Sr. Staff Software Engineer, Product

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.

About the Role:

Archer is seeking an experienced Sr. Staff Software Engineer to lead the design, development, and scaling of the software solutions powering our Urban Air Mobility (UAM) consumer, airline , and AI products. You will oversee the technical direction of all our software products both internal and external. You will collaborate across teams including engineering, design, data science, aerospace, airline operations, executives and more.

As a Sr. Staff Software Engineer, you will be responsible for shaping the architecture and guiding technical execution, while also mentoring and inspiring engineers across the team. This role is ideal for someone with strong leadership capabilities who thrives in a fast-paced, cutting-edge environment.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead and define the architecture, design, and development of scalable and high-performance software systems for our software products including, but not limited to, our consumer, airline, and AI facing products.
• Work closely with product managers, designers, and cross-functional teams to define and refine technical requirements and ensure alignment with the company’s overall vision and objectives.
• Interface with executive leadership at Archer across multiple disciplines to prioritize, define, and drive workstreams that are crucial to Archer’s success.
• Drive the end-to-end software development lifecycle, from design and implementation to testing and deployment, ensuring high standards of quality and scalability.
• Provide leadership through technical guidance, setting coding standards, and conducting code reviews to maintain exceptional code quality across the team.
• Identify and resolve complex software defects, performance bottlenecks, and scalability challenges, driving optimizations where needed.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to continuously improve and enhance our software systems.
• Mentor and coach other engineers, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented environment that encourages knowledge-sharing and career development.
• Influence the strategic direction of the team’s technical roadmap, collaborating with senior leadership to align engineering efforts with business goals.

What You Need:

• BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering with a proven track record of delivering high-impact, high-quality software solutions.
• Extensive experience in designing and implementing large-scale, distributed software systems, with strong proficiency in Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, or other relevant programming languages.
• Deep expertise with frameworks and technologies such as FastAPI, React, Pydantic, AWS (Cognito, SNS, AmazonOne, JWO), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CDK).
• Exceptional understanding of system architecture, cloud infrastructure, and software engineering principles.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a focus on optimizing software for performance, scalability, and maintainability.
• Proven ability to provide leadership in both technical and non-technical contexts, influencing decisions and driving strategic technical initiatives.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and explain complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience or knowledge in the Aerospace and/or rideshare industries.
• 15+ years of professional experience in software engineering with a focus on designing and developing complex systems.
• Proven leadership experience, including managing or mentoring engineering teams, setting technical direction, and contributing to cross-functional strategic initiatives.
• Experience with AWS, Postgres, React, Node.js, or similar technologies is a plus.

At Archer, we aim to attract and retain top talent that possesses the expertise and leadership necessary to help us grow our business. We promote a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that drives our company’s success. For this position, we are targeting a base pay between 196,800.00 - $246,000.00. Actual compensation will be based on 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.

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.