Merlin Labs

Merlin Labs

Senior Program Manager, Air Vehicle Integration

Boston · Senior · Contract

No sponsorshipDetected 30 days ago
JiraBusiness DevelopmentHRISMIL-STDDO-160ControlsLeadershipCommunication

About the role

  • You're a strategic operator with deep program leadership in aerospace, autonomy, or safety-critical systems, and you're equally comfortable in an STC review, a hardware integration bench, and a customer program review.
  • You bring technical fluency (you don't need to be the engineer, but you talk to one credibly), certification literacy, and the operational rigor to keep a multi-aircraft integration portfolio on baseline.
  • This position is based on-site at Merlin HQ in Boston, MA.

Responsibilities

  • Own integration program execution for assigned airframes end to end - desktop, SITL, bench, and on-aircraft - translating mission and platform requirements into clear deployment and execution plans.
  • Lead the functional team, setting program strategy, milestones, and priorities while the TPMs own day-to-day technical delivery
  • Own the airworthiness and certification path in partnership with the Certification Program Management team.
  • Drive Stages of Involvement (SOIs), DO-160 environmental qualification, and system-safety artifacts (ARP4761A / MIL-STD-882E), keeping the certification IMS credible and on track.
  • Manage hardware and subcontractor integration so that long-lead hardware availability is planned, not discovered. Treat supply/demand as a primary schedule driver.
  • Own schedule and financial baselines - build and maintain integrated master schedules, WBS, financial plans, and program baselines across workstreams
  • Plan and shepherd flight test in coordination with the Flight Test lead connecting test outcomes back to certification and fielding milestones.
  • Contribute to capture and new opportunity shaping alongside Business Development and technical leads, informing proposals with realistic integration, cost, and schedule inputs.
  • Lead the functional team, setting program strategy, milestones, and priorities while the TPMs own day-to-day technical delivery; hold engineering, hardware, and functional managers accountable to schedule and scope.
  • Own schedule and financial baselines - build and maintain integrated master schedules, WBS, financial plans, and program baselines across workstreams; feed the master supply-and-program model and program dashboards.

Requirements

  • 10+ years in program or project leadership, ideally in aerospace, autonomy, defense, or safety-critical dual-use systems.
  • Proven success leading complex programs that combine physical aircraft integration with software/autonomy across cross-functional teams.
  • Direct experience with aircraft airworthiness and certification
  • Experience managing hardware integration and subcontractors/suppliers as schedule drivers, not just software workstreams.
  • Strong command of the full program lifecycle from capture to fielding, including contract structures, CDRLs, SOWs, IMS/WBS, and earned-value metrics.
  • Proven ability to lead a cross functional team and ability to context-switch across strategy, execution, and team dynamics over multiple efforts.
  • Fluency with program tooling: Jira, requirements management (e.g., Jama), and IMS/scheduling tools.
  • Strong systems thinking and technical curiosity
  • exceptional listening, communication, and stakeholder-alignment skills.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
  • Willingness to travel and work onsite at integration, flight-test, and partner locations as programs require.

Nice to have

  • Active U.S. Secret (or higher) clearance.
  • Experience integrating autonomy, mission systems, or flight-control systems onto crewed or uncrewed aircraft.
  • Familiarity with government acquisition and test pathways (DoD 5000 series, AFWERX, DIU, SOF/SOCOM).
  • Experience scaling program teams or standing up new operating models in high-growth environments.
  • Merlin Labs is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.
  • All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks.
  • 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.

Company info

  • Merlin is a venture backed aerospace startup building a non-human pilot to enable both reduced crew and uncrewed flight.
  • Backed by some of the world's leading investors, Merlin is scaling alongside our customers to begin leveraging autonomy today to solve some of aviation's biggest challenges.
  • Serve as the senior program point of contact for government customers, partners, and certification authorities - running program reviews, milestone gates, and status reporting with high accountability.

Visa & Work Authorization

  • At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers.
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This listing is sourced directly from Merlin Labs's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.