Propulsion Controls Engineer, Motor

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer in San Jose, California is seeking a Propulsion Controls Engineer to design, develop, and optimize control systems for electric propulsion and power generation. You will collaborate with flight controls, aerodynamics, and structures teams to deliver safe, scalable urban air mobility.

Responsibilities include implementing motor/generator control algorithms (FOC, DTC, observers), hardware-in-the-loop testing, DO-178C/DO-254 compliance, and integration with battery management systems.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in aircraft propulsion systems and high-performance electric motor control.
• Expert-level proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++ for real-time embedded control.
• Experience with system modeling, plant models, and fault-tolerant control.
• Background in safety-critical or flight-critical system development.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and validate motor/generator control algorithms for electric propulsion systems.
• Coordinate with flight control, aerodynamics, and structures teams to optimize propulsion performance.
• Develop interfaces between flight computers, inverters, propulsion controls, and battery management systems.
• Create and maintain HIL testing environments and plant models for motors/generators.
• Ensure DO-178C/DO-254 compliance and rigorous configuration management of control software.

Skills

Motor control

Flight controls

Matlab/Simulink

Python

C/C++

System modeling

HIL testing

Fault-tolerant control

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Python

C/C++

Job description

Archer is an aerospace company based in San Jose, California building an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with a mission to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility. We are designing, manufacturing, and operating an all-electric aircraft that can carry four passengers while producing minimal noise.

Our sights are set high and our problems are hard, and we believe that diversity in the workplace is what makes us smarter, drives better insights, and will ultimately lift us all to success. We are dedicated to cultivating an equitable and inclusive environment that embraces our differences, and supports and celebrates all of our team members.

We are seeking a highly skilled Propulsion Controls Engineer to design, develop, and optimize control systems for our advanced electric propulsion and power generation systems. The successful candidate will play a critical role in bringing safe, sustainable, and scalable urban air mobility to life through innovative propulsion control technologies.

What you'll do:

• Design, implement, and validate advanced motor/generator control algorithms for electric propulsion systems, including sensorless and observer-based control techniques.
• Develop interfaces between flight control computers, motor/generator inverters, propulsion controls, and battery management systems.
• Coordinate with aerodynamics, structures, and flight controls teams to optimize integrated propulsion system performance.
• Create and maintain control system architectures, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing environments and plant model development for motor/generator systems.
• Design redundant fault detection, isolation, and recovery systems for safe flight operations, including motor/generator fault handling.
• Conduct rigorous system-level testing and validation of motor control algorithms and observers.
• Perform hardware-in-the-loop and iron-bird testing for flight-critical systems, focusing on motor/generator system performance and safety.
• Support flight testing activities and data analysis for control system validation across the operational envelope.
• Collaborate with flight test team to validate propulsion performance across flight envelope.
• Ensure compliance with DO-178C (software), DO-254 (hardware), and other applicable aviation standards.
• Maintain rigorous configuration management of flight-critical control system software.
• Develop control strategies and algorithms for electric actuators and ancillary propulsion systems.

What you'll need:

• 2+ years of experience in aircraft propulsion systems, high-performance electric motor control, flight controls, electric vehicle powertrains, or energy storage systems.
• Extensive experience with advanced motor control algorithms (e.g., FOC, DTC, observers, sensorless control) and multi-motor control architectures preferred.
• Background in flight-critical or safety-critical system development.
• Expert-level proficiency in control integration, state machine design, high-voltage systems, and fault-tolerant control.
• Expert proficiency with system modeling, control system simulation, and plant model development for electric machines (motors/generators).
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink, C/C++ for real-time embedded control systems, and Python for analysis.
• Knowledge of battery management systems and high-voltage safety.
• Experience with system hardware bring-up, HIL testing, and integration ofmotor/generator drive systems.

Archer is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants with physical or mental disabilities, and those with sincerely held religious beliefs. Applicants who may require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should provide their name and contact information to Archer’s People Team at [e-mail]. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Information collected and processed as part of any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Archer's Candidate Privacy Policy.

Archer is unable to provide work visa sponsorship for this position at the present time.

Archer is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. All aspects of employment are decided on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Archer Aviation does not engage with external recruiting agencies/individual recruiters with whom it does not have a prior written agreement. Archer reserves the right to make use of any unsolicited resumes that it receives and bears no responsibility for payment of any fees asserted from the use of unsolicited resumes. If you are a recruiting agency or individual recruiter wishing to do business with Archer, please reach out to [e-mail]. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.

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