Validation Laboratory Module Lead (Defense)

Location: On-site at the Paris-area site, France, with occasional travel to the Swiss site.

Company

hirify.global is a defense technology company building autonomous and scalable defense systems for allied forces.

What you will do

• Define the capabilities of a new environmental testing laboratory and specify, evaluate, and procure its equipment.
• Establish testing for climatic and thermal cycling, water and dust ingress, vibration, UV ageing, and controlled drone flight in a climate room.
• Determine which tests should be performed in-house and which should remain with external laboratories.
• Set up the facility from premises planning and utilities through installation, safety, and commissioning.
• Recruit and lead two to three laboratory technicians while supporting validation teams and reviewing environmental test plans.
• Transfer test procedures to the quality team for PVT and mass production.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience in environmental testing, including setting up or substantially developing a test laboratory.
• Strong knowledge of climatic and thermal cycling, vibration, water and dust ingress, UV testing, and relevant standards.
• Experience specifying, evaluating, and procuring test equipment, with the ability to assess build-versus-buy decisions.
• Experience leading a small technical team or clear readiness to take on that responsibility.
• Rigorous approach to test planning, acceptance criteria, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration with engineering, validation, and quality.
• Relevant engineering degree in mechanical engineering, materials, electronics, physics, or a similar field, or equivalent experience. Working-level English required.

Nice to have

• Experience with defense or aerospace standards such as MIL-STD-810 or RTCA DO-160.
• Familiarity with ISO/IEC 17025, laboratory accreditation, and metrological traceability.
• Background in drones or robotics.
• French language skills.

Culture & Benefits

• Mission-focused work on autonomous defense systems with real-world impact.
• High standards of rigor, ownership, execution, and technical excellence.
• Opportunity to build a laboratory and its operating standards from the ground up.
• Collaboration across R&D, engineering, validation, quality, and production.