(Junior) Customs Manager

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 (Junior) Customs Manager at Helsing, you will help shape and build our customs function from the ground up. You will manage our import and export operations, ensure full compliance with all customs regulations, and develop processes and guidelines. In this role, you will work closely with Export Control, Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics, and Finance.

The day-to-day

• Manage and monitor all import and export operations via external customs brokers and freight forwarders, including verifying customs declarations and documents for accuracy.

• Select, instruct, and manage the performance of customs brokers, and conduct regular quality checks.

• Prepare for, facilitate, and follow up on external audits and inquiries from customs authorities, acting as their primary point of contact.

• Continuously monitor the requirements for Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status, keep internal controls and documentation up to date, and support the application for or maintenance of the status.

• Build a management system for supplier declarations and preferential origin from the ground up, including processes, system support, requesting and verifying declarations, and supplier communication.

• Develop and implement internal customs guidelines, work instructions, and process descriptions, for example regarding tariff classification, customs valuation, origin, and customs procedures.

• Train internal stakeholders and advise other departments on customs-related matters.

• Identify opportunities for optimization, such as reducing customs costs, simplifying procedures, and driving digitalization.

• Build and functionally lead a customs team in the future as the department grows

You should apply if you

• Completed vocational training in freight forwarding and logistics (Speditionskaufmann/-frau) or a degree in Business Administration or Logistics, each combined with an additional qualification in customs (e.g., Certified Customs Specialist, Certificate in Customs Management)

• 3–5 years of professional experience in customs, ideally within an industrial company, at a customs broker, or in freight forwarding

• Sound knowledge of the Union Customs Code (UCC), tariff classification, customs valuation, origin of goods and preferences, as well as customs procedures

• Experience with AEO, customs audits, and supplier declarations

• Strong assertiveness and confidence in representing positions toward internal stakeholders, service providers, and authorities

• Ability to quickly adapt and thrive in new, dynamic environments

• Structured, independent, and solution-oriented working style paired with a hands-on mentality

• Keen interest in taking on leadership responsibilities in the future

• Excellent written and spoken German and English skills

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 with ATLAS/AES, SAP GTS, or comparable systems, as well as knowledge of export control regulations

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.