How to apply for Lead Flight Controls & Software Engineer – Special Programs

About Archer

Archer builds electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for urban air mobility, plus unmanned aircraft systems and defense-related technologies. It is headquartered in Silicon Valley and operates a Special Programs team that does rapid prototyping for advanced and defense-focused work. The company states that diversity and an inclusive environment are central to how it operates.

About the role

This is a lead engineering role in Archer's Special Programs team, which is a small, cross-functional group that moves from early technical assessment to hands-on design, analysis, and prototype development. The core competency required is flight controls and software engineering: control law development, flight dynamics, and the embedded flight control and autopilot software that implements them on prototype vehicles. The role is remote within the US and full-time.

A typical day

A typical day may involve designing or analyzing control laws, working on embedded flight control or autopilot software, and coordinating with other engineers in the Special Programs team. The team moves from early technical assessment through design, analysis, and prototype development, so tasks can shift across disciplines. Exact daily routines are not described in the job details; ask about team structure and typical workflows during interviews.

Who Archer is looking for

• Has deep experience in control law design and analysis for aircraft or similar vehicles, including flight dynamics modeling.
• Has hands-on experience developing embedded flight control and autopilot software, not just simulation or analysis.
• Has worked on prototype or rapid-development programs where moving quickly across disciplines is required.
• Can lead technical work in a small team and communicate across engineering functions.

Tips for this application

• Tailor your resume to show both control law design and embedded software implementation, since the role requires both as core competencies.
• Include specific examples of prototype or rapid-prototyping work, because Special Programs is described as a rapid-prototyping team.
• Mention any experience with defense-focused or advanced development efforts, since Special Programs supports those areas.
• State your US work authorization or location clearly, since the role is remote within the US.
• Avoid generic aerospace language. Use terms from the job description such as control law development, flight dynamics, embedded flight control, and autopilot software.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your direct experience with control law design and analysis for prototype vehicles.', 'Your hands-on work with embedded flight control and autopilot software.', 'How you have contributed to small, cross-functional teams that move from assessment to prototype.', 'Why you want to work on advanced and defense-focused development efforts in a rapid-prototyping group.']

Research before applying

• Read Archer's public materials on its eVTOL aircraft, UAS, and defense-related programs to understand the product context.
• Look up the Special Programs team's role in rapid prototyping and advanced development at Archer.
• Check Archer's recent news or announcements about prototype vehicles or defense efforts.
• Review the job description for repeated terms like control law development, flight dynamics, and autopilot software to align your examples.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk through a control law you designed and how you validated it.
• How do you approach flight dynamics modeling for a new prototype vehicle?
• Describe your experience with embedded flight control or autopilot software development.
• How do you work in a small, cross-functional team that moves quickly across disciplines?
• What interests you about Archer's Special Programs and its defense-focused work?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying with only simulation or analysis experience and no embedded software work, since the role requires both.
• Ignoring the rapid-prototyping and cross-functional nature of Special Programs and presenting only large, slow program experience.
• Using generic aerospace buzzwords without concrete examples of control law design or autopilot software.