Staff Flight Sciences Tools Development Engineer

Location: San Jose, California, United States

Department: Prototype

What you’ll do:

• Tools Development: Partner with the Flight Dynamics & Controls (FD&C) and GNC teams to design, build, and maintain the analysis and simulation tools they depend on, including aero parameter delivery pipelines, automated 6DOF plant model generation, trim and linearization utilities, and data reduction and validation tools.
• Toolchain Automation & Deployment: Own the automated toolchain that generates, builds, tests, and deploys MATLAB/Simulink models and analysis code across desktop simulation, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), and flight targets, working closely with the Platform embedded software team.
• CI/CD & Verification: Architect and maintain CI/CD workflows and automated regression and verification testing for models, data pipelines, and export workflows (GitHub Actions, GitLab Runner, TeamCity, Simulink Test), including test-vector generation for multi-dimensional lookup-table models.
• HPC & Scale: Build and scale High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure and job-scheduling workflows (e.g., Slurm) for large-scale 6DOF Monte Carlo simulations and batch regression testing.
• Data & Interfaces: Manage the software interfaces and data infrastructure between the “virtual vehicle” simulation and downstream platforms, including data dictionaries, schema-enforced databases, signal mapping, and Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and enable programmatic access for controls analysis workflows such as linear time-invariant (LTI) system analysis.
• Integration: Develop C/C++ integrations (S-functions, wrapper functions, and test harnesses) to bring compiled code and external libraries into the MATLAB/Simulink environment.
• Adoption & Best Practices: Package, document, and release reusable analysis tools, and drive engineering best practices, including version control, traceability, and iterative development (sprint planning, backlog management), across the modeling, controls, and data teams.
• Cross-Functional Multiplier: Flex across roles as program needs demand, contributing directly to vehicle simulation modeling, state-space and dynamics modeling, GNC integration, or physics tooling.

What you’ll need:

• Education & Experience: BS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with at least 8 years of relevant experience developing engineering analysis and simulation tools. MS or PhD desirable.
• Domain Foundation: Strong foundation in GNC, flight dynamics, and controls concepts, enabling you to speak the same language as the engineers whose tools you build.
• Tool Development: Expert-level proficiency developing and integrating custom analysis tools in MATLAB, Python, and C/C++.
• Model-Based Design: Strong experience with model-based design and simulation in Simulink.
• CI/CD: Proven experience designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines and automated testing for MATLAB/Simulink toolchains.
• HPC: Experience with HPC computing (Linux, Slurm, MATLAB Parallel Computing Toolbox) for large-scale simulation.
• Dynamics & Modeling: Experience with 6DOF or multi-body vehicle dynamics simulation and state-space modeling.
• Core Competencies: Strong technical, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced development environment.
• Ability to use, understand, and leverage modern LLMs and AI-based coding tools.

Bonus qualifications:

• Direct experience developing or verifying GNC or vehicle simulation systems in simulation or on hardware.
• eVTOL and/or rotorcraft experience.
• Experience with auto-code generation tools (Simulink Coder, Embedded Coder).
• Experience with Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) systems (e.g., Speedgoat, dSPACE, VeriStand).
• Experience developing test-stand and/or flight test data reduction and validation tooling.
• Familiarity with Model-Based Design certification standards (DO-331) or safety-critical software development (DO-178C).
• Experience packaging and containerizing simulation environments (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Proficiency with the Atlassian suite (Jira, Confluence) for technical documentation and agile workflow.

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 $162,800 - $227,600. 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.