Autonomy Software Engineer

Merlin Labs

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Boston or Remote hybrid Until 8/21/2026 1+ years exp First posted September 14, 2025 Last posted September 14, 2025
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 a versatile software engineer with a passion for aviation, robotics, and autonomous systems. You are comfortable working across technical domains, from perception and understanding to decision making and human-machine teaming. You take pride in delivering high-quality, maintainable code, collaborate well with other engineers and teams, and like to independently dig into new problems. You’re excited to see your code fly in the real world.

Responsibilities:

    • Develop software across the stack of an aircraft autonomy system, contributing to lower level embedded systems and higher level autonomy function areas as needed.

    • Implement and integrate algorithms for perception, reasoning, decision making, planning, and execution in support of autonomous airborne operations. 

    • Collaborate with domain leads to understand architecture, requirements, and design intent for specific capabilities.

    • Contribute to simulation, integration, and flight test activities to validate autonomy software in relevant environments.

    • Write, test, document and review code according to Merlin’s development standards.

    • Collaborate across Merlin to develop novel, certifiable systems to solve the toughest problems in aviation and autonomy.

Qualifications:

  • Degree in computer science, aerospace engineering, robotics, or a related field.

  • BS and 1+ or MS and 2+ years of experience developing software for robotic or autonomous systems.

  • Experience with Linux and open-source development tools.

  • Experience with overall product development cycle, including design, testing, and troubleshooting at the system level as well as at the software component level.

  • Experience with both Python and C++.

  • Experience with ROS, DDS or similar robotics middleware.

  • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to learn and contribute across different technical domains.

Nice to Have:

    • Experience developing autonomy software for aircraft, drones, or other high-integrity systems.

    • Experience with state machines, behavior trees, or task planning algorithms.

    • Experience with route, path and trajectory planning.

    • Experience with perception systems, sensor fusion, or world modeling concepts.

    • Experience with multi-agent collaboration and human-machine interfaces.

    • Experience with system integration, simulation, or flight testing of autonomous platforms.

    • Experience with hardware and software integration and debugging.

    • Pilot license and flight experience is a plus.

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.

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: [email protected]

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

Compensation (from employer):
130000–175000 USD per year

About this role

Summary

Develop and integrate software for aircraft autonomy systems and flight testing.

Job title

Autonomy Software Engineer

Experience level

1+ years

Minimum experience

1+ years exp

Industry

aerospace

Location requirements

Boston or remote, candidates must be authorized in the US

Salary

$130k–$175k

Management role

No

Skills & keywords

Required skills

LinuxPythonC++ROSDDS

Preferred skills

aircraft autonomysensor fusionpath planningsystem integration

Specializations

autonomyperceptiondecision makingroboticsembedded systems
Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

Boston, MA, USA

Hybrid City

United States

Remote Country
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