Structures Architect — Conceptual Design

AlleyCorp; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 153,000 - 228,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer Aviation in San Jose, CA seeks a Structures Architect to develop the conceptual airframe architecture for a next-generation eVTOL. You will size and lay out major structural components in close collaboration with the vehicle, powertrain, and aero teams.

Responsibilities include material trade studies, evaluating layouts, and generating weight estimates while ensuring compliance with design and certification considerations. Base pay is disclosed, reflecting knowledge and experience.

Qualifications

• Aerospace structural design background at conceptual/preliminary level.
• Experience with aeroelastic analysis (flutter/whirl) and modal analysis.
• Proficiency in structural sizing methods and Python tooling.
• Familiarity with cross-sectional analysis tools and parametric geometry.
• Experience with aerospace CAD tools and parametric geometry workflows.

Responsibilities

• Develop conceptual airframe architecture for fuselage, wing, tail, and nacelle structures.
• Size major components using classical methods and cross-sectional tools.
• Assess aeroelastic behavior with beam-based codes or equivalents.
• Define sizes based on loads, 20, and performance margins; collaborate with vehicle and powertrain teams.
• Evaluate alternative layouts for weight, manufacturability, and cost.
• Lead material selection trades (composite vs. metal vs. hybrid).
• Generate weight estimates and track margins through concept phase.

Skills

Aeroelastic analysis

Structural sizing

Python programming

Parametric geometry

Education

Aerospace engineering degree

Tools

sectionproperties Python library

OpenAeroStruct

pyNastran

SUAVE

CATIA

NX

SolidWorks

OpenVSP

CadQuery

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.

THE ROLE

As Structures Architect, you will develop the conceptual-level airframe architecture for a next-generation eVTOL: laying out and sizing the major structural components, evaluating alternative layouts and materials, assessing packaging and volume, and predicting weight for candidate configurations in close coordination with the vehicle, powertrain, and aero architects.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Develop conceptual-level airframe architecture and parametric structural models for the fuselage, wing, tail, and nacelle structure, including layout of the wing, fuselage, tailboom/empennage, rotor/proprotor pylon mounts, and landing gear attachment.
• Size major structural components (spars, frames, longerons, skins, major fittings) using classical analytical methods, cross-sectional analysis tools such as “sectionproperties”, and conceptual FEM.
• Predict and assess aeroelastic behavior at the conceptual level — including flutter and whirl-flutter margins and structural modal characteristics — using tools such as ASWING or similar beam-based aeroelastic codes.
• Partner with the Vehicle Architect on loads and outer mold line (OML) definition; since structural sizing is ultimately driven by elastic, aeroelastic, and loads behavior, help identify the governing sizing cases (e.g., maneuver, gust, ground, fatigue) for each major structural element.
• Evaluate and trade alternative structural layouts across candidate configurations for weight, manufacturability, and cost.
• Lead material selection trades for major structural elements — composite vs. metallic vs. hybrid construction — weighing weight, cost, manufacturability, and schedule.
• Assess packaging and volume allocation across the airframe (battery/fuel volume, powertrain bay, payload bay, avionics bays) in coordination with the powertrain and vehicle architects.
• Generate structural weight estimates for candidate configurations and track weight margins through the concept phase.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Aircraft structural design background at the conceptual or preliminary design level; rotorcraft, tiltrotor, or eVTOL experience strongly preferred.
• Strong experience with aeroelastic analysis — including flutter and whirl-flutter prediction — and structural modal analysis.
• Structural sizing methods (classical beam/panel analysis, weight-estimation relationships / CERs); experience with the sectionproperties Python library or similar cross-sectional analysis tools a plus.
• Experience with conceptual/preliminary structural and aeroelastic sizing tools such as ASWING, NeoCASS, OpenAeroStruct, pyNastran, SUAVE, or similar.
• Working knowledge of composite and metallic airframe construction and their trade-offs.
• Strong Python programming experience for structural sizing and analysis automation.
• Experience generating parametric geometry for aircraft structure — via commercial parametric CAD (e.g., CATIA, NX, SolidWorks) or code-based parametric geometry tools (e.g., OpenVSP, CadQuery, custom scripting).
• Understanding of systems integration and packaging constraints in volume-constrained aircraft.
• Experience with certification-driven structural requirements for civil aircraft (e.g., crashworthiness, redundancy, occupant protection) a plus.

At Archer, we aim to attract, retain, and motivate talent with the skills and leadership needed to grow our business. We drive a pay-for-performance culture and reward performance that supports the Company’s strategy. For this position, we are targeting a base pay range of $152,800 - $227,600. Actual compensation offered will be determined by 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.