Senior Manager, Supplier Industrialization Engineering

Archer; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 154,000 - 192,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer Aerospace in San Jose, CA, seeks a Senior Manager of Supplier Industrialization Engineering & Quality to drive supplier readiness and robust manufacturing processes in a hybrid role. You will solve critical supplier issues, architect readiness systems, and mentor a growing SIEQ team while aligning with AS9100/APQP standards.

The role demands hands-on problem solving, strategic system building, and leadership to scale production at rate with uncompromising quality.

Qualifications

• 8–15 years of experience in Supplier Quality, Supplier Industrialization, Manufacturing Engineering, or NPI program leadership.
• Strong understanding of AS9100D, AS9145, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, and related quality tools.
• Proven track record building scalable supplier readiness systems and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Rapid issue resolution and pre-production support to hit readiness milestones.
• Drive structured problem-solving (8D, RCCA, PFMEA updates) for parts and assemblies.
• Sustain build flow by removing supplier roadblocks and enabling delivery to line.
• Develop real-time dashboards to highlight systemic risks, repeat issues and patterns.
• Lead supplier selection heat maps and coordinate TRBs for design-for-manufacture improvements.

Skills

Supplier Quality

Supplier Industrialization

Manufacturing Engineering

NPI Program Leadership

AS9100D / AS9145

APQP / PPAP

PFMEA / Process Validation

Data-Driven Decision Making

Leadership / Mentoring

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.

Archer is transitioning from a pioneering R&D organization into a world-class OEM producing certified aircraft at scale. To enable this leap, we are seeking a Senior Manager of Supplier Industrialization Engineering & Quality (SIEQ)—a hybrid leader capable of solving today’s urgent supplier issues while building the long-term systems, teams, and processes that will allow production to run at rate with uncompromising quality.

This role is intentionally designed with parallel responsibilities:

• Acting as a hands-on problem solver and integrator for immediate supplier and manufacturability challenges.


• Being a strategic architect of supplier-readiness systems, audits, heat-maps, and selection frameworks.


• Functioning as a high-impact individual contributor while simultaneously building, mentoring, and uplifting a growing SIEQ team.

The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, brings “boots-on-the-ground” credibility, and can see several steps ahead to anticipate issues across aircraft systems, subsystems, and adjacent products.

What You’ll Do

1. Rapid Issue Resolution & Pre-Production Support
   
   
   
   • Manage and oversee critical supplier issues impacting pre-production aircraft readiness, hitting the ground running from day one.
   
   
   • Drive and coordinate structured problem-solving (8D, RCCA, PFMEA updates) to ensure parts and assemblies meet engineering, safety, and airworthiness requirements.
   
   
   • Supervise continuity of aircraft build flow by removing supplier roadblocks and enabling smooth delivery of hardware to the build line.
   
   
   • Transform daily issues into actionable insights, conducting read-across analyses to anticipate similar risks in adjacent components, suppliers, and aircraft variants.
   
   
   • Develop, approve, and maintain real-time dashboards for leadership highlighting systemic risks, repeat issues, and emerging patterns.
   
   
   
   


2. Supplier Manufacturability, Readiness & Selection Systems
   
   
   
   • Manage and refine manufacturability criteria and engineering requirements to ensure designs are ready for production at rate.
   
   
   • Oversee supplier audit frameworks aligned with AS9100, AS9145, APQP, and Archer’s internal quality and industrialization standards.
   
   
   • Create and supervise Supplier Selection Heat-Maps incorporating technical capability, capacity, historical quality, financial stability, and readiness level to accelerate decision-making during Technical Reviews.
   
   
   • Lead and coordinate cross-functional Technical Review Boards (TRBs), providing data-backed recommendations that strengthen design-for-manufacture (DFM), tooling readiness, and production scalability.
   
   
   • Approve and establish systematic Supplier Industrialization Plans covering process validation, tooling maturity, equipment qualification, materials control, and manpower readiness.
   
   
   
   


3. Leadership, Team Development & OEM Transformation
   
   
   
   • Serve as a high-performing individual contributor while managing, mentoring, and developing a world-class SIEQ team.
   
   
   • Supervise and elevate existing engineers and analysts, enhancing technical capability, problem-solving rigor, and supplier management expectations.
   
   
   • Define, manage, and coordinate organizational structure, staffing needs, and competency expectations for a scalable supplier industrialization and quality function.
   
   
   • Act as a cultural leader, overseeing Archer’s transition from an R&D fast-prototype environment to an OEM mindset focused on repeatability, stability, and production quality.
   
   
   • Champion and approve mass-production fundamentals: APQP, PPAP, process capability, run-at-rate validations, control plan maturity, and launch readiness gates.
   
   
   
   

What You Bring

8–15 years of experience in Supplier Quality, Supplier Industrialization, Manufacturing Engineering, or NPI program leadership—preferably in aerospace, EV, automotive, high-precision manufacturing, or complex electromechanical products.
Strong understanding of AS9100D, AS9145, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, and process validation requirements.
Demonstrated experience managing supplier readiness, overseeing scalable manufacturing processes, and supporting hardware builds in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to balance hands-on issue resolution with strategic system building.
Experience building or transforming teams during high-growth or pre-production phases.
Exceptional communication skills—capable of influencing technical leaders, VPs, and suppliers through data, clarity, and urgency.
Highly analytical mindset with proficiency in dashboards, metrics, KPIs, and supplier performance models.
A sense of ownership, urgency, and a passion for building systems that last

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 $153600 - $192000. 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.

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 [e-mail]. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.

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