Manager, Manufacturing Test Engineering

Archer • Santa Clara, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Software, or Manufacturing) with 8+ years testing complex electromechanical hardware.
• 3+ years directly managing engineering teams, including team building, performance management, and resource allocation.
• Experience developing and maintaining manufacturing and test documentation including work instructions, BOPs, and process standards
• Background in designing, procuring, and qualifying test equipment, fixtures, and GSE, including capital expenditure justification.
• Hands-on experience with test automation (Python, LabVIEW, TestStand), aircraft communication protocols (CAN, Ethernet, ARINC 429), and reading complex schematics.
• Experience supporting conformity and inspection activities for test operations

Nice To Haves

• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Benefits

• Archer is committed to provide a safe workplace and a safe aircraft.
• 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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager