Senior Flight Test Data Engineer, Loads

About the role

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Archer is a leader in the next-gen aerospace sector building an end-to-end advanced air mobility platform that delivers air taxis, unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), aviation-related physical artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions, and other technologies to customers worldwide across the commercial aerospace and defense sectors.

Our sights are set high and our problems are hard, and we believe that diversity in the workplace is what makes us smarter, drives better insights, and will ultimately lift us all to success. We are dedicated to cultivating an equitable and inclusive environment that embraces our differences, and supports and celebrates all of our team members.

What You'll Do

- As a Senior Flight Test Loads Data Engineer, you'll sit at the intersection of aircraft loads analysis and flight test operations — designing and operating the systems that capture, process, and validate loads data from our aircraft, and turning that data into actionable structural insights that drive certification and design decisions.

- Design, configure, and maintain flight test data acquisition system (DAS) software for structural loads measurements, including strain gauges, accelerometers, pressure transducers, and inertial sensors

- Develop and validate loads equations and transfer functions to derive internal structural loads from measured flight data

- Plan and execute loads survey flight test programs in coordination with flight test engineers and structural analysts

- Process, reduce, and quality-check large flight test datasets; identify anomalies and ensure data integrity across test campaigns

- Build and maintain automated data pipelines and analysis tools to accelerate loads extraction, fatigue spectrum development, and design loads validation

- Develop fatigue and loads spectra for powertrain and airframe components using flight-measured data

- Compare flight test loads data against analytical models; drive model updates and structural dispositions

- Support stress and damage tolerance analysis of primary and secondary structure using test-derived loads

- Compile test reports and loads documentation to support engineering drawing releases and FAA certification deliverables

- Provide technical guidance on instrumentation strategy, sensor selection, and data quality trade-offs across programs

What You Need

- 5+ years of experience in flight test loads, structural test, or loads and dynamics engineering on aircraft, spacecraft, or advanced air mobility platforms

- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related Engineering field (M.S. preferred)

- Hands-on experience with flight test data acquisition systems — hardware configuration, sensor integration, signal conditioning, and telemetry

- Proficiency developing loads equations and deriving structural loads from flight measurements (strain-gauge bridges, shear panels, accelerometers)