About Merlin:
Merlin (NASDAQ: MRLN) is a publicly traded aerospace and defense company building a non-human pilot to deliver full-stack autonomy for any aircraft from takeoff to touchdown. The Merlin Pilot autonomy system powers a growing range of aircraft and mission profiles and has been proven through hundreds of autonomous flights from Merlin's global flight test facilities, including Kerikeri, New Zealand; Quonset Point, Rhode Island; and soon, Bedford, Massachusetts. Headquartered in Boston, Merlin is expanding its organization to accelerate the development and deployment of its autonomy platform, helping customers solve some of aviation's most pressing challenges, from pilot shortages to improving flight safety. Backed by some of the world's leading investors prior to its public listing, Merlin continues to advance the certification and commercialization of autonomous flight across commercial and defense aviation.
About You:
You are a senior government relations leader with deep experience navigating the intersection of policy, procurement, and mission-driven technology. You understand how government stakeholders make decisions—and how to position emerging technologies to align with national priorities and operational needs.
You are equally comfortable building relationships at senior levels across government agencies and working internally with commercial, program, and technical teams to translate those relationships into tangible outcomes. You operate with a strong sense of ownership and accountability for driving access, influence, and ultimately revenue.
You are strategic, credible, and execution-oriented—able to open doors, shape opportunities, and help convert them into funded programs.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and lead Merlin’s government relations strategy, aligned with revenue and growth objectives
- Build and maintain senior-level relationships across U.S. government agencies, including defense, aviation, and related stakeholders
- Partner closely with the Chief Revenue Officer and Business Development teams to identify, shape, and advance opportunities within government channels
- Support the development and positioning of Merlin’s capabilities in alignment with government priorities, missions, and funding pathways
- Navigate and influence procurement processes, including traditional and non-traditional acquisition pathways
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Strategy, Programs, Engineering, and Policy to ensure alignment between government engagement and product direction
- Provide insights into budget cycles, policy developments, and funding opportunities that impact revenue strategy
- Represent Merlin in meetings, briefings, and industry forums to strengthen credibility and visibility within the government ecosystem
- Help drive capture strategy and deal progression for key government programs
- Develop clear internal reporting and external-facing materials to support executive and Board-level visibility
Qualifications:
12-15+ years of experience in government relations, defense programs, or public sector business development
Deep understanding of U.S. government structure, procurement processes, and funding mechanisms
Experience engaging with Dod, FAA, DHS, or related agencies
Proven ability to build relationships that lead to programmatic outcomes or revenue generation
Strong understanding of mission-driven technologies, ideally in aerospace, autonomy, or defense
Experience operating in complex, regulated environments
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders internally and externally
Nice to Have:
Experience with autonomous systems, aviation, or advanced air mobility
Familiarity with non-traditional acquisition pathways
Background in military service, government leadership, or senior advisory roles
Experience work in or with venture-backed or high-growth technology companies
Strong network across relevant government and defense communities
Ability to operate effectively in fast-scaling ambiguous environments
