Director, Mission Autonomy

Job Description

Job Description

Merlin (NASDAQ: MRLN) is a publicly traded aerospace and defense company building a non-human pilot to deliver full-stack autonomy for any aircraft from takeoff to touchdown. The Merlin Pilot autonomy system powers a growing range of aircraft and mission profiles and has been proven through hundreds of autonomous flights from Merlin's global flight test facilities, including Kerikeri, New Zealand; Smithfield, Rhode Island; and soon, Bedford, Massachusetts. Headquartered in Boston, Merlin is expanding its organization to accelerate the development and deployment of its autonomy platform, helping customers solve some of aviation's most pressing challenges, from pilot shortages to improving flight safety. Backed by some of the world's leading investors prior to its public listing, Merlin continues to advance the certification and commercialization of autonomous flight across commercial and defense aviation. 

About You:

You are an accomplished and seasoned engineering leader with a strong background in developing, integrating, verifying, and delivering complex embedded software products. You have a proven ability to lead multidisciplinary software engineering organizations, establish rigorous development processes, and consistently deliver reliable, high-quality software into operational environments.

You combine deep software engineering expertise with an understanding of autonomous systems, AI-enabled applications, and the challenges of developing dependable software for safety-critical platforms. You understand how to architect software for modularity, scalability, performance, reliability, and maintainability, while maintaining rigorous standards for software testing, configuration management, and release discipline.

You are a firm believer in the potential of AI to solve some of the toughest problems in the domain you operate in and challenge the status quo by taking AI first approach to developing software solution design.  

You have sufficient knowledge of aviation systems and operations to understand the environment in which your products operate, collaborate effectively with aviation domain experts, and make informed engineering decisions.

At Merlin, you will lead the engineering organization responsible for delivering the Mission Management Computer (MMC), the embedded software system that hosts Merlin's artificial airmanship capabilities. You will work closely with Feature Systems Engineering, Core AI, Core Compute, Vehicle Autonomy, and Flight Test to transform advanced autonomy technologies and mission requirements into integrated, production-quality airborne systems.

You are a strong technical and organizational leader who can build high-performing teams, develop engineering managers, establish clear accountability, and execute complex development programs with predictable quality and delivery.

• Mission Management System Delivery: Lead the design, development, integration, verification, and delivery of Merlin's Mission Management Computer software and integrated system, providing the platform for artificial airmanship and mission autonomy capabilities.
• Technical Strategy : Develop a robust roadmap on how Mission Autonomy capabilities can evolve into an even Stronger competitive advantage to the company in mid to long-term.
• Software Architecture: Own the architecture and implementation of mission autonomy application software, including mission management, planning, decision-making, behavior execution, situational awareness, and integration of AI-enabled functionality, consistent with the overall Merlin Pilot system architecture.
• Software Engineering Excellence: Establish and maintain disciplined software development practices, including requirements traceability, design reviews, coding standards, peer review, automated testing, continuous integration, defect management, and configuration control.
• Software Verification and Validation: Own the development and execution of comprehensive software verification strategies, including unit, integration, regression, performance, robustness, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. Ensure software is thoroughly tested and supported by appropriate verification evidence before release.
• Configuration and Release Management: Establish rigorous control of software baselines, dependencies, AI model versions, build environments, release artifacts, and deployed configurations, ensuring reproducible builds and traceability of delivered software.
• Embedded Systems Integration: Partner with Core Compute to integrate mission autonomy applications with the embedded hardware, operating system, drivers, middleware, and platform services, ensuring reliable system performance and effective resource utilization.
• AI Integration: Work closely with Core AI to integrate trained and optimized AI models into the mission autonomy software architecture, ensuring appropriate performance, interfaces, monitoring, failure handling, and verification of AI-enabled functions.
• Cross-Functional Product Development: Partner with Feature Systems Engineering to implement allocated requirements and integrate mission autonomy capabilities into the overall Merlin Pilot architecture. Collaborate with Vehicle Autonomy, Safety, Airworthiness, Virtual Test Environment, and Flight Test on system integration and validation.
• Engineering Leadership: Lead, develop, and scale a multidisciplinary software engineering organization. Establish clear ownership, effective technical leadership, measurable engineering performance, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Program Execution: Own engineering planning, staffing, execution, technical risk management, and delivery commitments for mission autonomy software and integrated MMC releases.
• Technical Authority: Represent Mission Autonomy in architecture reviews, technical decisions, customer engagements, and executive-level program discussions, maintaining accountability for software technical integrity and delivery readiness.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience developing complex software systems, including substantial experience delivering embedded, real-time, autonomous, or safety-critical products.
• 7+ years of engineering leadership experience, including management of multiple engineering teams or engineering managers.
• Demonstrated success leading software development from architecture through verification, integration, release, and operational deployment.
• Experience in integrating AI powered autonomous stack to enhance intelligent software capabilities in operational products.
• Deep understanding of modern software engineering practices, including CI/CD, automated testing, configuration management, version control, static analysis, defect management, and controlled releases.
• Strong experience in software architecture, embedded software integration, distributed systems, middleware, and hardware/software interfaces.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and lead high-performing engineering teams while meeting technical, schedule, and quality objectives.
• Demonstrated knowledge of software verification methodologies, including unit testing, integration testing, system testing, regression testing, and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Experience implementing and maintaining rigorous software configuration management, build reproducibility, and release processes.
• Working knowledge of C++ and Python, with sufficient technical depth to challenge architectural decisions and guide engineering teams.
• Familiarity with aviation systems, airborne software, flight operations, or comparable safety-critical operating environments.

• Experience delivering airborne mission systems, mission computers, avionics software, or autonomous aircraft capabilities.
• Experience with DO-178C, DO-330, ARP4754A/B, or related aviation development and assurance processes.
• Experience with real-time operating systems, embedded Linux, GPU or AI accelerators, and constrained computing environments.
• Experience integrating AI models and managing their lifecycle within deployed embedded systems.
• Experience with robotics and distributed-system frameworks such as ROS 2, DDS, or Zenoh.
• Experience with aircraft simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and flight-test integration.
• Familiarity with military mission systems, ISR operations, or commercial aviation operational requirements.
• Experience with government open architectures such as OMS, FACE, or A-GRA.
• Pilot qualifications or direct aviation operational experience.

The compensation range provided is reflective of base salary only , and is a good-faith estimate based on a wide range of factors. The actual offer will be determined by a variety of factors including the candidate's qualifications, skills, experience, education, and training. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Merlin's total compensation package. Additionally, Merlin offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees.

This position is based on-site at Merlin HQ in Boston, MA.

Once you’re here, you’ll enjoy a variety of on-site perks designed to make your workday enjoyable and convenient. These include catered lunches featuring a rotating menu of delicious options, an assortment of snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day, and a selection of beverages, including coffee, tea, and other drinks, to keep you refreshed.

Our goal is to create an environment where you can thrive both professionally and personally.

Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, flexible paid time off, and 401k with match) and work/life integration. Being part of the Merlin team allows you to become part of a small team that supports professional development while working together to achieve our mission.

Merlin Labs is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military service or obligation or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks.

At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future. 

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: View email address on ziprecruiter.com

Merlin Labs does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates.