Drive design of user interfaces for aviation systems, collaborate with cross-functional teams, conduct user research, and ensure compliance with aviation standards.
About You:
You are a skilled UI/UX designer with experience designing displays in aviation, aerospace, or other safety-critical industry. You have a passion for designing displays that support operators of safety-critical systems in which an increasing number of traditionally-manual tasks are being automated. You are comfortable with and competent at working with a team of senior and junior engineers, can make and justify key decisions to the rest of the team and to stakeholders, and want to drive a team’s technical direction in close collaboration with the technical leads and engineering manager.
The Role:
- Drive the design of usable, intuitive user interfaces that enable pilots to interact with Merlin’s autonomous flight technologies.
- Conduct user research with Merlin’s pilots and potential end-users of Merlin’s systems to gather insights and validate design concepts.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (including engineers, pilots, and software developers) to design and implement user interfaces for avionics and flight control systems.
- Ensure interface designs meet aviation standards (e.g., ARINC 661, DO-178C, FAA and EASA guidelines).
- Integrate advanced design methodologies with tools such as GLStudio, Qt, Figma, or other UI development platforms.
- Explore emerging technologies (e.g., augmented reality, AI, and voice control) for application in aviation systems.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in human factors, interaction design, industrial design, computer science, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in UI/UX design, preferable in aviation, aerospace, or other safety-critical industries.
- Demonstrated track record developing usable and intuitive user interfaces that enhance user situational awareness, reduce workload, and mitigate errors.
- Proficiency in user interface development tools like GLStudio, Qt, or other real-time graphical user interface platforms.
- Experience using prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).
- Familiarity with human factors principles and usability testing processes.
- Familiarity with aviation industry standards (e.g., ARINC 661, DO-178C, FAA and EASA guidelines).
- Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to convey design concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Nice to Haves:
- Master’s or Doctorate degree in human factors, interaction design, industrial design, computer science, or a related field.
- Experience using GLStudio to develop user interfaces.
- Experience with avionics systems integration and software development.
- Experience certifying pilot-vehicle interfaces on military and/or civil aircraft.
- Experience with flight testing on crewed or uncrewed aircraft.
- Familiarity with DoD and commercial open architectures such as A-GRA, OMS, FACE, and IMA.
Logistics:
- 20-30% of travel required to support team meetings, design activities, and flight testing
Top Skills
Adobe Xd
Figma
Glstudio
Qt
Sketch
Merlin Labs Boston, Massachusetts, USA Office
31 Saint James Ave, Boston, MA, United States, 02116
Similar Jobs
Hardware • Other • Appliances
The Field Applications Engineer provides technical guidance to customers, supports the sales team, and manages design processes to meet customer expectations while ensuring compliance and minimizing risk.
Top Skills:
BuswayPduPower Distribution ProductsSwitchgears
Edtech • Software • Design
Facilitators in Artificial Intelligence guide learners through an online program, providing personalized feedback, facilitating discussions, and assessing projects while connecting curriculum to real-world applications.
Top Skills:
Artificial IntelligenceCurriculum DevelopmentOnline Education
Edtech
The Senior Product Designer will lead design for major product areas, create prototypes, conduct user research, and collaborate across teams to optimize product experiences and drive initiatives at Maven.
Top Skills:
CSSHTMLUiUx
What you need to know about the Boston Tech Scene
Boston is a powerhouse for technology innovation thanks to world-class research universities like MIT and Harvard and a robust pipeline of venture capital investment. Host to the first telephone call and one of the first general-purpose computers ever put into use, Boston is now a hub for biotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence — though it’s also home to several B2B software giants. So it’s no surprise that the city consistently ranks among the greatest startup ecosystems in the world.
Key Facts About Boston Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 269,000; 9.4% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Toast, Klaviyo, HubSpot, DraftKings
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, software, aerospace
- Funding Landscape: $15.7 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Summit Partners, Volition Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, MassVentures, Highland Capital Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: MIT, Harvard University, Boston College, Tufts University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, National Bureau of Economic Research, Broad Institute, Lowell Center for Space Science & Technology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories