Manager, Manufacturing Test Engineering
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 Team
This role sits within Manufacturing Engineering and leads the team responsible for aircraft-level functional and end-of-line testing as each vehicle is manufactured. As a Manager, you will build, mentor, and direct a high-performing engineering team to ensure every aircraft meets strict performance, integration, and system-level standards before delivery or progression into flight testing.
You will drive the team's strategy in validating that each individual build behaves as intended by verifying systems, software, electrical behavior, and overall functional readiness. Additionally, you will establish scalable test processes, optimize shop-floor execution, and partner closely with Design, Quality, and Operations to seamlessly guide aircraft programs from prototype to full-rate production.
What You’ll Do:
- Build and scale the organization: Lead two dedicated teams across Test Operations & Execution and Test Development & Design to support daily production and next-generation automation.
- Own the functional test lifecycle: Drive end-to-end testing across avionics, low-voltage, and high-voltage systems, managing everything from ATP authoring and floor execution to airworthiness compliance records.
- Partner for testability: Collaborate with Design Engineering early in the development cycle to incorporate Design for Testability (DFT) and co-validate system test plans.
- Drive strategy and scaling: Establish the manufacturing test roadmap from low-rate initial production to full-rate production, optimizing test capacity, coverage, and cycle times to match build rates.
- Deliver test infrastructure and automation: Lead the design, capital planning, and qualification of test stands, fixtures, GSE, and automated test equipment to maximize throughput and repeatability.
- Champion the automation roadmap: drive the transition from manual test execution toward automated test equipment, automated data collection, and test analytics that reduce test cycle time and increase production throughput
- Cultivate team excellence: Hire, mentor, and develop test engineers and technicians, promoting a strong culture of rigor, safety, continuous improvement, and cross-functional alignment.
What You Need:
- Education and experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Software, or Manufacturing) with 8+ years testing complex electromechanical hardware.
- Leadership track record: 3+ years directly managing engineering teams, including team building, performance management, and resource allocation.
- Documentation: Experience developing and maintaining manufacturing and test documentation including work instructions, BOPs, and process standards
- Infrastructure deployment: Background in designing, procuring, and qualifying test equipment, fixtures, and GSE, including capital expenditure justification.
- Hardware, software, and tools: Hands-on experience with test automation (Python, LabVIEW, TestStand), aircraft communication protocols (CAN, Ethernet, ARINC 429), and reading complex schematics.
- Conformity & Inspection: Experience supporting conformity and inspection activities for test operations
Bonus Qualifications:
- Experience scaling eVTOL, UAV, or advanced air mobility test operations through a high-rate production ramp.
- Direct experience with FAA conformity & certification processes, and AS9100 quality standards.
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.