Vice President, Government Relations

Merlin Labs•Washington, DC

About The Position

Merlin is a venture-backed aerospace startup building a non-human pilot to enable both reduced crew and uncrewed flight. Backed by some of the world’s leading investors, Merlin is scaling alongside our customers to begin leveraging autonomy today to solve some of aviation’s biggest challenges. This role is for a senior government relations leader with deep experience navigating the intersection of policy, procurement, and mission-driven technology. The ideal candidate understands how government stakeholders make decisions and how to position emerging technologies to align with national priorities and operational needs. They should be comfortable building relationships at senior levels across government agencies and working internally with commercial, program, and technical teams to translate those relationships into tangible outcomes. This individual will operate with a strong sense of ownership and accountability for driving access, influence, and ultimately revenue. They should be strategic, credible, and execution-oriented—able to open doors, shape opportunities, and help convert them into funded programs.

Requirements

12-15+ years of experience in government relations, defense programs, or public sector business development
Deep understanding of U.S. government structure, procurement processes, and funding mechanisms
Experience engaging with Dod, FAA, DHS, or related agencies
Proven ability to build relationships that lead to programmatic outcomes or revenue generation
Strong understanding of mission-driven technologies, ideally in aerospace, autonomy, or defense
Experience operating in complex, regulated environments
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders internally and externally

Nice To Haves

Experience with autonomous systems, aviation, or advanced air mobility
Familiarity with non-traditional acquisition pathways
Background in military service, government leadership, or senior advisory roles
Experience work in or with venture-backed or high-growth technology companies
Strong network across relevant government and defense communities
Ability to operate effectively in fast-scaling ambiguous environments

Responsibilities

Develop and lead Merlin’s government relations strategy, aligned with revenue and growth objectives
Build and maintain senior-level relationships across U.S. government agencies, including defense, aviation, and related stakeholders
Partner closely with the Chief Revenue Officer and Business Development teams to identify, shape, and advance opportunities within government channels
Support the development and positioning of Merlin’s capabilities in alignment with government priorities, missions, and funding pathways
Navigate and influence procurement processes, including traditional and non-traditional acquisition pathways
Collaborate cross-functionally with Strategy, Programs, Engineering, and Policy to ensure alignment between government engagement and product direction
Provide insights into budget cycles, policy developments, and funding opportunities that impact revenue strategy
Represent Merlin in meetings, briefings, and industry forums to strengthen credibility and visibility within the government ecosystem
Help drive capture strategy and deal progression for key government programs
Develop clear internal reporting and external-facing materials to support executive and Board-level visibility