Lab Architect

Archer • San Jose, CA

13d • $215,000 - $280,000

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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees