Principal M&P Engineer, Metallics at Archer in San Jose, CA

Job description

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, Archer is a leader in the next-gen aerospace sector building an end-to-end advanced air mobility platform that delivers air taxis, unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), aviation-related physical artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions, and other technologies to customers worldwide across the commercial aerospace and defense sectors. 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. We are seeking an experienced Materials and Processes (M&P) Engineer to serve as the Metallics Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the airframe of our next-generation electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, being certified under FAA airworthiness criteria derived from 14 CFR Part 23 eVTOL aircraft and Part 21.17(b) powered-lift. In this role, you will be the technical authority for metallic materials and processes across primary and secondary airframe structure, from alloy selection and specification development through qualification, production support, and FAA certification. This is a hands-on role on a fast-moving program. The ideal candidate brings deep metallurgical expertise, a strong command of aerospace specifications and certification requirements, and the judgment to make sound, timely decisions with incomplete information. You will thrive here if you bring a flexible mindset, a strong sense of urgency, and the ability to create structure and clarity in an ambiguous, rapidly evolving environment. We are looking for individuals who are slightly impatient, flexible under changing priorities and perform under pressure. What you’ll do Technical authority: Serve as the M&P Metallics SME; owning metallic material and process decisions for aluminum, titanium, steel, and corrosion-resistant alloys used in structure, engine, battery components, fittings, and fasteners. Certification: Develop compliance data and substantiation for M&P-related airworthiness requirements, and interface with the FAA, DERs, and internal certification teams to support certification activities. Develop, author, review internal MPE specs, test plans, other specs. Cross-functional partnership: Work closely with stress, design, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and certification teams to make timely trade-offs that keep the program moving. Build the function: Help build and mature Archer’s M&P metallics capability, including lab test methods, processes, tools, and mentorship of junior engineers. Qualification and allowables: Plan and execute metallic material and process qualification programs, including test plans, test matrices, conformity, data review, and reports; establish material strength properties and design values using MMPDS and statistically based methods. Specifications and design guidance: Author and maintain Archer material and process specifications, design guidelines, and standards, including heat treatment, surface treatment, plating, shot peening, welding/joining, machining, and inspection requirements. Material selection: Lead alloy, temper, and product-form selection (plate, sheet, extrusion, forging, casting, bar, and additively manufactured parts), balancing strength, fatigue and damage tolerance, corrosion resistance, weight, cost, and manufacturability. Corrosion control: Define corrosion prevention and control requirements for metallic structure, including galvanic compatibility, dissimilar-material isolation (including metal-to-composite interfaces), sealants, and finish systems. Production and supplier support: Support manufacturing and suppliers through material review board (MRB) dispositions, nonconformance resolution, first article inspections (FAI), special-process source approvals, and suppli