Responsibilities:- Define and drive the technical strategy for Merlin's AI Core platform, spanning perception, sensor fusion, decision-making, planning, and control.
- Lead, grow, and mentor a multi-disciplinary team of AI engineers, robotics engineers, and software engineers working on flight-critical autonomy software.
- Collaborate with the VP of Engineering and CTO to translate company-level objectives into clear, achievable technical roadmaps with well-defined milestones.
- Own the architecture of the AI Core stack from data pipelines and model training infrastructure through to real-time onboard inference and control.
- Establish and enforce engineering standards, code quality practices, and safety review processes appropriate for an aviation-grade software system.
- Partner closely with Flight Operations, Systems Engineering, and Certification teams to ensure AI Core software meets FAA and regulatory requirements.
- Drive integration between AI Core components and the broader avionics and vehicle management systems.
- Recruit senior engineering talent and build a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and psychological safety.
- Represent the AI Core team in cross-functional planning, risk reviews, and stakeholder communications.
- Track and evaluate emerging research and open-source developments relevant to autonomous flight, and translate promising work into product opportunities.
Requirements:- 10+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 5 years in Physical AI technical leadership and engineering management roles.
- Proven track record of shipping production grade AI based autonomy in a safety-critical, deterministic and highly regulated environment (aerospace, automotive, industrial, medical, or similar).
- Deep expertise in at least one of: real-time perception and sensor fusion, motion planning and control, large-scale next gen AI model training and deployment, or onboard inference systems.
- Strong command of modern software engineering practices including AI model distillation, MLOps, CI/CD, rigorous testing strategies, and design-for-safety principles.
- Experience in deploying end-to-end Data strategy to collect, ingest and curate the data for AI model training, simulation and edge deployment.
- Experience managing the managers, senior engineers and staff-level technical contributors, including performance management and career development.
- Ability to define and communicate architectural decisions across organizational boundaries, including to non-technical stakeholders.
- Proficiency in Pytorch, TensorFlow and C++ (or equivalent systems languages used in real-time embedded environments).
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to document complex technical decisions clearly and concisely.
- Comfort operating in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment where priorities and requirements evolve.
Nice to Have:- Background in vehicle dynamics, vehicle control systems, or avionics/Automotive software integration.
- Familiarity with simulation-based validation, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, or digital twin development.
- Experience with airborne hardware platforms, embedded Linux, or real-time operating systems (RTOS).
- Published research or significant contributions to open-source projects in autonomy, robotics, or machine learning.
- Prior experience at a Series A-C deep tech startup.
- Pilot's license or meaningful hands-on experience with aircraft operations.
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, 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.
