Manager, Powertrain Manufacturing

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’re scaling production of our High Voltage Electric Propulsion System — the heart of our eVTOL aircraft, which includes the High Voltage Battery, Electric Motor and Propeller assemblies and represents one of the most technically demanding, highly automated manufacturing systems in our factory.

We’re seeking a highly motivated Manufacturing Design Engineering (MDE) Manager to lead the powertrain manufacturing team. This role sits on the Manufacturing Design Engineering group and owns the specification, design, launch and ramp of advanced powertrain manufacturing equipment in a high-volume production environment.

You’ll be hands-on, deeply technical, and accountable for solving complex manufacturing problems—often under real schedule pressure.

We are open to candidates with a mechanical/process focus or controls/automation focus, with working knowledge of the other.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead & Scale the Team: Coach, mentor, and grow a high-performing MDE team. Own headcount planning, talent acquisition, and career development for your individual contributors.
• Own the Capex & Capacity Lifecycle: Drive the strategy, budget, and execution for all powertrain manufacturing equipment, ensuring production capacity seamlessly meets current and future demand.
• Drive Equipment Execution: Lead the Equipment Design specifications and RFQ process from concept through Factory/Site Acceptance Testing (FAT/SAT), launch, and ramp.
• Partner Regionally & Globally: Cultivate strategic relationships with equipment integrators and automation suppliers in lockstep with the purchasing team.
• Influence Product Design: Collaborate closely with the Manufacturing Engineering team to feed line learnings and DFM insights back to product design, ensuring our powertrain is optimized for high-volume, high-yield manufacturing.
• Executive Visibility: Manage your cost center, secure executive approval for project financing, and deliver regular, data-driven status updates to the leadership team.

What You Need:

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Robotics Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Leadership Experience: 2+ years of experience directly managing a technical engineering team, with a proven track record of developing talent.
• Industry Footprint: 5+ years in a highly automated, high-volume manufacturing environment (EV, Aerospace, or Semiconductor preferred).
• Financial & Operational Acumen: Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and Capex planning. Deep understanding of operational metrics like OEE, yield, line balancing, and lean layouts.
• Problem-Solving Toolbox: Strong proficiency in structured problem-solving (Lean, Six Sigma, DMAIC, 8D, or Ishikawa) and statistical process control/GD&T.
• Mindset: A high-ownership, bias-for-action mentality with the ability to communicate technical complexities clearly to non-technical executives.

Technical Depth:

You should bring deep expertise in at least one of the following core pillars, with a desire to grow into the others:

• Equipment Design & Spec: 2D/3D CAD (AutoCAD/NX), PLM, and setting up industrial equipment (dispense systems, torque tools, etc.).
• Controls & Automation: Working understanding of PLCs, robotics, motion control, and vision systems.
• Process Development: Factory systems architecture including MES and ERP integration.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Direct experience with eMotor (inverters, rotors, stators, gearboxes) or Battery (module/pack assembly, ideally utilizing 21700 cells) manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with premium PLC platforms (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Beckhoff) or Robotics (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB).
• Familiarity with Electrical & Safety Standards (NFPA79, NEC, UL508A, ANSI/RIA15.06, OSHA).

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 View email address on ev.careers. 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 View email address on ev.careers. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.