Senior Flight Test Planner – Certification-Focused

Archer; United States; Remote; USD 962,000 - 1,324,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer Aviation, headquartered in Silicon Valley, is a leader in the next-gen aerospace sector building an end-to-end mobility platform for air taxis, UAS, and aviation AI. This role focuses on flight test operations and regulatory compliance across commercial and defense projects.

The position requires a strong background in flight test planning, FAA certification programs, and safety risk management, with proven collaboration and meticulous attention to detail.

Qualifications

• Bachelors/Master Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in flight test operations.
• Strong knowledge of airworthiness certification flight test programs and regulatory requirements.
• Experience with safety risk management processes related to flight testing or complex operational testing.
• Proficiency in planning/executing ground and flight tests within certification or military projects.
• Exceptional collaboration and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized with a strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Develop flight test plans traceable to FAA certification requirements.
• Partner with subsystem engineering to understand system design intent, failure modes, and risk areas, translating into test procedures.
• Lead or support Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs) coordinating inputs from engineering, safety, and operations to confirm readiness to fly.
• Author and maintain test plan documentation, including matrices, procedures, instrumentation and data requirements, and pass/fail criteria.
• Coordinate with certification engineers and FAA representatives to ensure test plans and results support certification basis and findings.
• Contribute to lessons-learned and process improvement to speed up future test planning cycles.

Skills

Flight test operations

Regulatory knowledge

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelors/Master s Degree in Aerospace Engineering

Job description

Archer Aviation, headquartered in Silicon Valley, is a leader in the next-gen aerospace sector building an end-to-end mobility platform for air taxis, UAS, and aviation AI. This role focuses on flight test operations and regulatory compliance across commercial and defense projects.

The position requires a strong background in flight test planning, FAA certification programs, and safety risk management, with proven collaboration and meticulous attention to detail.