Lab Architect

Archer•San Jose, CA

16h•Onsite

About The Position

Archer is looking for a Lab Architect to lead the design, development, and long-term evolution of our eVTOL integrated Lab ecosystem, including Iron Bird platforms, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) environments, and full-system simulation and test infrastructure. This role is a combination of long term vision and hands-on development, building the technical foundations of how our aircraft systems are tested—from early prototyping through FAA certification. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in building complex aerospace test labs, integrating real-time simulation environments, and guiding multidisciplinary teams through system integration and regulatory processes. In addition, this role will drive next-generation automation and AI-assisted workflows to enhance testing efficiency, and scalability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
15+ years experience building aerospace test labs.
Expertise with real-time simulation environments (dSPACE, NI VeriStand).
Proficiency in C/C++/Python/Matlab/Simulink.
Proven experience architecting complex test infrastructure (electrical, networking, computing, control interfaces).
Strong understanding of aircraft system integration.
Familiarity with FAA certification processes and standards (DO-178C, ARP4754A/4761).
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional design teams and large-scale technical programs.
Capable of setting long-term technical vision while remaining execution-focused.
Excellent communication skills with ability to interface with all levels of the organization.

Nice To Haves

Experience specifically with eVTOL, or hybrid-electric aircraft.
Background implementing AI/automation in engineering or test environments.
Experience with Model-Based Design

Responsibilities

Architect the overall integrated lab ecosystem, including Iron Birds, HILs, and multiple system benches.
Define the lab-wide simulation architecture, integrating aircraft systems and simulation models and associated HW into a cohesive real-time environment.
Define the physical, electrical, networking, and computational infrastructure for labs
Lead cross-functional design reviews for new test platforms or updates to existing platforms.
Improve configuration management and traceability aligned with certification needs.
Collaborate with certification authorities during for-credit testing, audits, lab inspections, and test method reviews.
Create a long-term roadmap to embed AI, ML, and automation into the lab ecosystem, including: automated test execution, automated data pipelines, and results classification
Provide technical mentorship and guide architectural decisions across all lab programs.
Drive CI/CD, and DevOps best practices into labs