Flight Software - Autonomy Intern

Archer is an aerospace company based in San Jose, California building an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with a mission to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility. We are designing, manufacturing, and operating an all-electric aircraft that can carry four passengers while producing minimal noise.

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.

This internship is a part of a 10-week full-time summer internship program opportunity. This role will be based at Archer’s headquarters in San Jose, California and relocation or housing will not be provided.

Archer is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented intern to join Archer. This internship provides a hands-on opportunity to gain practical experience within the Autonomy & Flight Software team. You will play a critical role in developing the “brain” of the aircraft, bridging the gap between theoretical autonomy algorithms and safety-critical embedded flight software.You will work closely with multi-functional teams to design, implement and validate software that enables safe, autonomous flight operations.

What You’ll Do:

• Design, implement, and test high-quality C++ or Python software for autonomous behaviors, including perception, state estimation, or path planning.
• Develop and improve software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation environments to validate autonomy logic before flight testing.
• Analyze flight telemetry data to debug software anomalies and optimize algorithm performance against real-world metrics.
• Assist in the integration of sensors (LIDAR, Radar, Cameras) and avionics hardware into the flight software stack.
• Collaborate with Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) engineers to translate control laws into efficient, real-time embedded code.
• Participate in code reviews and write technical documentation to ensure software reliability and compliance with aerospace safety standards (DO-178C).
• Develop internal tools and scripts to automate testing, data visualization, and software deployment processes

What You Need:

• Going into the 2nd or 3rd year in college, pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.
• Strong proficiency in C++ (C++11 or later) and Python, with a solid understanding of object-oriented programming and data structures.
• Familiarity with autonomous systems concepts such as path planning (A*, RRT), state estimation (Kalman Filters), control theory (PID, LQR), or computer vision.
• Experience working in a Linux environment and using version control systems (Git).
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and communicate technical concepts clearly.
• Hands-on experience with robotics frameworks (like ROS/ROS2), embedded systems projects (like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Pixhawk) or familiarity with high-performance edge computing platforms, like the Nvidia Jetson family (Nano, Xavier, Orin) is a plus.
• A passion for aviation, electric mobility, and solving complex problems in a fast-paced, startup-like environment.

Summer 2026 Internship Program Details:

• This internship is a part of a 10-week full-time summer internship program opportunity. Program dates are:
  • May 26, 2026 - July 31, 2026
  • June 15, 2026 - August 21, 2026
    • *We will not be able to accommodate interns outside of these two program dates.

• This role will be based at Archer San Jose HQ.
• Relocation and housing will not be provided.

Please note that this job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not include an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications.

At Archer we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent that possess the skills and leadership necessary to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s business strategy. For this position we are targeting a base pay between $25.00 - $35.00 per hour. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Archer is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants with physical or mental disabilities, and those with sincerely held religious beliefs. Applicants who may require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should provide their name and contact information to Archer’s People Team at [email protected]. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Information collected and processed as part of any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Archer's Candidate Privacy Policy.

Archer is unable to provide work visa sponsorship for this position at the present time.

Archer is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. All aspects of employment are decided on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Archer Aviation does not engage with external recruiting agencies/individual recruiters with whom it does not have a prior written agreement. Archer reserves the right to make use of any unsolicited resumes that it receives and bears no responsibility for payment of any fees asserted from the use of unsolicited resumes. If you are a recruiting agency or individual recruiter wishing to do business with Archer, please reach out to [email protected]. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.