Staff Hardware Integration Engineer
Archer · San Jose, California, United States
USD 140,000 to 260,000 a year
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Archer is a leader in the next-gen aerospace sector building an end-to-end advanced air mobility platform that delivers air taxis, unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), aviation-related physical artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions, and other technologies to customers worldwide across the commercial aerospace and defense sectors.
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.
Note: This role must be based onsite in the San Jose area. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
What You’ll Do:
- Own the physical build and bring-up of subscale aircraft platforms — mounting and wiring flight controllers, companion computers, radios, and sensor payloads
- Design and fabricate wiring harnesses, connectors, and power distribution for onboard electronics
- Validate integrated hardware end-to-end on the bench and on the platform, coordinating with test and program teams
- Troubleshoot EMI, power, and signal-integrity issues across sensor and compute interfaces
- Collaborate with perception, navigation, and test engineers to ensure hardware meets system requirements
- Maintain build documentation, wiring diagrams, and configuration records for fielded systems
What You Need:
- Education: Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in EE, ME, Robotics, or a related field, featuring direct industry experience deploying autonomy hardware (Ph.D. + 4 yrs / M.S. + 8 yrs / B.S. + 10 yrs)
- Hardware & Vehicle Integration: Hands-on experience integrating, mounting, and bringing up hardware on small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones), robotics, or mechatronic platforms
- Interfaces & Connectivity: Direct experience integrating sensor payloads and compute architectures using communication interfaces such as MIPI, USB, Ethernet, and CAN
- Harnessing: Demonstrated skill in wire harness design, custom connectorization, cable routing, and physical integration for benchtop and flight testing
- Electrical: Practical understanding of EMI mitigation techniques, power management, and noise reduction for embedded avionics systems
- Testing & Debug: Proven ability to work hands-on in a lab, hangar, or field test environment to execute end-to-end hardware bring-up, bench validation, and system debugging
Bonus Qualifications:
- Flight Controls & Compute: Hands-on experience with PX4/ArduPilot flight controllers and NVIDIA Jetson (or similar) companion computers
- RF & Telemetry: Experience selecting, wiring, and integrating radios and telemetry systems for real-time video/data transport
- Domain Expertise: Prior background in small aircraft, aerospace payload integration, or mobile robotics
- Operations: Experience supporting live flight tests, benchtop hardware validation, or field operations
Please note that this job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not include an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications.
At Archer we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent that possess the skills and leadership necessary to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s business strategy. For this position we are targeting a base pay between $172,800 - $216,000. 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 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.
Certain positions may be eligible for visa sponsorship.
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.