Manager, Quality Management System

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 opportunity

As the leader of our Quality Management System at Archer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the quality framework for our first certified aircraft, Midnight. Operating at the intersection of AS9100 certification requirements and FAA 14 CFR Part 21 regulatory compliance, you will help establish the quality infrastructure across multiple sites. You will help us overcome the challenge of providing airline-like levels of safety while offering urban air mobility at a price accessible to all, setting the quality standard for the entire advanced air mobility (AAM) industry.

What you'll do

• Author, maintain, and continuously improve the QMS (Quality Manual, procedures, work instructions) ensuring full compliance with AS9100 and FAA 14 CFR § 21.137 Quality System requirements across all Archer sites
• Serve as the primary quality liaison with the FAA during Production Certification, supporting conformity inspections, and airworthiness certificate issuance activities
• Establish and govern a unified QMS framework across multiple sites, including standardized audit programs, cross-site corrective action processes, and site-level quality leadership structures
• Lead internal and external audits with AS9100 third-party certification body and FAA surveillance audits across all sites
• Own the Corrective Action Board (CAB) and Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) process to drive systemic resolution of nonconformances across all sites
• Define and report KPIs to senior leadership via Monthly Operations Reviews (MOR) and real-time dashboards
• Integrate quality into Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Flight Operations processes
• Partner with Archer Certification and Safety Department on SMS and Type Certificate obligations
• Manage QMS budget and a geographically dispersed quality team

What you need

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial) with at least 7+ years' experience leading quality teams within aerospace or other regulated industry
• Experience hiring, leading and managing salaried & hourly employees
• Experience overseeing and implementing AS9100 certification with an in-depth understanding of AS9102, AS9103, and AS9145
• Direct experience establishing and leading CABs and supporting MOR quality reviews with senior leadership
• Experience leading all aspects of quality to include:
• QMS (Quality Management System)
• Auditing (Internal & External)
• 3rd Party Certification, Receiving Inspection
• In-Process Inspection
• Product Quality Engineering
• FMEA (Failure Mode Effects Analysis) implementation
• RCCA (Root Cause Corrective Action)
• SPC implementation (Statistical Process Controls)
• APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning)
• Deployment of quality inspection technologies

Bonus qualifications

• Experience establishing real time dashboards used throughout the organization
• Experience with flight line testing and working with the FAA during a Production Certification process
• AS9100 Lead Auditor, Six Sigma Black/Green Belt, or ASQ CQM/CQA certification
• Experience leading teams across multiple sites / locations
• Background or experience with airworthiness assignment and customer aircraft acceptance

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 $117,500 - $161,600. 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 people@archer.com. 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 People@archer.com. All employment processes are managed by the Archer People Team.