Manager, Manufacturing Design Engineering - Electric Motor

Archer is seeking a Manufacturing Design Engineering (MDE) Manager to lead the Electric Motor/Drive Unit manufacturing team. This role owns the specification, design, launch, and ramp of advanced powertrain manufacturing equipment in a high-volume production environment. The manager will direct a high-performing team, manage capital equipment execution, drive design for manufacturability, and ensure production capacity meets delivery schedules. The position involves close collaboration with product design, manufacturing engineering, and suppliers, as well as presenting program status to executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead & Scale the Team: Direct a high-performing MDE team responsible for Electric Motor/Drive Unit production lines; own hiring, career development, and resource planning.
• Capital Equipment Ownership: Own end-to-end equipment execution from RFQ and design specs through FAT, SAT, commissioning, and ramp up, managing capex budgets and executive approvals.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Partner closely with Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering to drive DFM feedback into early-stage designs and optimize products for automated assembly.
• Integrator & Supplier Management: Lead relationships with custom equipment builders and key automation suppliers in close collaboration with Global Supply Chain.
• Executive Communication: Present program status, capital spend forecasts, and capacity models to executive leadership, adapting quickly to evolving enterprise schedules.
• Production Capacity Planning: Ensure manufacturing equipment meets throughput, yield, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) targets to satisfy present and future delivery schedules.

Requirements

• Education & Experience: B.S. in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, or Robotics Engineering (or equivalent) with 2+ years of technical management and 5+ years in high-volume, automated manufacturing (EV, Aerospace, or Semiconductor preferred).
• Technical Domain Expertise: Deep core expertise in at least one key drive unit subsystem—Stator, Rotor, Inverter, Gearbox, or Actuators—alongside strong knowledge of automated assembly processes.
• Equipment & Automation Mastery: Hands-on experience developing specifications for PLCs, industrial robotics (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB), vision systems, dispense systems, torque tools, and human/machine safety devices.
• Financial & Project Acumen: Proven experience in capex budgeting, vendor RFQ management, line balancing, layout design (AutoCAD/NX), and executing FAT/SAT protocols.
• Problem-Solving & Quality Systems: Mastery of structured root-cause methodologies (DMAIC, 8D, 5-Why) alongside practical application of GD&T, SPC, and PFMEAs.
• Software Competency: Proficiency using 3D CAD (Siemens NX preferred), PLM (Teamcenter), MES, and ERP platforms to manage factory designs and product lifecycle data.
• Leadership Mindset: Clear communicator with a high-ownership, bias-for-action attitude capable of thriving in a fast-paced hardware development environment.

Nice to have

• Advanced Automation Controls: Direct programming or architecture experience with PLC platforms (Siemens, Beckhoff, Allen-Bradley) and complex MES integrations.
• Regulatory & Safety Standards: Strong working knowledge of electrical and industrial safety codes, including NFPA 79, NEC, UL508A, ANSI/RIA 15.06, and OSHA regulations.
• Advanced DFM/DFA: Experience taking complex electromagnetic assemblies from initial NPI prototype builds through full-scale automated line qualification.