Director, Strategy

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. Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, unlimited vacation, and 401k with match) and work/life integration. Being part of the Merlin team allows you to become part of a small team that supports professional development while working together to achieve our mission. Merlin Labs is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military service or obligation or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks. At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.  In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: people@merlinlabs.com Merlin Labs does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates. country: US all locations: [Washington DC] commitment: Full Time department: Business Development location: Washington DC team: Revenue Operations About You:: You are a strategic operator with a deep interest in aviation, autonomy, and complex, regulated environments. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity, connecting technical innovation to market opportunity, and driving initiatives from concept through execution.  You bring a structured approach to problem solving, strong business judgment, and the ability to influence across engineering, program, and commercial teams. You are equally comfortable in executive-level discussions and rolling up your sleeves to move critical initiatives forward.  Responsibilities: : Partner with executive leadership to define and evolve Merlin’s business and corporate strategy  Translate long-term vision into clear strategic priorities, roadmaps, and execution plans  Identify and evaluate new markets, mission sets, and customer segments across commercial and government domains  Develop go-to-market and growth strategies in regulated and government-contracted environments  Lead high-priority, cross-functional strategic initiatives from concept through implementation  Collaborate with Engineering, Programs, and Business Development to ensure alignment between technical development and business objectives  Support strategy related to FAA certification pathways and defense procurement processes  Build data-driven analyses, business cases, and executive-level materials to support decision-making and Board discussions  Assess competitive landscape, partnerships, and ecosystem dynamics to inform strategic positioning  Act as a force multiplier for leadership by increasing decision velocity and organizational alignment  Requirements:: 7-10+ years of experience in strategy, operations, or program leadership  Experience in aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, or other highly regulated industries  Proven ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels  Experience working with or alongside government customers or complex regulatory environments  Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills  Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives with measurable impact  Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at both executive and technical levels  Nice to Haves: : Experience in autonomous systems, aviation, or AI-driven platforms  Familiarity with FAA certification, DoD procurement, or mission-based program development  Background in management consulting, corporate strategy, or high-growth startups  Experience scaling strategy in a venture-backed or rapidly growing company  Ability to navigate ambiguity and build structure in evolving environments  Operator mindset with a track record of driving strategy through execution