A

Archer

Designs and sells electric VTOL aircraft

Staff AI Systems Engineer

Full-Time
$190k - $237k
Senior
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
San Jose, CA, USA
In Person
DevOps & InfrastructurePlatform Engineering
H1B Sponsorship Available

About the job

Requirements
  • A BS, MS, or PhD degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
  • At least five years of professional software engineering experience focused on AI/ML systems, high-performance computing, or ML infrastructure.
  • Familiarity with hyperscaler infrastructure such as AWS, specialized AI bare-metal and GPU clouds such as Nebius AI Cloud, Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud-agnostic cluster abstractors such as SkyPilot.
  • Deep architectural understanding of large language models and infrastructure for serving them at scale using frameworks such as vLLM and SGLang.
  • Experience building high-throughput data pipelines for large-scale training, including proficiency in SQL, NoSQL, and columnar storage formats such as Parquet.
Responsibilities
  • Architect, deploy, and manage critical infrastructure services for large-scale AI model training and inference.
  • Deploy, scale, and manage resilient infrastructure services for distributed AI model training and low-latency inference.
  • Use and maintain end-to-end tooling, including MLflow for experiment tracking and model registry, to streamline and optimize the AI development lifecycle.
  • Use specialized frameworks to maximize hardware utilization, managing multi-cloud compute scheduling alongside advanced LLM serving engines.
  • Partner with AI researchers and software engineers to productionize models, establish monitoring systems, and debug performance bottlenecks at the hardware-software interface.
Desired Qualifications
  • Familiarity with audio processing, speech-to-text frameworks, or Automatic Speech Recognition pipelines.
  • Prior experience or a deep technical interest in aerospace, aviation, or autonomous systems, such as safety-critical software or edge-AI deployments.

About the company

Archer designs and develops electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban transport. Its eVTOLs use electric propulsion to take off and land vertically, enabling compact, city-friendly air mobility that can serve urban commuters and feed into air taxi networks. The company sells its aircraft directly and may in the future generate revenue from air taxi services or related operations, blending aircraft sales with service fees. Archer differentiates itself by focusing on the urban air mobility market and pursuing a direct-sales approach paired with potential operation services, aiming to partner with city planners and transportation networks to integrate eco-friendly, on-demand urban transport. The goal is to advance sustainable, city-centered air mobility and help cities reduce congestion and pollution by offering practical, electric aerial transit.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

San Jose, California

Founded

2020

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Archer completed July 30, 2026 Salinas-to-Monterey flights, validating city-to-city operations.
  • August 2026 L.A. LIVE exclusive vertiport deal anchors LA28 visibility and infrastructure.
  • The Pentagon still values Archer’s $142 million Air Force contract and hybrid defense pivot.

What critics are saying

  • Joby’s September 2026 trade-secrets case survived, prolonging legal distraction and discovery costs.
  • Midnight still lacks FAA type certification, so 2026 passenger service remains unproven.
  • If certification or eIPP slips, Archer burns cash against $2.785 billion accumulated losses.

What makes Archer unique

  • Boeing’s August 2026 deal gives Archer Wisk, Insitu, SkyGrid, and Boeing backing.
  • Archer closed FAA Phase 3 first and received 100% Means of Compliance acceptance.
  • Its golden manufacturing line links Silicon Valley learning directly to Georgia production ramp.

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Benefits

  • Performance Bonus

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

3%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

0%
Yahoo Finance
Oct 19th, 2026
Archer Aviation could hit $506M revenue by 2028, but spending may still outpace it

Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) could more than triple its revenue by the end of 2028, according to one analyst view. Analysts expect about $506 million, up from roughly $7 million over the last 12 months. The company's Midnight aircraft can fly but still lacks the FAA approval needed for full-scale commercial passenger operations. Several deals could drive growth. Archer plans to buy three Boeing subsidiaries, including a profitable drone business with more than $200 million in annual revenue. It also supplies electric powertrains for Anduril's Omen aircraft, and the United Arab Emirates has committed to buy 50 Omen systems. Even so, $500 million may not cover costs. Archer's operating expenses last quarter were about $284 million.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 17th, 2026
Cathie Wood's ARK buys $12.1M of Archer Aviation as shares fall 46% this year

ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, bought 2,566,731 shares of Archer Aviation on October 4, worth about $12.1 million at that day's closing price. The shares were bought by its Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF and Space Exploration & Innovation ETF. Archer's stock has fallen 26% in the past month and 46% this year. The company, which has a market cap of $3.6 billion, is developing Midnight, an electric air taxi with vertical takeoff and landing. In the second quarter, Archer's revenue rose to $5.0 million from $1.6 million in the first quarter, but net loss was $263.2 million. It ended the quarter with $1.56 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. Of 10 analysts covering the stock, five rate it a "Strong Buy." The average target price is $10.40.

Yahoo Finance
Oct 11th, 2026
Barclays' military focus on Archer Aviation meets patent fight; fair value $10.61

Barclays began analyst coverage of Archer Aviation in October 2026 with a favourable view. It pointed to the company's military work and operational strengths as key drivers of its Midnight electric aircraft programme. Archer is also in a patent dispute with Vertical Aerospace over alleged infringement tied to Midnight. The new counterclaim adds legal uncertainty, though it looks more like an overhang than a change to certification and deployment milestones. The bull case rests on Midnight winning FAA certification and starting operations. September's city-to-city Midnight flights in Northern California were a step in that direction. Simply Wall St's narrative projects $716.0 million in revenue and $62.9 million in earnings by 2029. It puts fair value at $10.61, 114% above the current price.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 29th, 2026
Archer Aviation uses 'golden manufacturing line' to scale Midnight eVTOL production

Archer Aviation is implementing a "golden manufacturing line" strategy to streamline its transition from early aircraft builds to high-volume production. The approach uses its Silicon Valley facility for final assembly during the initial phase whilst preparing its Georgia site for larger-scale manufacturing. The strategy enables Archer to identify production issues early and apply lessons from initial Midnight aircraft builds to its Georgia operation. The company is focusing internal development on key technologies including electric and hybrid propulsion systems, flight control software, and composites, whilst sourcing non-differentiating components from existing aerospace suppliers. This manufacturing approach aims to support a structured transition as Archer works towards certification and commercial deployment. The company is currently ramping up production capabilities across facilities in California and Georgia.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 26th, 2026
Pentagon shifts eVTOL focus to hybrid aircraft, Archer lands $142M Air Force contract

The Pentagon is shifting its eVTOL aircraft priorities towards hybrid propulsion and autonomous flight technologies, impacting contracts with Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation. Archer holds a contract with the US Air Force's Agility Prime programme valued at up to $142 million, whilst Joby's contract reached a potential $131 million. The Department of Defence reduced Joby's contract scope in 2025 as priorities changed. Joby is responding by acquiring defence contractor Resonant Sciences for approximately $500 million, which generated over $100 million in revenue over the previous 12 months. Archer has partnered with Anduril to develop Thunder, an autonomous hybrid-electric VTOL platform for military missions. In August, Archer announced plans to acquire Boeing's Insitu, Wisk Aero, and SkyGrid businesses, with Insitu alone generating over $200 million annually.