Senior Manufacturing Engineering - Factory Design
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:
The Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (AME) team defines and delivers the high-rate production systems building the next generation of electric aircraft. Operating at the intersection of product design, factory strategy, and capital execution, we own everything from initial manufacturing concepts to equipment commissioning and full production ramp.
As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Factory Design, you will own the end-to-end development, optimization, and long-term evolution of Archer’s production facility. You will lead the technical translation of aircraft manufacturing and assembly requirements into high-efficiency factory layouts, robust capacity models, and seamlessly integrated production systems from concept through construction handoff and subsequent rate ramps.
What You’ll Do:
- Design Layout & Production Flow: Own the development of CAD-based factory layouts, station arrangements, and space allocations; maintain the master facility layout as a living document
- Optimize Material Logistics: Integrate material flow, kitting, and logistics paths into layout designs to minimize handling costs and Work-In-Progress (WIP) accumulation
- Build Capacity Models: Develop and maintain capacity models mapping labor, equipment, and footprint requirements to aggressive production rate scenarios; identify and resolve throughput bottlenecks
- Drive CapEx & Business Cases: Develop data-driven CapEx justifications and ROI analyses for layout investments, line reconfigurations, and facility expansions to brief leadership
- Define Facility Integration: Specify precise utility requirements (electrical, pneumatic, HVAC, structural floor loading) and coordinate with Equipment Engineering on station footprints and installation clearances
- Cross-Functional Execution: Interface directly with Facilities, Construction, Quality, EHS, and Automation teams to ensure infrastructure supports manufacturing requirements prior to equipment arrival
- Support Line Start-Up: Drive the commissioning of new production lines, including installation sequencing, line acceptance testing, and formal production handoffs
What You Need:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Industrial, Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field
- Experience: 5+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, or factory design/planning
- CAD Expertise: Demonstrated experience developing complex factory layouts in CAD (AutoCAD, CATIA, or equivalent)
- Core IE Skillset: Strong working knowledge of capacity planning, takt analysis, line balancing, and production flow optimization
- Execution Blueprint: Direct experience supporting facility commissioning, heavy equipment installation, or new line start-ups
Bonus Qualifications:
- High-Growth Industries: Experience in Automotive (EV/Gigafactories), Aerospace, or other highly automated, high-complexity production environments
- Greenfield Exposure: Experience supporting greenfield facility builds or massive, blank-canvas factory expansion programs from concept through ramp
- Advanced Simulation: Experience with factory simulation and 3D layout tools (e.g., FlexSim, Siemens Tecnomatix/Plant Sim, DELMIA, Arena) for discrete-event simulation
- Digital Factory Integration: Exposure to MES, ERP, SCADA, or digital twin/PLM software integration points within a factory layout
- Vendor Management: Experience collaborating with external architecture firms, infrastructure engineering partners, or general contractors
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 $126,700 - $158,400. 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.