Sr. Staff GNC Engineer

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 240,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer Aviation, based in San Jose, CA, is seeking a Senior Flight Controls Engineer to design and implement flight control algorithms for an all‑electric VTOL aircraft. You will build simulations, run design trade studies, and collaborate across Flight Test and Systems Engineering to verify requirements and ensure safety.

Strong background in dynamics and control is required. The role emphasizes modeling fidelity, aircraft/system integration, and real‑world validation through hardware and

Qualifications

• Requires deep knowledge of vehicle dynamics, optimization and both classical and modern control theory.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink to model, verify and flight‑critical software components.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement flight control algorithms for VTOL aircraft.
• Implement creative solutions to efficiently verify complex systems and software.
• Build simulations to verify and validate system requirements.
• Run trade studies to inform aircraft design and system architecture.
• Collaborate with Flight Test to design tests that safely evaluate capabilities.
• Improve fidelity and capabilities of vehicle and environment simulation models.
• Analyze flight data to improve models.
• Author software requirements and test cases for GNC software.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering to decompose requirements.
• Identify and correct deficiencies in Flight Control System with Safety/Systems groups.

Skills

Vehicle dynamics

Optimization

Control theory

Education

BS in Aerospace Eng / Electrical/Computer Eng or related field with 10+ yrs OR MS with 6+ yrs OR PhD with 4+ yrs

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

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.

What you’ll do:

• Design and implement flight control algorithms for novel VTOL aircraft
• Implement creative solutions to efficiently verify complex systems and software
• Build simulations to verify and validate system requirements
• Run trade studies to inform aircraft design and system architecture
• Work with the Flight Test team to design tests that safely evaluate the vehicle capabilities
• Improve the fidelity and capabilities of our vehicle and environment simulation models
• Analyze full-scale and sub scale flight data to improve our models
• Author software requirements and test cases that drive the design of the GNC software
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering to properly decompose higher level requirements
• Collaborate with Systems Safety and Systems Engineering to identify and correct any deficiencies in the Flight Control System.

What you need:

• Strong knowledge of vehicle dynamics, optimization, and both classical and modern control theory
• BS in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related field with at least 10 years of relevant experience ORMS with at least 6 years of relevant experience ORPhD with at least 4 years of relevant experience
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink

Bonus Qualifications:

Familiarity with aircraft or rotorcraft performance and handling qualities requirements

• Experience verifying GNC systems in simulation and on hardware
• Experience with envelope protection
• Experience with modeling physics, sensors, and actuators
• Experience applying system identification techniques to aircraft or rotorcraft
• Knowledge of fault detection and isolation techniques
• Experience implementing trajectory generation and/or optimization algorithms
• Experience flight testing piloted and/or autonomous aircraft or rotorcraft
• Piloting experience (aircraft or rotorcraft)

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. For this position we are targeting a base pay between $240,000 - $270,000 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.