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Open since May 2026

Autonomy Software EngineerMerlin Labs · Boston

Autonomy Software Engineer

BostonHybridFull-time

AI Summary

Develops software across the stack of an aircraft autonomy system, implementing perception, reasoning, planning, and execution algorithms for autonomous airborne operations.

About this role

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.

    • Requirements:

  • 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 Haves

  • Experience developing autonomy software for aircraft, drones, or other safety-critical systems
  • Proficiency with state machines, behavior trees, and task planning algorithms
  • Expertise in route, path, and trajectory planning
  • Knowledge of perception systems, sensor fusion, and world modeling
  • Experience with multi-agent collaboration and human–machine interfaces
  • Background in system integration, simulation, and flight testing of autonomous platforms
  • Strong skills in hardware/software integration and debugging
  • Pilot license and flight experience is a plus

    • Skills

    Behavior TreesC++DDSDebuggingFlight TestingHardware/software IntegrationHuman–machine InterfacesLinuxMulti-agent CollaborationOpen-source Development ToolsPath PlanningPerception SystemsPythonROSRoute PlanningSensor FusionSimulationState MachinesSystem IntegrationTask Planning AlgorithmsTrajectory PlanningWorld Modeling

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