Senior Hardware Systems Engineer - Inverter AEH

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer is an aerospace company based in San Jose, California, driving an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft toward sustainable air mobility. The Hardware Systems Engineer role partners with inverter designers to define requirements, create templates, and manage certification artifacts for AEH, DO-254, and related analyses.

As part of a team delivering high-power electronics for aerospace applications, you will develop verification plans, lead design reviews, and document

Qualifications

• 7+ years of systems engineering experience with power electronics or complex hardware in regulated industries.
• Experience with structured hardware development processes (e.g., DO-254).
• Strong technical background in inverters, power converters, or motor drive systems.
• Experience with circuit-level analyses (WCCA, derating, stress analysis) and design reviews.
• Proficiency with requirements management tools (Polarion, DOORS, etc.).
• Excellent technical communication and documentation skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively within design teams.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the inverter hardware designers to define, manage, and trace requirements using tools like Polarion or DOORS.
• Create and maintain design templates, review checklists (schematics, layouts, BOMs), and standardized documentation for the team.
• Review critical design analyses including DFMEAs, WCCA, margin/derating, and thermal assessments.
• Develop hardware development plans, verification strategies, and other AEH certification artifacts.
• Lead design reviews and ensure requirements are correctly implemented and traceable.
• Work with designers to ensure design decisions are documented and justified for certification.

Skills

Systems engineering

Power electronics

Hardware development

Requirements management

Documentation

Team collaboration

Inverter / motor drive

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Polarion

DOORS

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.

The inverter design team is seeking a Hardware systems Engineer to drive the systems engineering processes for Airborne Electronic Hardware (AEH) certification. You'll work day-to-day with circuit designers to establish requirements, create design templates and checklists, review analyses, and ensure our hardware development meets certification standards.

What you’ll do:

• Partner with the inverter hardware designers to define, manage, and trace requirements using tools like Polarion or DOORS
• Create and maintain design templates, review checklists (schematics, layouts, BOMs), and standardized documentation for the team
• Review critical design analyses including DFMEAs, WCCA, margin/derating, and thermal assessments
• Develop hardware development plans, verification strategies, and other AEH certification artifacts
• Lead design reviews and ensure requirements are correctly implemented and traceable
• Work with designers to ensure design decisions are documented and justified for certification

What you need:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field, or equivalent experience
• 7+ years of systems engineering experience with power electronics or complex hardware in regulated industries
• Experience with structured hardware development processes (e.g., DO-254)
• Strong technical background in inverters, power converters, or motor drive systems
• Experience with circuit-level analyses (WCCA, derating, stress analysis) and design reviews
• Proficiency with requirements management tools (Polarion, DOORS, etc.)
• Excellent technical communication and documentation skills
• Proven ability to work collaboratively within design teams

Bonus Qualifications:

• Direct DO-254 and DO-160G experience
• Knowledge of SAE ARP4754A and ARP4761 (FMEA, FTA)
• Experience with high-power inverter systems and HIL testing
• Familiarity with 14 CFR Part 33 or aerospace certification processes
• Passion for aviation and eVTOLs

For this position we are targeting a base pay between $140,000 - $184,000. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

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.