Staff Systems Engineer, Electric Propulsion

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer in San Jose, California, is hiring a Staff Systems Engineer, Electric Propulsion, to own ARP4754A‑compliant requirements across electrical, mechanical, and software domains for a forward‑looking eVTOL program.

You will author implementable propulsion and embedded software requirements, lead cross‑functional reviews, triage flight‑test anomalies, and drive closure of issues blocking flight readiness and certification.

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical, Aerospace, or Mechanical engineering; MS preferred.
• 8+ years systems engineering on aviation-certified programs with ARP4754A ownership.
• Experience authoring large requirements baselines with Polarion/DOORS/Jama.
• Lead cross-functional problem resolution forums and FHA/PSSA/SSA reviews as requirements owner.
• Deep DO-178C and/or DO-254 knowledge for verification artifacts.
• Familiarity with aircraft communication protocols and managing large open‑issue portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Own ARP4754A requirements across configurations (electrical, mechanical, software).
• Author requirements for propulsion hardware and embedded software and validate derived requirements.
• Lead cross‑functional engineering problem review forums and drive closure of issues.
• Triage and disposition flight test anomalies and own the open‑issue portfolio.
• Own propulsion readiness assessments at program milestones and report status.
• Support airworthiness/certification with propulsion understanding and traceability from requirement to closure.
• Coordinate propulsion interface definitions with aircraft stakeholders and drive integration.
• Flow down qualification requirements to subsystems and suppliers.
• Review test plans for propulsion qualification events and track verification closure.
• Participate in system-level integration tests ensuring correct propulsion interfaces.

Skills

Requirements ownership

System safety reviews

Cross-functional leadership

Flight test coordination

Traceability management

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical, Aerospace, or Mechanical engineering

Tools

Polarion

DOORS

Jama

Job description

Staff Systems Engineer, Electric Propulsion

San Jose, California, United States

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:

• Own ARP4754A‑compliant requirements at system, subsystem, and component levels: authoring, baselining, and maintaining traceability across all program configurations, spanning electrical, mechanical, and software elements.
• Author implementable requirements for propulsion hardware and embedded software — including fault detection logic, control state machine behavior, and communication interface definitions — and validate derived requirements for correctness; participate in FHA/PSSA/SSA reviews.
• Lead cross‑functional engineering problem review forums. Triage system‑level issues for classification, safety impact, ownership, and resolution priority; own PR documentation and drive issues to formal closure across hardware, software, and systems teams.
• Triage and disposition flight test anomalies; own the flight‑critical open‑issue portfolio and drive closure of all items blocking flight operations authorizations and flight readiness reviews.
• Own the technical assessment asserting propulsion system readiness at each program milestone. Compile requirements status, open issues, verification results, and risk dispositions into a structured flight readiness position.
• Support airworthiness and certification with propulsion technical understanding for FAA certification documentation, means of compliance definitions, and verification traceability from requirement through closure evidence.
• Own the propulsion SE interface to aircraft systems stakeholders. Coordinate motor controller behavioral specifications, fault response logic, and control interface definitions; represent the propulsion team in aircraft‑level integration change boards.
• Coordinate with hardware, firmware, and controls teams on design reviews, FMEA reviews, and powertrain syncs; define and flow down qualification requirements to subsystem teams and suppliers.
• Review and approve test plans for propulsion qualification events, ensuring alignment with the requirements baseline and certification scope; track verification closure from bench through flight test.
• Participate in integrated system‑level test events combining hardware, software, and vehicle control systems; ensure propulsion interface requirements are correctly reflected in integration test configurations.

What You Need:

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering; MS preferred.
• 8+ years of systems engineering on aviation‑certified or certification‑bound programs with direct, hands‑on ownership of an ARP4754A or equivalent certification compliance workstream.
• Demonstrated experience authoring and owning a large requirements baseline in Polarion, DOORS, Jama, or equivalent, including configuration control, traceability, and change management at scale.
• Experience leading cross‑functional engineering problem resolution forums and direct participation in FHA, PSSA, and SSA reviews as a system requirements owner.
• Deep working knowledge of DO‑178C and/or DO‑254 sufficient to audit verification artifacts, participate in DAL‑driven decomposition reviews, and evaluate independence requirements.
• Familiarity with vehicle or aircraft communication protocols sufficient to define message‑level interface requirements; ability to manage a large open‑issue portfolio under certification schedule pressure.

Bonus Qualifications:

• eVTOL, Part 23, or Part 33 type certification experience from a program that reached flight test or compliance closure milestones.
• Systems‑level familiarity with electric propulsion including power electronics, motor control, and mechanical drivetrain and sufficient to author and evaluate requirements across the full stack.
• HIL/SIL experience for integrated motor controller or powertrain software verification; DER coordination; working knowledge of ARP4761 and experience defining FAA means of compliance.

Compensation

We are targeting a base pay between $160,000 - $220,000. 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.

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.