Archer is Australia's leading expert in the field of microwave and millimetre-wave engineering. His technical contributions span a broad range of applications, including ground-breaking work in radio astronomy, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) and millimetre-wave imaging for security. As a leader, he established an Australian resource base in Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium Phosphide (InP) MMIC technology that has laid the foundation for two Australian companies: MIMIX Broadband's Australian MMIC Design Centre and Epitactix. He was key to establishing a strategic alliance with a major US semiconductor manufacturer that has given Australia a leading role in international radio astronomy projects.