Aerospace & Defense TN Sponsorship Jobs in California

Archer is an aerospace and defense company headquartered in San Jose, California, building the aircraft and technology that will define the next era of flight. The company works across air taxis, UAS, AI and powertrain development — building real-world systems that combine software intelligence with physical hardware. That includes Midnight, Archer's all-electric air taxi; Halo, an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft built for both commercial and defense use; and ZEE, Archer's AI foundation model built specifically for aviation. We're seeking exceptional engineers, operators and builders to join us on our mission to build the future of aerospace and defense.

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 are scaling production of our cutting-edge eVTOL Aircraft. As a member of the Manufacturing Design Engineering (MDE) team, you will help bridge aircraft design and production.

In this role, you will unify methods and standards across the organization, consolidating complex processes into a central, version-controlled knowledge base. Working cross-functionally with Design, Quality, Supply Chain, and Certification teams, you will define and scale the manufacturing solutions required to bring the future of flight to market.

What You'll Do:

• Develop, document, and maintain standardized manufacturing engineering methods and best practices across the Manufacturing Design Engineering (MDE) organization.
• Define common frameworks for manufacturing planning, process definition, work instruction structure, and build readiness across development, certification, and production phases.
• Lead the definition of facility planning standards, including space allocation, line layouts, material flow, aisleways, egress, and infrastructure requirements.
• Define and standardize tooling and ground support equipment (GSE) requirements, including classification, readiness criteria, and integration into manufacturing plans.
• Develop standardized approaches for test and functional test equipment, ensuring alignment with build sequencing, quality, and certification requirements.
• Partner closely with MDE functional teams, Industrialization, Quality, Facilities, and Operations to ensure standards are practical, scalable, and aligned with execution realities.
• Support governance of standards adoption, identify gaps through build feedback, and drive continuous improvement based on data and lessons learned.
• Act as a technical resource and mentor for MDE engineers, enabling consistent execution across programs and teams.

What You Need:

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in aerospace manufacturing engineering or a similarly complex, regulated environment.
• Deep hands-on experience with manufacturing planning, process definition, work instructions, tooling, and production support.
• Proven ability to define and implement standardized engineering methods across multiple teams or programs.
• Strong systems thinking and documentation skills, with the ability to translate complex operations into clear, repeatable standards.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience influencing without direct authority.
• Familiarity with FAA certification considerations and their impact on manufacturing processes.

Bonus Qualifications:

• NX Experience
• Teamcenter Experience
• SAP Experience
• Experience building manufacturing standards in a scaling organization
• eVTOL or Advanced Air Mobility Experience

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 people@archer.com. 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.

Certain positions may be eligible for visa sponsorship.

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 People@archer.com. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.