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Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Paint

Santa Clara, California, United States

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.

At Archer we’re building in-house paint and finish capabilities for our high-volume eVTOL program that blends aerospace quality and certification rigor with automotive-level automation and throughput. The Staff Manufacturing Engineer - Paint role will lead process development, equipment selection, supplier integration, and production ramp for surface preparation, primer, basecoat, clearcoat, masking/demasking, curing/oven systems, and final inspection/repair workflows. This role coordinates Industrial Design, Design Engineering, Materials & Processes, and external coating/booth equipment suppliers to move paint systems from NPI into robust production.

What You’ll Do:

  • Lead end-to-end development of paint and coating processes (pretreatment, primer, base, clear, specialty coatings) suited to composite and metallic aircraft structures
  • Define paint line concepts (booths, pretreatment, ovens/cure, conveyors/handling, robotics/automation, filtration and airflow topology) and produce equipment procurement specs.
  • Partner with Industrial Design and Design Engineering to translate aesthetic and tolerancing requirements into processable paint solutions.
  • Work with the Materials & Processes Team to qualify coatings, surface prep requirements, chemistries, corrosion protection, and ensure compatibility with bonding/assembly processes.
  • Manage supplier selection, technical integration, FAT/SAT, installation oversight, and handover to production
  • Develop control plans, work instructions, process parameters (temperature, humidity, air balance, film thickness, bake cycles), SPC charts, and poka-yoke for critical steps.
  • Design and deploy automation where it increases throughput and consistency (robotic application, automated masking/demasking, part tracking). Balance capital vs. part-rate tradeoffs.
  • Lead NPI-to-production qualification: pilot runs, capability studies, first-article acceptance, lessons-learned, and ramp risk management.
  • Ensure environmental, health & safety, and permitting compliance (VOC control, filtration/waste handling, hazardous materials management) and work with EH&S and local permitting teams.
  • Troubleshoot quality escapes, run RCAs and implement corrective/preventive actions; support warranty/field touch-up processes.
  • Develop robust fixturing and material handling solutions

What You Need:

  • Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Materials Engineering or equivalent experience.
  • 5+ years hands-on experience developing and running industrial paint/coating processes in aerospace or automotive manufacturing (or combination). Experience with both manual and automated application systems required.
  • Demonstrated experience specifying and commissioning paint booths, pretreatment lines, ovens, robotics and paint application equipment, and managing supplier FAT/SAT.
  • Experience with process control tools (SPC, FMEA, control plans), root-cause problem solving, and NPI-to-production ramp methodologies.
  • Working knowledge of coating chemistries, VOC and environmental controls, and air filtration/airflow design for paint booths.
  • Proficiency using 2D & 3D CAD to generate manufacturing layouts, assembly models, and detailed part drawings for fabrication.
  • Strong project management, cross-functional communication, and supplier management skills. Ability to write technical specs and run technical acceptance tests.
  • Able to maintain organization and focus in a highly dynamic environment.
  • Prefer ability to travel 10% of the time, both domestically and internationally.

Bonus Qualifications:

  • Familiarity with aerospace quality/regulatory expectations (FAA/EASA style artifacts) a strong plus.
  • Prior experience in an automotive high-throughput paint environment or with companies that blend automation and coatings (e.g., OEM paint shops).
  • Experience with composite part painting and knowledge of adhesion, outgassing, and cure concerns for composite substrates.
  • NX software experience
  • Experience developing production lines from prototype to production.
  • Experience with PLM, MES, and ERP software.
  • Direct experience programming and troubleshooting industrial automation (PLC, robots, conveyors, etc…)

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 $150,120.00 - $166,800.00. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

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.
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.
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.

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