Flight Test Instrumentation Technical Program Manager

Joby Aviation•Marina, CA

9h•Onsite

About The Position

The Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI) Technical Program Manager (TPM) is responsible for planning, coordinating, and driving the successful delivery of instrumentation and flight test systems used in experimental and certification flight test campaigns. This role bridges hardware engineering, software integration, and flight test operations to ensure instrumentation is delivered on schedule, within scope, and to the quality standards required for airworthiness compliance. The FTI TPM thrives in a fast-paced, highly technical environment and brings structure to complex, multi-disciplinary development programs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field
3+ years of experience in an engineering environment with demonstrated responsibility for developing and implementing highly integrated engineering solutions
Familiarity with flight test instrumentation systems, including data acquisition systems, sensors, signal conditioning, and telemetry
Strong understanding of the hardware development lifecycle, from early concept and design through manufacturing, integration, ground test, and flight test
Demonstrated organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail in a safety-critical environment
Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical topics to diverse audiences including engineers, test pilots, and executives
Proven ability to simultaneously manage multiple high-paced engineering projects and competing priorities
Experience with project management tools such as Smartsheet or similar project management tools, Confluence, and/or JIRA
Proficiency in common workplace software including word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting FAA or EASA type certification programs
Hands-on experience with flight test instrumentation installation, checkout, or calibration
Exposure to aircraft wiring, avionics integration, or structural instrumentation (strain gauges, accelerometers, pressure transducers)
Knowledge of airworthiness requirements for test article modifications and experimental aircraft operations
Exposure to mechanical design tools (SolidWorks, CATIA), DAQ software, and version control practices
Experience coordinating engineering design revision cycles to address integration and in-service discrepancies.

Responsibilities

Own and maintain master FTI and Ground Control Station program schedules, tracking design development, hardware procurement, installation, ground verification and system calibration, and instrumentation readiness milestones across multiple test campaigns
Drive alignment across design engineers, flight test engineers, data analysts, and certification engineers to ensure flight test systems meet program, company, regulatory, and safety requirements for installation on experimental or type-certificated aircraft
Coordinate across instrumentation engineers, supply chain, manufacturing, and flight test operations to ensure on-time delivery
Support qualification and acceptance testing of new instrumentation systems and sensors prior to flight operations
Ensure traceability of instrumentation calibration records and data quality assurance in accordance with program standards
Facilitate incident and anomaly response related to instrumentation failures in the field, coordinating with engineering for root cause and corrective action
Develop and maintain status reports and proactively identify and escalate blockers, driving creative solutions to maintain program momentum through design, build, and test phases
Manage the FTI & Ground Control Station budget, including budget forecasting and expenditure tracking, vendor identification and purchasing.