---
title: 'Mechanical Engineer at Merlin Labs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-02cvz7svqzxb'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-19'
---

# Mechanical Engineer at Merlin Labs

- **Company:** Merlin Labs
- **Location:** Boston, MA
- **Compensation:** $115k–$150k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-06
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-19
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/merlinlabs/d6f11f98-7e34-4a0d-9ebc-cc0d2b9e05fc

## Job description

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; Smithfield, 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.

Responsibilities:

- Design, integrate, and test avionics and control components for aircraft and test labs
- Oversee and/or perform design and analysis tasks for system integration including stress and model analyses
- Provide CAD work in support of design activities, including application of industry best-practices for GD&T
- Support and participate in testing activities – component, system development, and system certification – as needed including test plan creation, data analysis, and test report generation and documentation
- Prepare and coordinate mechanical design and fabrication drawings and related documents
- This position may require up to 25-50% travel, sometimes with short notice, to both domestic and international locations to support aircraft and system integration and testing

Qualifications:

- BS in Mechanical, Electro-Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering and 5+ years technical work experience
- Advanced modeling experience with tools such as SolidWorks, Catia, OnShape, Fusion360, or Creo
- Proven experience with rapid design cycles: taking a design from concept through detailed design, build, and test
- Experience leading engineering activities such as mechanism design, controls design and analysis, environmental analysis (thermal, vibration, airflow), and structural analysis
- Outstanding organization, analytical, and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills

Nice to Have:

- Working knowledge and understanding of the qualification and regulatory requirements for commercial and military aircraft - specifically: RTCA D0-160, DO-254; and MIL-STD-810
- Hands-on capability in a lab/field setting and able to function comfortably to build and prove out designs (SMT soldering, drilling, use of hand tools, design/build of complicated mechanical assemblies)
- Hands-on experience with electro-mechanical systems such as motors and associated EMI/EMC design and qualification testing
- Expertise in weight-critical, high-performance design techniques for mechanical systems interface management
- Familiarity with lab test equipment, including oscilloscopes, multimeters, current probes, data acquisition, and bus analyzers.

This position is based on-site at Merlin HQ in Boston, MA.

Once you’re here, you’ll enjoy a variety of on-site perks designed to make your workday enjoyable and convenient. These include catered lunches featuring a rotating menu of delicious options, an assortment of snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day, and a selection of beverages, including coffee, tea, and other drinks, to keep you refreshed.

Our goal is to create an environment where you can thrive both professionally and personally.

Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, flexible paid time off, and 401k with match) and work/life integration. Being part of the Merlin team allows you to become part of a small team that supports professional development while working together to achieve our mission.

Merlin Labs is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military service or obligation or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks.

At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: people@merlinlabs.com

Merlin Labs does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates.

## 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

- [Director, Features System Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/director-features-system-engineering-merlin-labs-boston-xfktnwdcxmy9) — Boston, MA
- [Senior Human-Machine Teaming Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-human-machine-teaming-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-fa4wc2ztmspw) — Boston, MA
- [Senior Aviation Cyber Certification Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-aviation-cyber-certification-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-sw9ktzynsnzd) — Boston, MA
- [Senior Airworthiness & Certification Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-airworthiness-certification-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-rwbh0n2bm43k) — Boston, MA
- [Senior Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-96ze7hkkq9p4) — Boston, MA
- [Senior Manager, Process Assurance](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manager-process-assurance-merlin-labs-boston-xwyca4m6vrh8) — Boston, MA
- [Staff Engineer, World Model Development](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-engineer-world-model-development-merlin-labs-boston-ggxybfwgrtdz) — Boston, MA / San Francisco Bay Area
- [Data Loop Pipeline Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/data-loop-pipeline-engineer-merlin-labs-boston-77zayrh7516j) — Boston, MA / San Francisco Bay Area
- [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