Lead Special Programs Engineer at archer56

Compensation

$138,200 – $190,100/yr

Location: San Jose, California
Level: not_specified
Posted: Jul 30, 2026

Description

Archer, an aerospace company based in San Jose, California, is seeking a Lead Special Programs Engineer specializing in Flight Controls & Software. The role involves leading flight control law design, embedded software development, and rapid prototyping for advanced aerospace programs. The engineer will own the flight controls and software discipline within Special Programs, conducting technical feasibility assessments and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Required Skills

flight control law development
flight dynamics modeling
stability and control assessment
embedded flight control and autopilot software
rapid prototyping
concept modeling
simulation
hardware-in-the-loop test
flight test support
technical feasibility assessments
control design
embedded software development tools

Additional Information

Required Previous Experiences: Demonstrated experience in flight control law development, flight dynamics, or stability and control analysis for aerospace platforms.
Demonstrated experience developing embedded flight control or autopilot software.
8–12 years of relevant engineering experience (or equivalent demonstrated experience in rapid-prototyping / advanced-programs environments)
Preferred Qualifications: advanced degree
Familiarity with relevant control design, simulation, and embedded software development tools.
Experience or strong aptitude for evaluating technical feasibility of early-stage concepts, not just executing against defined requirements.
Comfort operating as a generalist when needed — willingness and ability to contribute outside your core focus area in support of program needs.
Ability to work independently with significant technical ownership and no direct-report support structure.