Powertrain (EPS) Manufacturing Technician Lead
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
As part of the mission at Archer, we’re scaling production of our cutting-edge Electric Propulsion System (EPS) - the heart of our eVTOL aircraft. EPS comprises the Electric Motor, Inverter and Propeller assemblies.
As a Powertrain (EPS) Manufacturing Technician Lead, you will be in a hands-on role assembling variants of engines for our Midnight aircraft, utilizing your deep electromechanical expertise to troubleshoot complex builds, interpret schematics, and execute critical reworks in a fast-paced, non-standardized environment. In this role, you will take full ownership of engineering projects while naturally leading the line by training junior technicians and managing seamless shift handoffs.
What You’ll Do:
- Support & Guide the Team: Serve as a key point of contact on the floor by assisting with onboarding, training junior team members, and ensuring smooth communication during shift handoffs.
- Partner with Engineering: Work closely with engineering teams to support equipment bring-up, provide feedback on process validation, and help bridge the gap between design and production.
- Execute Complex Assemblies: Build electric engines (including inverters, stators, gearboxes, and motors) using a mix of manual, semi-automated, and automated equipment.
- Troubleshoot & Resolve Issues: Take ownership of debugging electric engines, troubleshooting equipment or process disruptions, and handling complex reworks where standard procedures may still be evolving.
- Assemble Tools & Fixtures: Setup and build basic lab fixtures and assembly tools to support the line's build flows.
- Ensure Quality & Precision: Perform detailed inspections and product measurements using metrology tools (calipers, micrometers, depth gauges, measurement microscopes) to maintain strict quality standards.
- Maintain Line Health: Perform routine equipment maintenance and keep the workspace calibrated and audit-ready.
- Typical work schedule is Monday-Friday, Day Shift with mandatory overtime during peak production pushes.
What You Need:
- Experience & Education: An Associate’s Degree (or equivalent industry experience) paired with 5+ years of manufacturing experience, including 3+ years specifically focused on electric engine assembly.
- Environment Agility: Proven experience thriving in an R&D, NPI, or early-stage production environment where processes are still evolving.
- Technical Assembly Expertise: Strong hands-on experience building complex mechanical and electronic assemblies using technical documentation, schematics, and blueprints.
- Quality & Documentation Focus: High workmanship standards with the ability to closely follow formal build instructions, accurately document deviations, and utilize Microsoft Office for clear reporting.
- Print Reading & Drafting Standards: Solid understanding of drafting standards with the ability to read and interpret mechanical and electrical drawings to build parts and assemblies.
- Precision Inspection: Proficient in using measurement and inspection tools (calipers, micrometers, height gauges, CMM) to ensure high-quality standards.
- Safety & Workplace Excellence: Familiarity with 5S organization and a strict adherence to maintenance safety protocols (including LOTO, Arc Flash, etc.).
Bonus Qualifications:
- Active IPC Certifications or strong knowledge of IPC standards.
- Direct experience assembling or working with stator windings.
- Experience utilizing SAP or similar enterprise ERP systems.
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 an hourly base pay between $55.00 - $72.00. 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.