Director, Air Vehicle Integration

Responsibilities:

Own systems integration end-to-end: define and maintain the integration architecture, interface control documents, and system-level verification strategy across Merlin’s flight vehicle, avionics, controls, and software programs.
Lead integration planning and execution across the full development lifecycle — from requirements decomposition through subsystem verification, system test, and aircraft-level validation.
Identify and manage interface risk across all technical disciplines, driving resolution of conflicts before they become program problems and maintaining a clear picture of open items, owners, and closure criteria.
Define and own the system-level test and integration planning, including ground integration testing, hardware-in-the-loop validation, and the transition to aircraft-level testing.
Partner with Flight Ops, Flight Controls, Avionics, Software, and Product Systems Engineering to establish and hold interface agreements, ensuring every team understands what it owes and what it is owed.
Lead major integration reviews including, bid and proposal reviews, system integration reviews, test readiness reviews, and configuration audits, and prepare the program for certification milestone events.
Build and lead the systems integration team: define roles, hire technical leads, and develop engineers who can own integration problems independently.
Drive root cause analysis and corrective action when system-level issues surface in test or flight, and ensure lessons are systematically captured and closed.
Serve as a key technical interface to certification authorities on system-level integration, verification, and validation evidence.
Establish integration processes and tooling that scale with the program — from a development program to a certified, deployed product.

Qualifications:

BS or MS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering.
12+ years of experience in systems engineering or systems integration roles on complex aerospace programs, with at least 4 years in a technical leadership capacity.
Deep expertise in interface definition and control: ICD development, requirements traceability, configuration management, and system-level verification and validation.
Experience leading integrations on programs that included both hardware and software, with direct accountability for system-level test outcomes.
Experience with DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754A, or equivalent civil or defense certification frameworks, with an understanding of how integration evidence flows into certification.
Proven ability to lead across organizational boundaries — driving alignment between engineering teams without direct authority over them.
Track record of hiring, developing, and retaining strong systems engineers in a high-stakes technical environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills: able to write precise technical documents and represent the program clearly in reviews, audits, and stakeholder briefings.

Nice to Have:

Experience with autonomous or highly automated systems integration, including integration of perception, planning, and control software stacks.
Background in avionics integration, including ARINC 429/664/825 data bus architecture and avionics system-level verification.
Experience with flight control system integration and familiarity with flight control law architectures and control surface actuation.
Flight test integration experience: test card development, instrumentation, real-time monitoring, and post-test data review.
Familiarity with DO-326A / ED-202A airworthiness security and its interaction with systems integration verification.
Experience standing up integration processes at an early-stage company or on a new-start program where the playbook did not yet exist.
Prior work with the FAA, EASA, or other civil and military aviation authorities in a technical integration or certification role.
Pilot certificate or meaningful operational flight experience