Senior Program Manager, Air Vehicle Integration

Merlin Labs

Job Location:

Boston, MA - USA

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: Yesterday

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

About Merlin:

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 worlds leading investors Merlin is scaling alongside our customers to begin leveraging autonomy today to solve some of aviations biggest challenges.

About You:

You are a program owner - you own your work and do not pass the baton - your programs are your responsibility for success. Youre a strategic operator with deep program leadership in aerospace autonomy or safety-critical systems and youre equally comfortable in an STC review a hardware integration bench and a customer program review.

You bring technical fluency (you dont 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. You thrive amid ambiguity and high execution velocity and you build trust with operators primes and certification authorities alike.

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; hold engineering hardware and functional managers accountable to schedule and scope.
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; feed the master supply-and-program model and program dashboards.
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.
Plan and shepherd flight test in coordination with the Flight Test lead connecting test outcomes back to certification and fielding milestones.
Identify and mitigate cross-program risk before they hit delivery.
Contribute to capture and new opportunity shaping alongside Business Development and technical leads informing proposals with realistic integration cost and schedule inputs.
Scale the operating model: tighten and extend the existing program rhythms WBS frameworks and reporting artifacts as the portfolio and team grow and mentor across the program management organization.

Qualifications:

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.

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

Once youre here youll 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 unlimited vacation 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: emailprotected

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

Required Experience:

Manager

About Merlin: 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 worlds leading investors Merlin is scaling alongside our customers to begin leveraging autonomy today to solve some of aviations biggest challe...