Staff Software Engineer, Archer
Backend
More information about location
Office located in San Jose, CA
Electric air taxis
Be an early applicant
Electric air taxis
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
More information about location
Office located in San Jose, CA
1001+ employees
Company mission
To unlock the skies, freeing everyone to reimagine how they move and spend time.
Role
Who you are
- Small but mighty, 0 to 1 builder mentality
- BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science or a related technical field
- 7+ years of backend software engineering experience, with a proven track record of delivering scalable backend systems
- Expert-level proficiency in Python for backend application development
- Strong experience with AWS, including services such as Lambda, API Gateway, S3, DynamoDB, ECS/Fargate, etc
- Proficiency with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform or AWS CDK
- Deep understanding of RESTful API design, microservices architecture, and distributed systems
- Experience with performance tuning, system monitoring, and observability tools
- Excellent debugging, analytical, and problem-solving skills
- Strong communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
Desirable
- 9+ years of experience as a backend engineer, with demonstrated leadership in complex system design
- Experience with data modeling and working with SQL and NoSQL databases (e.g., Postgres, DynamoDB)
- Background in high-availability, real-time systems or event-driven architectures
- Prior experience in aerospace, transportation, or rideshare industries
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and container orchestration tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)
What the job involves
- We are looking for an experienced Staff Backend Software Engineer to lead the design, development, and scaling of backend systems for Archer’s aviation products
- This role is central to building the cloud infrastructure and service architecture that powers our modern aviation platform
- You’ll work closely with cross-functional teams across engineering, data, operations, and aerospace to deliver secure, performant, and reliable backend services
- Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend systems and APIs to support Archer’s ride-sharing and airline operational platforms
- Build cloud-native applications and services using Python and AWS technologies
- Lead architectural design and system integrations, ensuring systems are modular, efficient, and secure
- Develop infrastructure-as-code using Terraform or AWS CDK to provision and manage backend environments
- Collaborate with stakeholders to define technical requirements and translate them into robust implementations
- Own the full development lifecycle—from design and development to deployment, monitoring, and maintenance
- Conduct code reviews, enforce engineering best practices, and mentor fellow engineers
- Monitor system performance and reliability, and respond to production issues with effective debugging and root cause analysis
Our take
With traffic, noise, and emissions becoming major challenges for urban life, Archer is building electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts, led by its flagship model, Midnight, offering a cleaner, quieter alternative to traditional short-haul travel. The idea is simple: replace long car rides with quick, sustainable fluights that lift off vertically, fly over the gridlock, and help reduce urban pollution. It's a bold shift in transportation, but one that could meaningfully change how we navigate cities in the years ahead.
Midnight is designed to make these short flights practical, safe, and efficient. Its electric powertrain significantly reduce noise and emissions compared to helicopters (one of the biggest barriers to adopting urban air mobility at scale). However, eVTOLs face hurdles before becoming an everyday reality, including regulatory approvals, infrastructure build-out, and the operational testing needed to prove long-term safety and reliability. Archer is addressing these challenges with major manufacturing investment, deep engineering partnerships, and ongoing flight testing in the US and abroad.
Even with these barriers, Archer has been moving from success to success. The company is set to be the official air taxi provider for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. And its recent acquisition of Hawthorne Airport in LA will serve as both a launch site and an innovation hub for next-generation, AI-powered aviation operations. On the commercial side, Archer's partnerships with United Airlines and its growing international presence signal strong industry confidence. COmbines with newly expanded funding and successful long-range flight tests, Archer sure is a promising player in eVTOl aviation.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
44% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (1 round)
Jul 2020
$55.7m
SERIES A
Total funding: $55.7m
Company HQ
Tasman and Zanker, San Jose, CA
Leadership
Adam Goldstein
(Founder & CEO)Began their career in Financial Services, before co-founding Vettery, a talent marketplace, in 2012. Founded Archer in 2018.
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