--- title: 'Director, Assistant Controller at Merlin Labs' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-assistant-controller-merlin-labs-boston-k8hkhxqe5hf4' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-07' --- # Director, Assistant Controller at Merlin Labs - **Company:** Merlin Labs - **Location:** Boston, MA - **Compensation:** $220k–$290k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** hybrid - **Posted:** 2026-07-27 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/merlinlabs/f9b53e81-593d-4301-911f-4ec8b47f7337 ## Job description About Merlin: Merlin (NASDAQ: MRLN) is a publicly traded aerospace and defense company building a non-human pilot to deliver full-stack autonomy for any aircraft from takeoff to touchdown. The Merlin Pilot autonomy system powers a growing range of aircraft and mission profiles and has been proven through hundreds of autonomous flights from Merlin's global flight test facilities, including Kerikeri, New Zealand; Quonset Point, Rhode Island; and soon, Bedford, Massachusetts. Headquartered in Boston, Merlin is expanding its organization to accelerate the development and deployment of its autonomy platform, helping customers solve some of aviation's most pressing challenges, from pilot shortages to improving flight safety. Backed by some of the world's leading investors prior to its public listing, Merlin continues to advance the certification and commercialization of autonomous flight across commercial and defense aviation. About You: The Assistant Controller plays a critical role in the financial operations of Merlin, supporting the Corporate Controller in managing all aspects of accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, and compliance for a publicly traded government defense contractor. This position requires deep expertise in government contract accounting, SEC reporting obligations, and the unique regulatory environment governing defense industry finance. The Assistant Controller will lead a team of accounting professionals and serve as a key liaison between finance, program management, contracts administration, and external auditors. Responsibilities: Financial Reporting & SEC Compliance - Assist in the preparation of quarterly (10-Q) and annual (10-K) reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in compliance with U.S. GAAP and PCAOB standards. - Support Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Section 404 compliance, including documentation, testing, and remediation of internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR). - Coordinate with external auditors (Big 4 or national firm) during quarterly reviews and annual audits. - Prepare and review financial statements, footnotes, and MD&A disclosures for accuracy and completeness. Government Contract Accounting - Oversee cost accounting practices in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS). - Manage the preparation and submission of government-required financial reports, including DCAA audits, incurred cost submissions (ICS), and forward pricing rate proposals (FPRPs). - Monitor and maintain compliance with contract-specific accounting requirements, including time-and-materials (T&M), cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF), firm-fixed-price (FFP), and other contract types. - Support the Earned Value Management (EVM) reporting process for applicable government programs. General Accounting & Close Process - Oversee the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close process, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of all journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial statements. - Manage indirect cost pools, allocation methodologies, and overhead rate calculations in compliance with CAS and FAR. - Supervise revenue recognition under ASC 606, including over-time recognition methodology for long-term government contracts. - Maintain and strengthen the company’s chart of accounts and general ledger integrity. Internal Controls & Process Improvement - Design, implement, and monitor effective internal control procedures in accordance with COSO framework and SOX requirements. - Identify opportunities to streamline accounting processes and improve the efficiency and accuracy of financial operations. - Develop and maintain accounting policies and procedures documentation. Equity Administration - Oversee the accounting and administration of the company’s equity compensation programs, including stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). - Ensure accurate recording of stock-based compensation expense in accordance with ASC 718, including fair value determination, vesting schedules, and forfeiture rate assumptions. - Coordinate with the company’s equity plan administrator and transfer agent to maintain accurate cap table records and equity award activity. - Prepare equity-related financial statement disclosures and footnotes for SEC filings, including 10-K and 10-Q reports. - Partner with Legal, HR, and Tax to administer Section 16 reporting obligations, Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, and insider trading policy compliance. - Monitor and account for dilutive securities and ensure accurate earnings per share (EPS) calculations under ASC 260. Payroll Oversight - Oversee the company’s payroll function, ensuring accurate and timely processing of multi-state payroll for all employees, including salaried, hourly, and contract labor populations. - Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, including proper withholding, remittance, and year-end W-2 and 1099 reporting. - Maintain payroll controls and procedures that satisfy SOX internal control requirements and DCAA labor charging standards. - Coordinate with Human Resources on compensation changes, benefits deductions, leave accruals, and onboarding/offboarding processes to ensure payroll accuracy. - Review and approve payroll journal entries, reconcile payroll liability accounts, and ensure proper allocation of labor costs to government contract cost pools and direct/indirect categories. - Manage relationships with third-party payroll service providers and ensure system integrations with the ERP and time-tracking platforms are functioning accurately. ## Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration - Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of accounting professionals including Senior Accountants and Staff Accountants. - Partner with Program Managers, Contracts Administration, Legal, and Finance to ensure accurate project-level financial reporting and forecasting. - Support the CFO and Corporate Controller in special projects, M&A due diligence, and strategic financial initiatives. Qualifications: - Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. - CPA license required (active and in good standing). - ## Minimum 7 years of progressive accounting experience - Demonstrated experience with FAR, DFARS, CAS, and DCAA audit processes. - Strong working knowledge of U.S. GAAP, SEC reporting requirements, and SOX compliance. - Experience with revenue recognition under ASC 606 for long-term contracts. - Proficiency with ERP systems (Deltek Costpoint, SAP, or similar government contracting ERP strongly preferred). - U.S. citizenship required (per government contract obligations). Nice to Have: - Master’s degree in Accounting or Business Administration (MBA). - Experience at a Big 4 or national public accounting firm with a defense/government practice. - Experience in a defense, aerospace, or government contracting environment. - Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM) and EVMS compliance. - Experience supporting IPO, secondary offerings, or public company transitions. - Knowledge of AI/software development project cost accounting and R&D capitalization under ASC 350-40. ## About Merlin Labs ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Merlin Labs is a U.S.-based developer of takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy software for military and civil aircraft, building the operating system of record for autonomous flight. - **Entity Type**: Public (Nasdaq: MRLN) – went public via SPAC merger with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp IV in 2026. - **Headquarters**: Boston, Massachusetts, United States - **Founded**: 2019 - **Founders**: Matthew George (CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Autonomous Aviation, AI Software - **Target customers**: Military (U.S. Special Operations Command, Air Force), civil aviation operators, aircraft OEMs - **Mission**: To provide safe, reliable autonomy that extends the capabilities of existing fleets and unlocks next-generation missions, forging the next 100 years of American aviation. ## Products & Services - **[Merlin Pilot](https://merlinlabs.com/)**: An aircraft-agnostic, AI-powered software platform for autonomous flight from takeoff to touchdown. Designed to adapt to any plane in operation today and in the future. - **[Condor](https://merlinlabs.com/)**: A product family for large, multi-crew aircraft, announced in 2026, targeting high-capacity military and cargo platforms. - **Prime Contract with USSOCOM**: Merlin is partnering with U.S. Special Operations Command to bring autonomy to the C-130J fleet, extending operational range for high-frequency routes. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed as of the latest filings. Total cumulative funding (including IPO) is **$704.3M**. - **Key Metric**: **Revenue** – $2.194M in Q2 FY2026 (quarter ended June 30, 2026) per SEC 10-Q filing. The company is still in high-growth, pre-profit stage (Net Income: -$58.4M in Q2). **Employees** – 145 as of mid-2026, growing 26.7% YoY. - **Notable Investors / Partners**: First Round Capital (seed lead), Inflection Point Acquisition Corp IV (SPAC sponsor), U.S. Special Operations Command (customer/partner), Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (regulatory partner). - **Growth Signals**: - Over 100 hours of autonomous flight across test facilities in the U.S. and New Zealand. - Completed Critical Design Review for the C-130J program with USSOCOM. - Achieved Stage of Involvement 3 (SOI 3) from the New Zealand CAA for the Merlin Pilot’s Flight Control Computer and Automated Communication System. - First autonomous landing of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (July 2026). - Acquired EpiSys Science (EpiSci) in 2024 to bolster AI/autonomy capabilities. ## Competitive Advantages - **Aircraft-agnostic platform**: The Merlin Pilot is designed to work with any aircraft, reducing integration complexity for customers. - **Proven autonomy**: Hundreds of hours of autonomous flight, including military-grade operations, de-risking adoption. - **Regulatory leadership**: Early approvals from the New Zealand CAA (Part 146 Design Organization certificate, SOI 3) pave the way for commercial certification. - **Prime military contracts**: Direct relationship with USSOCOM for the C-130J program provides a strong revenue and credibility anchor. - **Talent density**: Engineers from top aerospace firms (Collins Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, Aurora Flight Sciences) and a strong culture of safety and innovation. ## Strategic Focus - **Scale the C-130J program**: Move from CDR to production and deployment with USSOCOM. - **Expand Condor product line**: Target large, multi-crew aircraft for both military and civil markets. - **Achieve commercial certification**: Continue working with regulators (FAA, EASA, CAA) to certify the Merlin Pilot for commercial operations. - **Grow government and defense contracts**: Leverage the public listing and existing relationships to win additional programs. - **Hire aggressively**: Open roles in AI, autonomy software, systems engineering, program management, and business development (22 active openings as of Sept 2026). ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: “Breaking new ground at 10,000 ft” – collaborative, respectful, and tangible work that is “in use and progressing rapidly.” High morale driven by real-world impact. - **Work Models**: Hybrid and on-site roles available. Primary locations: Boston, MA (HQ); North Kingstown, RI; Kerikeri, New Zealand; and Washington, DC. - **Notable Perks**: Work on one of aviation’s hardest problems with a team that includes alumni from top aerospace and defense companies. Employees have delegated authority from the regulator to approve certain aircraft design changes, empowering engineers. The company prioritizes safety and partners with best-in-class aerospace players. - **Engineering Culture**: Strong emphasis on AI, autonomy, and software engineering. The engineering team is 39% of the workforce, with senior and specialist roles heavily represented. Open roles include Staff Software Engineer (AI Foundation Model), Autonomy Software Engineer, and Lead AI Dataloop Engineer. ## Sources 1. [Merlin Labs – Company Page](https://merlinlabs.com/company/) 2. [Merlin Labs – Homepage](https://merlinlabs.com/) 3. [Merlin Labs – Careers Page](https://merlinlabs.com/careers/) 4. [Merlin Labs – Open Roles on Lever](https://jobs.lever.co/merlinlabs) 5. [Merlin Labs – LinkedIn Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/merlinlabs) 6. [SEC Filing – FY2026 Q2 10-Q](https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0002028707) (via Apollo data reference) ## Other roles at Merlin Labs - [Assistant General Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/assistant-general-counsel-merlin-labs-boston-c9axfez1vng8) — Boston, MA - [Senior Development Assurance Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-development-assurance-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-2wzsbvvgp1fs) — Boston, MA - [Flight Dynamics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/flight-dynamics-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-p4xv2x08kvd3) — Boston, MA - [Staff Engineer, Avionics Integration](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-engineer-avionics-integration-merlin-labs-boston-2mbt1cv8aqm3) — Boston, MA - [Electrical Engineering Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineering-lead-merlin-labs-boston-0kh9rcqt8xb0) — Boston, MA - [Process Engineer, Configuration Management](https://feeny.ai/job/process-engineer-configuration-management-merlin-labs-boston-h9gbm8nyr0yg) — Boston, MA - [Senior System Engineer - Integration & Verification](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-system-engineer-integration-verification-merlin-labs-boston-vkajae8ktmhg) — Boston, MA - [Staff Engineer, Core Flight Controls](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-engineer-core-flight-controls-merlin-labs-boston-a96x3cgbfc9m) — Boston, MA - [Senior Manager, Strategic Finance](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manager-strategic-finance-merlin-labs-boston-h3a7dh6rnkqa) — Boston, MA - [Aircraft Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/aircraft-coordinator-merlin-labs-north-kingstown-1px3m45gnaqx) — North Kingstown, RI