Staff Engineer, Avionics Integration

Merlin Labs•Boston, MA

5d•$165,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

Merlin is seeking a seasoned avionics integration engineer who thinks in systems, not just circuits. This role involves owning the technical strategy for integrating the Merlin Pilot across an entire fleet of platforms. The ideal candidate is comfortable leading in ambiguous situations, turning uncertainty into actionable plans, schedules, and working aircraft. This position is based on-site at Merlin HQ in Boston, MA.

Requirements

BS in Electrical, Aerospace, Systems, or related Engineering discipline (or equivalent experience).
8+ years of experience integrating complex systems onto aircraft, with demonstrated ownership of integration architecture across more than one platform or program.
Deep, hands-on experience integrating and debugging systems spanning COTS/MOTS avionics modules, custom hardware, embedded software, sensors, and human-machine interfaces â€” not limited to any single engineering discipline.
Working knowledge of standard avionics interface protocols (e.g., Ethernet, ARINC 429, RS-232/422/485, CAN, MIL-STD-1553) and the judgment to choose and defend an interface architecture, not just implement one.
Track record of leading integration efforts through design review, lab test, and flight test, including managing cross-discipline dependencies and schedule risk.
Experience authoring or approving system schematics, interface control documents, and subsystem architecture diagrams.
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and act as a technical reference point across a team, without necessarily holding a management title.
Outstanding organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the judgment to prioritize across competing program needs.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, including comfort presenting to executives, customers, and regulatory bodies.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with certified avionics on fixed-wing aircraft, particularly flight management systems (FMS), autopilot, or other flight control system components.
Working knowledge of environmental qualification and regulatory frameworks: RTCA DO-160, DO-178, DO-254, MIL-STD-461, and MIL-STD-810.
Experience standing up integration or systems engineering practices for a new program or platform from scratch.
Familiarity with lab test equipment (oscilloscopes, multimeters, current probes, data acquisition, bus analyzers) sufficient to guide others, even if not performing hands-on bench work daily.
Exposure to aviation/aerospace wire harness design and electro-mechanical system integration (motors, EMI/EMC), useful for evaluating others' work even if not a primary daily task.
Experience with design tools such as SolidWorks, Altium, or KiCAD.

Responsibilities

Own the avionics integration architecture across multiple aircraft platforms â€” defining how flight computers, sensors, actuators, communications, power, and software subsystems come together as a certifiable, flyable system.
Set integration strategy and technical standards used across the Aircraft Engineering team, including interface control documents, integration test methodology, and design review criteria.
Lead systems-level integration and verification of COTS/MOTS avionics, custom hardware, and software components across lab and aircraft installations, spanning multiple concurrent platforms.
Act as the senior technical authority in design reviews, flight test readiness reviews, and certification discussions, representing avionics integration to internal leadership, customers, and regulators.
Identify systemic integration risks across programs and drive root-cause resolution, rather than working platform-by-platform issues in isolation.
Mentor and provide technical direction to other integration engineers and installation technicians, raising the bar for integration rigor across the team, without formal people-management responsibility.
Partner with Systems Engineering, Software, Flight Test, Certification, and Maintenance to ensure integration decisions hold up end-to-end, from architecture through flight test and into sustainment.
Drive and review electrical/electronic, mechanical, and software interface definitions and installation and certification documentation package produced by the broader team.
This position may require up to 50% travel, sometimes with short notice, to domestic and international locations to support aircraft and system integration.