Senior Program Manager Jobs

Merlin Labs

Location:
United States, Boston

Category:
IT - Administration

Contract Type:
Not provided

Salary:

Not provided

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Job Description:

You are a strategic operator with deep program leadership experience and a passion for delivering mission-critical outcomes. As a Senior Program Manager at Merlin, you’ll play a pivotal role in leading and scaling a portfolio of high-impact customer-facing defense and autonomy programs—from early-stage capture through successful deployment and fielding.

Job Responsibility:

Own and lead a portfolio of government and defense programs, spanning autonomy integration, flight test, certification, and operational fielding
Drive program strategy and execution across multiple internal and external teams—including engineering, product, test, supply chain, and business development
Serve as the senior point of contact for customer engagements, program reviews, and critical milestones. Build trust and deliver with high accountability
Understand and interpret military customer needs and operator use cases, shaping internal roadmaps and priorities to align with mission success
Translate operator feedback and requirements into clear, actionable deliverables for engineering and test teams
Develop and manage integrated master schedules, financial plans, and program baselines across multiple workstreams
Identify and mitigate cross-program risks, resource constraints, and bottlenecks before they impact delivery
Contribute to and help lead capture activities, proposals, and new opportunity shaping alongside technical and business teams
Build and institutionalize execution processes and artifacts that scale as our portfolio grows (e.g., WBS frameworks, program rhythms, status reporting)
Provide mentorship and leadership across the broader program management organization

Requirements:

8 + years of experience in program or project leadership roles, ideally within aerospace, defense, or high-stakes dual-use technologies
Proven success leading complex programs involving cross-functional teams and technical integration
Demonstrated ability to work closely with military customers and operational users, with a deep understanding of their constraints, language, and expectations
Strong understanding of program lifecycle from capture to delivery, including contract structuring, CDRLs, SOWs, and earned value metrics
Strong systems thinking and technical curiosity
Exceptional listening, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build alignment between customers and internal teams
Ability to context switch between strategy, execution, and team dynamics across multiple efforts
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance

Nice to have:

Experience scaling program teams or building new operating models in high-growth environments
Prior experience in autonomy, mission systems, or flight control integration
Familiarity with government acquisition and test processes (DoD 5000 series, AFWERX, DIU, etc.)
Active Security Clearance

What we offer:

Catered lunches
Snacks
Beverages including coffee and tea
Health insurance
Dental insurance
Life insurance
Unlimited vacation
401k with match

Additional Information:

Job Posted:
December 10, 2025

Employment Type:

Fulltime

Work Type:

On-site work

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Senior Program Manager