Staff Engineer, Core Flight Controls

Merlin; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health

Dental

Life

Unlimited vacation

401k with match

Job summary

Merlin is seeking an experienced flight controls engineer to advance autonomous flight for fixed-wing aircraft. You will design control laws, decompose requirements, and build models and simulations to validate performance across multiple aircraft types.

We value hands-on experience with model-based development, real-time software, and robust testing. Join a startup focused on delivering certifiable, cutting-edge autonomy in aviation.

Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering.
• 5+ years developing control systems for fixed-wing aircraft with both classical and modern control.
• Experience deriving high/low level flight control requirements from system requirements.
• Experience with Model Based Development and certification of flight control systems.
• Experience designing, implementing, and testing real-time software.
• Experience with linear models, frequency-domain tuning.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight controls for our aircraft automation system.
• Decompose requirements into low level flight controls requirements.
• Develop and use simulation tools for development and testing.
• Model with Simulink and analyze with MATLAB and Python.
• Participate in flight testing for system identification and verification of control law performance.
• Own the flight control system end-to-end for programs and customers.
• Collaborate across Merlin to develop certifiable autonomous systems.

Skills

Flight controls

Fixed-wing dynamics

Model-based development

Real-time software design

MATLAB/Python scripting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

C/C++

Python

Job description

About Merlin

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.

About you

You are an experienced flight controls engineer passionate about autonomous flight who wants to contribute to making airplanes fly themselves. You are familiar with fixed wing aircraft and the classical and modern methods used to control them automatically. You know how to use industry standard tools for this work, and you are excited to work on novel applications.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight controls for our aircraft automation system
• Decompose system requirements into low level flight controls requirements
• Help create and use the simulation tools needed for development and testing including
• Simulink control law modeling, analysis using MATLAB and Python
• Participate in flight testing for system identification and verification of control law performance on multiple aircraft types
• Own the flight control system from end-to-end and be responsible for product delivery to programs and customers
• Collaborate across Merlin to develop novel, certifiable systems to solve the toughest problems in aviation and autonomy

Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering
• 5+ years of experience developing control systems for fixed wing aircraft, with demonstrated understanding of fixed wing aircraft dynamics, classical and modern control design / analysis
• Experience decomposing systems requirements into high level requirements for both outer loop and inner loop control design
• Experience working in Model Based Development and certification of flight control systems, including proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink or another model-based development toolset
• Experience designing, implementing, and testing software for real-time systems
• Experience with linear model development, linear analysis and frequency domain gain tuning techniques

Nice to Haves

• MS/PhD in Aerospace Engineering and/or Controls
• Experience developing never-before-flown control systems
• Experience extracting linear state space models from flight test data
• Experience working directly with customers and being a company representative
• Pilot license
• Proficiency in C/C++ or Python

Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, unlimited vacation, 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.

• health
• dental
• life
• unlimited vacation
• 401k with match

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: [e-mail]

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