Senior Program Manager, Air Vehicle Integration

Merlin Labs

Senior Program Manager overseeing air vehicle integration for aerospace startup Merlin Labs. Leading program execution for integration and certification of drone technology for various platforms.

Posted 6/22/2026full-timeBoston • Massachusetts • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

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.

Requirements

What you’ll need

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.

Benefits

Comp & perks

catered lunches featuring a rotating menu of delicious options
an assortment of snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day
a selection of beverages, including coffee, tea, and other drinks, to keep you refreshed
health, dental, life insurance
unlimited vacation
401k with match

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

program managementaircraft integrationhardware integrationairworthinesscertificationprogram lifecycleearned-value metricscross-functional team leadershiprisk managementfinancial planning

Soft Skills

communicationstakeholder alignmentstrategic thinkingexecutionteam dynamicsmentoringlisteningcontext-switchingleadershiptechnical curiosity

Certifications

U.S. Secret security clearance