Electrical Controls Engineer

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 168,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer seeks an experienced Electrical Controls Engineer in San Jose, CA to design, implement, and retrofit electrical control systems for automated manufacturing lines. You will lead control system architecture, collaborate with integrators, and drive MES/HMI integration to production-ready solutions.

The role requires 5+ years of hands-on automation experience, strong safety standards knowledge, and proficiency with PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Beckhoff) and electrical design tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related field.
• 5+ years of experience in electrical controls and automation.
• Hands-on experience designing and commissioning electrical control systems for automated manufacturing equipment.
• Strong knowledge of electrical and safety standards including NFPA 79, NEC, UL 508A, ANSI/RIA 15.06, and OSHA.
• Experience with electrical power distribution, control panel design, and field wiring; schematic development with EPLAN or AutoCAD Electrical.
• Advanced experience programming PLC-based control systems (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Beckhoff).
• Experience integrating MES and databases (SQL) with manufacturing equipment and controls.

Responsibilities

• Own electrical and functional safety architecture, ensuring compliance with NFPA 79, IEC 60204-1, UL 508A, and ISO 13849-1.
• Define and drive factory standards for equipment, controls hardware/software, and safety systems.
• Serve as technical lead with external integrators, ensuring delivery to Archer specifications and performance targets.
• Lead installation, commissioning, and qualification of new equipment and tooling.
• Design and deploy MES interfaces and operator-focused HMIs.
• Resolve complex electrical, controls, and safety issues and drive continuous improvement in quality, throughput, and cost.
• Provide controls leadership for prototype lines and internally developed equipment, and ensure effective handoff to production teams.

Skills

Electrical controls

PLC programming

HMI/SCADA

Industrial networks

SQL integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

EPLAN

AutoCAD Electrical

Job description

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.

This role is based in San Jose, CA and sits within the Controls Engineering team in Manufacturing Engineering. The position is primarily responsible for developing, building, and retrofitting electrical control systems for existing equipment, as well as supporting the scale-up of new manufacturing lines. Secondary responsibilities include automation and controls engineering, including PLC programming, HMI development, and integration of manufacturing equipment into scalable production lines.

What You’ll Do:

• Own electrical and functional safety architecture, ensuring compliance with NFPA 79, IEC 60204-1, UL 508A, and ISO 13849-1
• Define and drive factory standards for equipment, controls hardware/software, and safety systems
• Serve as technical lead with external integrators, ensuring delivery to Archer specifications and performance targets
• Lead installation, commissioning, and qualification of new equipment and tooling
• Design and deploy MES interfaces and operator-focused HMIs
• Resolve complex electrical, controls, and safety issues and drive continuous improvement in quality, throughput, and cost
• Provide controls leadership for prototype lines and internally developed equipment, and ensure effective handoff to production teams

What You Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related field, with 5+ years of experience in electrical controls and automation experience
• Hands-on experience designing and commissioning electrical control systems for automated manufacturing equipment
• Strong knowledge of electrical and safety standards including NFPA 79, NEC, UL 508A, ANSI/RIA 15.06, and OSHA
• Expertise in electrical power distribution, control panel design, and field wiring, with schematic development using EPLAN or AutoCAD Electrical
• Advanced experience programming PLC-based control systems (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Beckhoff), including structured, cyclic execution architectures (e.g., ISA-88)
• Strong understanding of industrial communication networks and system integration
• Experience with HMI/SCADA development (e.g., Ignition Perspective) and integration with PLC-based systems
• Experience integrating MES and database systems (SQL) with manufacturing equipment and controls
• Proven ability to specify and select electrical controls hardware, including circuit protection, drives, instrumentation, and safety devices
• Demonstrated strength in troubleshooting complex electrical and controls issues in production environments
• Self-directed, hands-on engineer with strong analytical skills and the ability to lead technical execution
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 20%

Bonus Qualifications:

• NFPA 70E certification or equivalent electrical safety training
• RIA certifications, such as Certified Vision Professional or Certified Motion Control Professional
• Hands-on experience supporting battery module and/or pack manufacturing environments
• Experience developing and executing PFMEAs for automated manufacturing systems
• Working knowledge ofNX and Teamcenter for design data and lifecycle management

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.

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.

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 - $168,000. 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 [e-mail]. 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.

Job posting details for Electrical Controls Engineer at Archer in San Jose, California, United States. . ClimateTechList gathers 16,000+ job openings from over 767 climate tech companies and updates them daily.