Lead Systems Engineer, Flight Autonomy

Merlin Labs

Lead Systems Engineer at Merlin Labs managing systems engineering for autonomous flight solutions. Oversee tasks and collaborate cross-functionally with various engineering teams in an innovative startup environment.

Posted 7/8/2026full-timeBoston • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in Systems Engineering, including the development of system-level requirements, architecture, and interfaces, while effectively leading teams to solve complex engineering challenges. Proficient in managing verification and validation activities and collaborating cross-functionally with various engineering disciplines.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Systems Engineering LeadershipFlight Control Systems DevelopmentRequirements ManagementVerification and ValidationCross-Functional Collaboration

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Systems EngineeringRequirements DevelopmentArchitecture DesignVerification and ValidationFlight Control SystemsMachine LearningAutonomyRequirements Management Tools

Soft Skills

Team LeadershipProblem SolvingCommunication

Certifications & Qualifications

BS in Electrical EngineeringBS in Aerospace EngineeringBS in Systems EngineeringMS Preferred

Industry Keywords

System ArchitectureConcepts of OperationSystem InterfacesAgile Team

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead a small team of System Engineers and be accountable for the execution of System Engineering tasks and delivery of work products which includes the following:
Lead the development of systems engineering development plans and processes as needed for technical execution.
Managing systems engineering tasking and aligning disciplines to support their successful and timely completion
Manage system-level verification and validation activities.
Lead reviews of artifacts with customers, suppliers, and regulatory authorities as required.
Review of concepts of operation, system architecture (including functional and physical architectures), system requirements, and system interfaces for Merlin products. On this small, agile team, you will own significant pieces of these activities yourself.
Work cross-functionally with the safety, hardware, and software teams to capture, document, and communicate requirements and interfaces.

Requirements

What you’ll need

BS in Electrical/Aerospace/Systems Engineering or a related subject, MS preferred.
6-9 years of experience conducting systems engineering (4-6 years with MS degree; 2-4 years with PhD).
Specific experience in Flight Control Systems with aspects of ML or Autonomy
Experience in Flight Control System Development
Demonstrated ability to lead small teams in solving complex architectural and systems engineering-related problems.
Experience with requirements management tools and processes
Demonstrated ability to develop system-level requirements, architecture, and interfaces, and perform requirements validation and verification

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Life insurance
Unlimited vacation
401k with match