Staff Electronics Engineer- Propulsion Controller

Company: Archer
Location: San Jose
Posted on: April 1, 2026

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 Propulsion Electronics Team at Archer is seeking a Staff Electrical Engineer to lead the architecture and design of mission-critical controller boards for our electric engines and generators. What You’ll Do Own the technical roadmap and architecture for engine and generator controller boards from concept through flight certification. Drive microcontroller selection, processing architecture, and memory management to meet real-time performance and safety requirements. Design low-voltage power distribution trees, precision analog signal conditioning circuits, and sensor interfaces for temperature, current, voltage, position, and vibration sensing in harsh environments. Architect and validate multi-protocol communication systems including CAN, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, and UART for integration with aircraft subsystems. Develop fault detection, isolation, and recovery logic in hardware to ensure fail-safe operation and meet functional safety requirements. Serve as technical authority for controller design, leading design reviews, mentoring engineers, and ensuring best practices for reliability and manufacturability. Collaborate with firmware, power electronics, mechanical, systems, and safety teams to integrate controllers into the propulsion system. Develop and execute validation plans using simulation and testing to meet performance, EMC, and certification requirements. What You Need Electrical Engineering Degree or equivalent experience. 8 years experience in complex electronics and control system design. Proven expertise in architecting microcontroller-based control systems from concept to production. Deep knowledge of low-voltage power design, analog signal conditioning, and communication protocols including CAN and Ethernet. Experience designing fault-tolerant, redundant electronics for safety-critical applications. Strong understanding of PCBA design for EMC/EMI mitigation, signal integrity, and thermal management. Demonstrated technical leadership and ability to mentor engineering teams. Bonus Qualifications Experience designing electrical systems for aerospace or automotive requirements Experience in embedded programming Experience designing PCBAs for high power and high voltage power converters and/or inverters Hands on experience with aviation DO-160G testing and DO-254 development Passion for aviation and eVTOLs At Archer, we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent with the skills and leadership needed to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s strategy. For this position, we are targeting a base pay range of $170,800 - $225,600. Actual compensation offered will be determined by 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 people@archer.com . 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 People@archer.com . All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.

Keywords: Archer, Santa Clara , Staff Electronics Engineer- Propulsion Controller, Engineering , San Jose, California