Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Assembly and Integration

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:

At Archer, we are scaling production of our cutting-edge Midnight 1.0 aircraft while developing the next-generation Midnight 1.1 platform. As a member of the Manufacturing Design Engineering (MDE) team, you will help bridge aircraft design and production.

In this role, you will drive the manufacturing strategy for aircraft assembly and integration and serve as a technical leader responsible for defining and scaling Archer's aircraft design and production, supporting aircraft builds from prototype through early production ramp.

You will work cross-functionally with Design, Quality, Supply Chain, and Certification teams to establish best-in-class manufacturing solutions for both current and future aircraft platforms.

What You’ll Do:

• Set the manufacturing strategy for aircraft build-up and integration, defining build plans and methods for next-generation aircraft programs currently in the design stage.

• Lead development and implementation of scalable aircraft manufacturing processes, transitioning from prototype builds to high-rate production. Focusing on all components of the aircraft come together during installation, inspection, and testing.

• Serve as the technical authority for aircraft structural assembly, guiding design teams on manufacturability, process capability, and production readiness.

• Help set requirements for tooling strategies, fixtures, and production systems to enable efficient and repeatable aircraft assembly.

• Participate in cross-functional initiatives with Design, Quality, Supply Chain, and Certification teams to ensure manufacturing solutions meet regulatory and company requirements.

• Prepare plans for process validation, build readiness reviews, and first-article builds to ensure successful program execution.

What You Need:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent experience.

• 8+ years of manufacturing experience, with deep expertise in assembly and integration.

• Demonstrated experience developing manufacturing systems for complex assemblies or aircraft.

• Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and manufacturing process architecture.

• Experience supporting prototype development, production ramp, and rate readiness.

• Strong understanding of Model-Based Definition (MBD) and GD&T for aerospace structures.

• Experience working closely with design engineering to influence product architecture for manufacturability.

• Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence across engineering and operations organizations.

• Proven ability to lead complex technical initiatives in fast-paced hardware development environments.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Experience with NX

• Experience with Teamcenter

• Experience with SAP

• Experience supporting Part 23 certification programs

• Experience with system checkouts or testing

• Experience with composite and/or metallic aircraft assembly

• Background in eVTOL or advanced aircraft development

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 $152,100 - $190,100. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Archer is committed to provide a safe workplace and a safe aircraft. This is a safety sensitive designated role. Employment in safety sensitive positions is contingent on successful passage of a background check and is subject to pre-employment and random drug screening.

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.