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.
What you’ll do:
- Lead airframe development from concept through build and flight test, collaborating with the Chief Engineer and program leaders to meet target requirements.
- Evaluate and trade structural layouts and material selections across candidate configurations for weight, manufacturability, and cost.
- Develop conceptual airframe architecture and parametric structural weight models for fuselage, wing, tail, and nacelle structures.
- Size major structural components using classical analytical methods and/or conceptual FEM.
- Apply in depth understanding of load paths, design best practices, and hand calcs to design robust, manufacturable, and cost effective structural configurations.
- Mentor junior engineers on design, analysis, and manufacturing techniques.
- Own the validation and verification of airframe requirements.
What you need:
- 15+ years of experience with innovative aircraft structures, including leadership within a recent civil or military aircraft development program.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
- In depth understanding of load paths, laminate design fundamentals, metallic design fundamentals and analysis methods (FEA, closed form solutions for sandwich panel stability, lug and fastener hand calcs, etc.)
- Broad experience across a range of airframe structures (fuselage, wing, pylons, empennage)
- Strong CAD skills in NX (preferred), Solidworks, Catia or Creo
- Hands-on manufacturing experience with composites (wet-lay, prepreg, autoclave, bonding, drilling/fastening) and machining metallic parts (milling, lathe, drilling).
- Experience with analyzing and dispositioning non-conformances
- Self-starter, team player, and desire to work in a fast-paced environment
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 $242,800 - $322,100. Actual compensation offered will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
Skills Required
- 15+ years of experience with innovative aircraft structures, including leadership in a recent civil or military aircraft development program
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering
- In-depth knowledge of load paths, laminate design, metallic design, FEA, closed-form sandwich panel stability solutions, lug calculations, and fastener hand calculations
- Broad experience with fuselage, wing, pylons, and empennage airframe structures
- Strong CAD skills in NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or Creo
- Hands-on composite manufacturing experience, including wet layup, prepreg, autoclave, bonding, drilling, and fastening
- Experience machining metallic parts using milling, lathe, and drilling processes
- Experience analyzing and dispositioning nonconformances
- Self-starter and team player able to work in a fast-paced environment
Archer Aviation Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Archer Aviation and has not been reviewed or approved by Archer Aviation.
-
Healthcare Strength — Health coverage includes medical, dental, and vision, alongside HSA/FSA options and an Employee Assistance Program, forming a comprehensive base. Wellness activities and company-sponsored outings are additionally referenced.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off includes generous PTO, paid sick days, and paid holidays, with unlimited PTO noted for exempt employees. This breadth provides above-average flexibility for a hardware-focused environment.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — Ownership opportunities include company equity, performance bonuses, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a purchase discount. Equity is used to keep packages competitive in high-demand roles, creating meaningful upside potential.
Archer Aviation Insights
What We Do
Archer is an aerospace company building an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft focused on improving mobility in cities. The company's mission is to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility. Archer is designing, manufacturing, and operating a fully electric aircraft that can carry four passengers for 60 miles at speeds of up to 150mph while producing minimal noise. Archer's team is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
.png)
