Autonomy Software Engineer

Summary

Merlin is an aerospace and defense company building full-stack autonomy systems for aircraft. The Autonomy Software Engineer will develop and integrate software and algorithms across aircraft autonomy systems, contributing to perception, decision making, planning, simulation, integration, and flight testing.

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

Skills

• Degree in computer science, aerospace engineering, robotics, or a related field
• BS and 3+ or MS and 2+ years of experience developing software for robotic or autonomous systems
• Experience with state machines, behavior trees, or task planning algorithms
• Experience with route, path and trajectory planning
• 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
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future
• Experience developing autonomy software for aircraft, drones, or other high-integrity systems
• 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

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Degree in computer science, aerospace engineering, robotics, or a related field
• BS and 3+ or MS and 2+ years of experience developing software for robotic or autonomous systems
• Experience with state machines, behavior trees, or task planning algorithms
• Experience with route, path and trajectory planning
• 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
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future

Nice to Haves

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

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Unlimited vacation
• 401(k) with match
• Work/life integration
• Professional development support