Flight Test Aircraft Engineer Lead

Joby Aviation•Marina, CA

5d•$171,200 - $235,400

About The Position

The Flight Test Aircraft Engineering Lead is a technical and people leader responsible for guiding a multidisciplinary engineering team to configure, operate, and sustain flight test aircraft in alignment with Flight Test Program goals. Positioned at the key intersection of engineering design, flight test operations, and maintenance execution, this role balances safety, technical rigor, and schedule objectives to maximize fleet availability and mission readiness.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related STEM discipline
8+ years of hands-on professional engineering experience in flight testing, aircraft maintenance engineering, or aircraft systems integration
Proven track record of leading, mentoring, or guiding multidisciplinary technical teams in a high-tempo aerospace flight test or development environment
In-depth knowledge of aircraft configuration control, mass properties tracking, engineering change processes, and maintenance release protocols
Strong experience in technical troubleshooting and fleet issue tracking utilizing enterprise systems (e.g., JIRA, IFS, or equivalent PLM/ERP tools)
Exceptional cross-functional communication skills, with a proven ability to align design engineers, maintenance technicians, and program leadership

Nice To Haves

Experience as an Aircraft Manager on an experimental Flight Test Program, preferably including VTOL or STOVL and fly-by-wire platforms
Civil aircraft certification experience including use of ARP 4754 processes for requirements and FAA AC 23-8C or AC 27-1B for flight test
Familiarity with FAA Order 4040.26C
Familiarity with DO-178C and DO-160

Responsibilities

Lead, empower, and mentor a multidisciplinary team of aircraft engineers and maintainers, fostering a high-performing culture of safety, cross-functional trust, disciplined configuration management, and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Serve as the central engineering authority between flight test and design teams to rapidly troubleshoot, prioritize, and resolve in-flight/post-flight technical issues, approve engineering releases, and clear aircraft for daily test missions
Direct the establishment, tracking, and documentation of baseline and test-specific aircraft configurations—including mass properties, limits, and restrictions—ensuring accurate records across enterprise tracking tools (e.g., JIRA, IFS)
Lead coordination between engineering and maintenance to plan, review, and approve work instructions, engineering changes, continuous improvement alterations, and post-maintenance verification activities
Partner with program management to schedule work packages, eliminate technical roadblocks, and optimize spares/logistics planning to maintain a high operational tempo and meet key program milestones