Full-Time

Senior Autonomy Systems Engineer

Posted on 9/13/2023

Merlin Labs

Merlin Labs

51-200 employees

Develops autonomous flight technology for aircraft

No salary listed

Senior, Expert

Remote in USA

Category
Flight Dynamics
Research & Development
Aerospace Engineering
Requirements
  • BS in Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related subject, MS preferred.
  • 7+ years of experience conducting systems engineering for aviation products. We are open to a range of experience; role level will be commensurate with experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex architectural and systems engineering related problems.
  • Familiarity with advanced technologies and their applications, including at least one of machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, or natural language processing.
Responsibilities
  • Participate in the development of concepts of operation, system architecture (including functional and physical architectures), system requirements, and system interfaces for new functions and features. On this small team, you will own significant pieces of these activities yourself.
  • Work with the R&D software team to capture high level requirements as they are developed.
  • Support activities to verify software and systems, including simulator, lab, and flight testing.
  • Participate in industry standards development for topics relevant to Merlin advanced capabilities.
  • Work across the hardware, software, and system safety teams to capture, document, and communicate requirements and interfaces.
  • Serve as a leader, bringing together the disciplines necessary to make the whole system successful.

Merlin Labs develops autonomous flight technology, specifically the Merlin Pilot, an advanced system designed to operate aircraft without human intervention. This system can be integrated into various types of aircraft, regardless of their size or age. The technology is being developed in collaboration with aviation authorities like the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand to ensure it meets safety and regulatory standards. Unlike other companies, Merlin Labs takes a phased approach to autonomy, initially pairing the Merlin Pilot with human pilots to ensure safety and build trust. Their target market includes commercial airlines, cargo transport companies, and private aircraft owners, and they generate revenue by selling and licensing their technology to aircraft manufacturers and operators. The goal of Merlin Labs is to become a leading provider of autonomous flight solutions in the aviation industry.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$170.8M

Headquarters

Boston, Massachusetts

Founded

2019

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Growing demand for urban air mobility boosts Merlin Labs' market potential.
  • Collaboration with Honeywell expands Merlin's reach into civil and military aviation.
  • Merlin's Certification System Bench accelerates testing and certification processes.

What critics are saying

  • Increased competition from established aerospace companies may challenge Merlin's market share.
  • Potential regulatory delays could impact Merlin's commercialization timeline.
  • Integration challenges from EpiSci acquisition may divert resources from core projects.

What makes Merlin Labs unique

  • Merlin Labs' phased approach ensures safety and builds trust in autonomous flight.
  • The Merlin Pilot system is adaptable to any aircraft, regardless of size or age.
  • Partnerships with FAA and CAA ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Life Insurance

Unlimited Paid Time Off

401(k) Company Match

Flexible Work Hours

Relocation Assistance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

3%

1 year growth

6%

2 year growth

6%
01net
Mar 19th, 2025
Merlin Achieves FAA Approval for Custom Remote Data Concentrator; Progresses the Development and Certification of the Merlin Pilot

Merlin collaborated closely with Shadin Avionics to define the system, hardware, and design specifications.

Military & Aerospace Electronics
Oct 30th, 2024
Honeywell and Merlin collaborate on autonomous flight tech for civil and military aircraft

PHOENIX - Honeywell in Phoenix and Merlin Labs, a Boston-based developer of autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on introducing autonomous systems across various aircraft, including military fleets.

TechNews
Jun 23rd, 2024
Merlin Labs Acquires EpiSci for AI Flight

Merlin Labs, a U.S. AI startup, announced the acquisition of EpiSci, a company known for its AI flight systems for F-16 jets. This move aims to combine their expertise in AI aviation. Merlin is also collaborating with the U.S. Air Force on an unmanned KC-135 refueling aircraft, with a test flight expected next year. Additionally, they are developing an AI system for unmanned C-130 transport planes. This acquisition positions Merlin as a key player in the AI unmanned flight systems market.

Business Wire
Apr 23rd, 2024
Merlin Partners With Mit Lincoln Laboratory (Ll) To Continue Work To Dramatically Improve Aviation Safety

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merlin, the aviation technology company developing the world’s most capable pilot to advance the future of automated flight, today announced its partnership with MIT Lincoln Laboratory (LL) in the first step towards an operational next generation collision avoidance technology. This partnership will see the two organizations explore the commercial adoption of the Airborne Collision Avoidance System Xu (ACAS Xu) on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The partnership will focus on the initial integration and further implementation of the ACAS Xu software standard (RTCA DO-386) with the Merlin Pilot, allowing Merlin to deliver enhanced automated collision avoidance measures based on the outputs from ACAS Xu that exceed the standards of the National Airspace System. Funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), MIT LL’s ACAS X is an onboard next generation airborne collision avoidance system designed to help pilots and unmanned aircraft safely navigate the airspace, eventually set to replace the current Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System II (TCAS). The ACAS Xu version of the system is tailored for unmanned aircraft systems and is fully compatible with the new airspace procedures and technologies of the FAA’s next generation air transportation system. By partnering with MIT LL to integrate the ACAS Xu software with the Merlin Pilot, progressive steps are being made toward integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System safely and scalably

Business Wire
Apr 10th, 2024
Merlin Completes Design And Build Of Certification System Bench To Accelerate Company’S Path To Supplemental Type Certification

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merlin, the aviation technology company developing the world’s most capable pilot to advance the future of automated flight, today announced the completion of the design and build of the company’s Certification System Bench, which was built to the fidelity required for certification testing. The Certification System Bench is a flight test simulator with both certifiable software and hardware components that allows Merlin to constantly test its advanced automation systems from its Boston headquarters. Unlike traditional in-flight testing, the Certification System Bench can be utilized irrespective of weather, maintenance schedules, and pilot availability. Further, Merlin’s Certification System Bench features cameras that provide remote accessibility and testing abilities for Merlin’s distributed, global team, and also includes three screens that represent the pilot deck as well as accurate instrument panels and primary flight displays. “In many ways, the Certification System Bench acts as a testing ‘funnel.’ It allows us to test hundreds of cases with speed and ease, selecting edge cases to take to in-flight testing. As a result, we’re able to reduce the use of our test aircraft and keep it for limited cases only,” said Sherif Ali, Chief Engineer for the certified Merlin Pilot project

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