Lead Platform Design & Integration Engineer – Special Programs

Special Programs is Archer's rapid-prototyping, cross-functional engineering team supporting advanced and defense-focused development efforts. We operate as a small, empowered group capable of moving quickly across disciplines — from early technical assessment of new opportunities through hands-on design, analysis, and prototype development.

The Lead Special Programs Engineer – Platform Design & Integration brings deep integration and configuration design expertise as their organic core competency — owning how prototype vehicles come together as a whole, from configuration layout through cross-discipline integration.

What You’ll Do

Lead vehicle-level integration and configuration design for prototype vehicles, including overall configuration layout, packaging, and cross-discipline interface management

Support rapid prototyping efforts end-to-end, from concept configuration through detailed integration, build support, and test

Own the integration and design discipline within Special Programs — setting technical approach, standards, and integration methods used across the program’s vehicle-level work

Conduct technical feasibility assessments of new opportunities — evaluating whether emerging concepts, RFPs, or mission requirements are viable within your focus area and what approach they would require

Serve as a cross-functional technical contributor across Special Programs efforts outside your core focus area when program needs require it

Collaborate with program leads, other Special Programs engineers, and broader Archer engineering teams to align technical approaches with program timelines and constraints

Produce technical documentation, trade studies, and analysis packages supporting both design maturity reviews and opportunity/capture decisions

Represent Special Programs work in your focus area in internal reviews and, as needed, in discussions with government stakeholders

What You’ll Need

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering (advanced degree a plus)

Demonstrated experience in vehicle-level configuration design and cross-discipline integration for aerospace platforms

Familiarity with interface control, configuration management, and whole-vehicle trade studies

Demonstrated ability to work across the full development lifecycle — concept through prototype — in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment

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

8–12 years of relevant engineering experience (or equivalent demonstrated experience in rapid-prototyping / advanced-programs environments)

Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, asylee, or refugee), as defined by ITAR/EAR

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance

Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.

What Makes This Role Different

This isn’t a seat on Archer’s core integration & design team. Special Programs engineers are chosen for deep discipline expertise and the versatility to support wherever a program needs it — from early opportunity evaluation to hands-on prototype work across disciplines. You’ll have significant technical ownership and autonomy, working in a small team built to move fast on some of Archer’s most forward-looking defense efforts.

At Archer, we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent with the skills and leadership needed to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s strategy. For this position, we are targeting a base pay range of $138,200 - $190,100. Actual compensation offered will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.