Senior Airframe Architect - Structural Design & Validation

AlleyCorp; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 243,000 - 322,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer Aviation in San Jose, California is seeking a senior airframe engineer to lead airframe development from concept through build and flight test, collaborating with the Chief Engineer and program leaders to meet target requirements.

The role requires 15+ years in aircraft structures, a Bachelor’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, and hands‑on experience with composites and metallic parts, plus strong NX/CAD skills. The base pay range is $242,800 - $322,100 annually.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience with innovative aircraft structures, including leadership within a recent civil or military aircraft development program.
• In depth understanding of load paths, laminate design fundamentals, metallic design fundamentals and analysis methods (FEA, hand calcs).
• Broad experience across a range of airframe structures (fuselage, wing, empennage, pylons).
• Strong CAD skills in NX (preferred), SolidWorks, Catia or Creo.
• Hands-on manufacturing with composites and machining metallic parts.

Responsibilities

• Lead airframe development from concept through build and flight test, collaborating with the Chief Engineer and program leaders to meet target requirements.
• Evaluate and trade structural layouts and material selections for weight, manufacturability, and cost.
• Develop conceptual airframe architecture and weight models for fuselage, wing, tail, and nacelle structures.
• Size major structural components using analytical methods and conceptual FEM.
• Apply design best practices and hand calcs to create robust, manufacturable configurations.
• Mentor junior engineers on design, analysis, and manufacturing techniques.
• Own the validation and verification of airframe requirements.

Skills

Airframe leadership

Load paths understanding

FEM analysis (conceptual)

Hands-on manufacturing experience

Self-starter / team player

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Catia

Creo

Job description

Archer Aviation in San Jose, California is seeking a senior airframe engineer to lead airframe development from concept through build and flight test, collaborating with the Chief Engineer and program leaders to meet target requirements.

The role requires 15+ years in aircraft structures, a Bachelor’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, and hands‑on experience with composites and metallic parts, plus strong NX/CAD skills. The base pay range is $242,800 - $322,100 annually.