Director, Software AI Ops & Tools Lead

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.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and hands‑on Software AI Ops & Tools Lead to drive the development, integration, and optimization of advanced software systems that power our next‑generation eVTOL aircraft. This role sits at the intersection of AI, autonomy, infrastructure, and engineering operations—playing a critical part in shaping the future of urban air mobility.

As a technical leader, you will architect and implement scalable tools, platforms, and workflows that enable our engineering teams to build, test, and deploy intelligent, safety‑critical software. You will work closely with cross‑functional partners across Autonomy, Machine Learning, Flight Software, Infrastructure, and Systems Engineering to ensure our AI‑driven capabilities are robust, reliable, and production‑ready.

This is a hands‑on leadership position for someone who thrives in fast‑paced environments, enjoys solving complex technical challenges, and wants to make a direct impact on the future of aviation.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the vision, roadmap, and execution for AI‑driven software tools, infrastructure, and operational workflows.
• Provide hands‑on technical leadership while mentoring and developing a high‑performing engineering team.
• Partner with Autonomy, ML, Software, and Infrastructure teams to define requirements and deliver scalable solutions.
• Drive best practices in software development, testing, deployment, and monitoring for AI‑enabled systems.

AI, Machine Learning & Autonomy Integration

• Build and maintain tools and pipelines that support AI/ML model development, simulation, validation, and deployment.
• Develop systems that integrate AI and autonomy algorithms into flight‑critical and mission‑critical software stacks.
• Ensure reliability, traceability, and performance of AI/ML components across the full lifecycle—from research to production.

Software Infrastructure & Operations

• Design and implement scalable infrastructure for data processing, model training, simulation, and continuous integration.
• Develop internal tools that improve developer productivity, system observability, and operational efficiency.
• Own the end‑to‑end software operations ecosystem, including build systems, testing frameworks, and deployment pipelines.
• Ensure compliance with aviation‑grade safety, reliability, and certification requirements.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with hardware, systems, and flight test teams to ensure seamless integration of AI‑enabled software.
• Collaborate with leadership to align technical decisions with company‑wide goals and aircraft development milestones.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with significant experience in AI/ML, autonomy, or robotics.
• Proven track record in hands‑on technical leadership roles.
• Deep expertise in building tools, platforms, and infrastructure for AI/ML development and deployment.
• Strong understanding of distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, and developer tooling.
• Experience integrating AI/ML algorithms into real‑time or safety‑critical systems is highly preferred.
• Background in robotics, autonomy, aerospace, or related fields is a strong plus.
• Passion for advancing the future of aviation and autonomous flight.

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.

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 $200,000 - $250,000. 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 accommodations 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.