments for systematic algorithm validation
Implement sensor fusion for GPS denied scenarios: camera tracking + IMU + barometer → robust state estimation
Transition algorithms from simulation to real flight hardware
What We're Looking For
Background in GNC, aerospace, robotics, or control systems engineering
Experience with guidance/navigation algorithms or autonomous flight systems
Strong mathematical foundations: control theory, state estimation, optimization
Comfortable with C++ and Python in real-time systems
Hands-on with PX4, ArduPilot, MAVLink, or similar flight stacks
Bonus: experience with drone hardware, SITL/HITL testing, or defense applications
Bonus: publications or thesis work in guidance, tracking, or autonomous systems
- Location: Remote (EU preferred) or Munich
- Full-time (40h/week)
- Salary + Equity
- Start: At funding close
Simulation & Test Engineer
Prove it works before it flies.
Before our interceptor ever leaves the ground, it needs to succeed in simulated engagements — different target speeds, wind conditions, sensor noise levels, evasion patterns. You build the virtual battlefield where our algorithms are forged and validated.
What You'll Do
Build and maintain SITL/HITL simulation environments for end-to-end system testing
Design simulation campaigns covering threat scenarios, edge cases, and failure modes
Create automated test pipelines that validate algorithm changes against performance baselines
Develop digital twin models of our drone, sensors, and target behavior
Analyze flight data and simulation results to quantify system performance
Bridge the sim-to-real gap: correlate simulation predictions with actual flight test data
What We're Looking For
Experience with simulation frameworks: IsaacSim, Unity, Gazebo, AirSim, jMAVSim, or custom physics engines
Background in aerospace, robotics, or defense testing and verification
Strong scripting skills (Python) and data analysis capabilities
Understanding of flight dynamics, sensor models, and stochastic simulation
Bonus: experience with PX4 SITL, ROS2, or MATLAB/Simulink
Bonus: V&V (Verification & Validation) methodology experience in safety-critical systems
- Location: Remote (EU preferred) or Munich
- Full-time or Part-time(20-40h/week)
- Salary + Equity
- Start: At funding close
Working Student — Embedded AI & Drones
Munich · 15-20h/week · Hands-on lab work, prototyping, flight testing
We need someone physically in Munich to help build prototypes, run test flights, solder boards, and keep the lab running. You'll work directly with the founders on real hardware — from Jetson boards to carbon-fiber frames.
→Full job posting
Mechanical / Aerospace Engineer
Design the airframe that makes interception possible.
Our interceptor needs to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under 2 seconds, sustain 130+ km/h, and maneuver aggressively at close range. The prototype works — now we need a production-grade airframe designed for speed, structural integrity, and manufacturability.
Key Areas
Airframe design and structural optimization for high-speed interception
CFD simulation and aerodynamic analysis
Propulsion system design and motor/prop optimization
DFM (Design for Manufacturing) — from prototype to production
Material selection, weight optimization, vibration analysis
- Location: Munich preferred, Remote possible
- Full-time or Part-time
- Post-funding (Month 3-6)
RF & Communications Engineer
Build the link that keeps the system connected.
An autonomous interceptor still needs reliable command, telemetry, and video downlinks — especially in contested electromagnetic environments. You'll design the communication architecture that works when everything else is being jammed.
Key Areas
C2 (Command & Control) datalink design and implementation
Telemetry systems and real-time data downlink
Anti-jamming and frequency-hopping techniques
RF spectrum analysis and electromagnetic compatibility
Integration with MAVLink and ground control systems
- Location: Remote or Munich
- Full-time or Part-time
- Post-funding (Month 5-8)
Technical Advisor
Share your expertise. Shape a defense company.
We're a Startup building an autonomous weapons system. We know what we don't know — and we're looking for experienced people who can help us avoid costly mistakes, make the right architectural decisions, and open the right doors. A few hours a month from the right person can change the trajectory of the entire company.
Areas Where We Need Advisors
Drone Warfare & Defense Operations — Field experience with UAS, counter-UAS, or military drone programs. Understanding of real-world engagement scenarios, threat evolution, and operational requirements.
Ukraine / Front-Line Experience — Direct exposure to FPV drone warfare, counter-UAS operations, or defense tech development in Ukraine. Knowledge of real-world threat patterns, operational constraints, and what actually works on the ground. If you've seen the problem up close, we want to talk to you.
Aerospace & GNC — Deep expertise in guidance, navigation, control systems, flight dynamics, or missile/interceptor design. Academic or industry background.
Computer Vision & Edge AI — Experience deploying perception systems on embedded hardware in real-time, safety-critical, or defense applications.
Defense Procurement & Regulation — Knowledge of Bundeswehr acquisition (BAAINBw), NATO standards (STANAG), export control (Kriegswaffenkontrollgesetz), or defense startup funding.
What Advisors Get
Equity participation — typically 0.1–0.5% with 2-year monthly vesting
Monthly stipend (negotiable, depending on commitment)
Direct line to both founders — no bureaucracy
The satisfaction of shaping a company that might genuinely save lives
What We Expect
2–10 hours per month or more — whatever fits your schedule and the topic at hand
Availability for a monthly call + async questions via Slack/Email
Honest feedback — we want advisors who push back, not yes-people
Introductions when appropriate (investors, partners, talent)
- Location: Anywhere
- 2–10+ hours/month
- Equity + optional stipend
- Start: Anytime
Don’t see your role?
We're a pre-seed startup — we value unique skill combinations over job-title matches.
If you believe you can contribute to building an autonomous interceptor drone and your background doesn't fit the roles above, tell us what you bring and why Herakles needs it.
/04 THE PROCESS
From Application to Decision.
Apply: Fill out the form below. Takes ~8 minutes.
Alignment Call: 30 min video call with founders. Mission fit, mutual questions.
Technical Deep-Dive: 60 min with the technical founder. Your work, our problems.
Decision: Within one week. No ghosting, guaranteed.