Senior Avionics Integration Architect

Merlin; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Catered lunches

Snacks

Beverages

Job summary

Merlin Labs seeks an experienced avionics integration engineer to own the technical strategy for integrating the Merlin Pilot across a fleet of aircraft. You will coordinate flight computers, sensors, actuators, and software to deliver certifiable, flyable systems, working with leadership, customers, and regulators.

You will lead design reviews, lab tests, and flight tests across platforms, mentor engineers, and collaborate with Systems Engineering, Software, and Certification to ensure

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical, Aerospace, Systems, or related Engineering discipline (or equivalent experience).
• 8+ years of experience integrating complex systems onto aircraft with ownership of integration architecture across more than one platform or program.
• Hands‑on experience integrating and debugging systems spanning COTS/MOTS avionics modules, custom hardware, embedded software, sensors, and human‑machine interfaces.
• Working knowledge of standard avionics interface protocols (Ethernet, ARINC 429, RS-232/422/485, CAN, MIL-STD-1553) and the ability to defend an interface architecture.
• Track record of leading integration efforts through design review, lab test, and flight test across multiple platforms.
• Experience drafting or approving system schematics, interface control documents, and subsystem architecture diagrams.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and act as a technical reference point without a management title.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritize across competing program needs.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, including comfort presenting to executives, customers, and regulators.

Responsibilities

• Own the avionics integration architecture across multiple aircraft platforms — 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

Skills

Systems thinking

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Mentoring

Project leadership

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

BS in Electrical/Aerospace/Systems Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Altium

KiCAD

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Job description

Merlin Labs seeks an experienced avionics integration engineer to own the technical strategy for integrating the Merlin Pilot across a fleet of aircraft. You will coordinate flight computers, sensors, actuators, and software to deliver certifiable, flyable systems, working with leadership, customers, and regulators.

You will lead design reviews, lab tests, and flight tests across platforms, mentor engineers, and collaborate with Systems Engineering, Software, and Certification to ensure