Sr. / Staff Supplier Industrialization Engineer

Joby Aviation•San Carlos, CA

7h•$124,600 - $213,800•Onsite

About The Position

The Supplier Industrialization Engineering (SIE) team is the technical bridge between Design Engineering and Joby's global supply base. This role is responsible for critical component development and qualification activities at suppliers — communicating well with internal and external teams, traveling to suppliers in different regions, and making on-the-spot critical decisions. The goal: delivering on-time quantities of high-quality component parts into production processes to enable extremely rapid development cycles and product launches. At the Sr./Staff level, you will own end-to-end industrialization across a broad commodity portfolio — from supplier qualification through high-rate production ramp — while also influencing team-wide processes, tooling, and quality standards. We welcome candidates who may not have direct experience in every commodity we work with; what matters most is a strong foundation in manufacturing process development, supplier management, and quality systems that can be applied and adapted across new domains.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Materials, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Electrical Engineering — or equivalent evidence of exceptional ability.
8+ years of experience in industrial, manufacturing, process engineering, and/or supplier quality engineering (Staff level); 5+ years for Senior level.
Demonstrated depth in at least one manufacturing discipline — specific commodity experience (e.g., Advanced Composites, Precision Machining, Electronics/PCBA, Plastics/Polymers, or Special Processes) is valued, but candidates with transferable skills from adjacent industries or manufacturing environments are strongly encouraged to apply.
Deep understanding of GD&T, statistical process control (SPC), and process capability analysis (Cpk/Ppk).
Direct experience executing PPAP/APQP, PFMEA, Control Plans, and AS9102 FAIR — or equivalent structured quality frameworks from a regulated manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated ability to manage urgent supplier issues and make real-time technical decisions on-site at a supplier's facility.
Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to work across functions and levels.
Ability to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally; valid passport or ability to obtain one.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing Special Processes under Nadcap or equivalent rigorous accreditation.
Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles (Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S) applied to supplier production lines.
Proficiency in CAD (CATIA, NX, or SolidWorks) for design review and tooling assessments.
Experience with automated manufacturing (robotics, AFP, or automated kitting).
Familiarity with IPC-A-610, IPC-CC-830, J-STD-001 for electronics commodities.
Hands-on experience designing, executing, and analyzing structured DOEs (full factorial, fractional factorial, Response Surface Methods) to qualify new manufacturing processes, optimize process parameters, and improve yield at supplier facilities. Ability to identify key input variables (KIVs) and critical output variables (KOVs), quantify factor interactions, and translate DOE findings into robust control plans and process specifications. Familiarity with Minitab, JMP, or equivalent statistical software is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, qualification, and scaling of manufacturing processes across a broad commodity spectrum including metallics (CNC machining, casting, forging, additive), composites (prepreg layup, RTM, autoclave/OOA), special processes (heat treat, anodizing, NDT), plastics (injection molding, thermoforming), and electronics (PCB, PCBA, FPCs, SiC).
Drive New Product Introduction at supplier sites, ensuring tooling, equipment, and workflows are optimized for yield, repeatability, and cycle time.
Influence design cycles by providing feedback on material selection, part consolidation, and tolerance schemes to ensure producibility at scale.
Lead New Supplier Evaluations (NSE), process audits, and qualification assessments; serve as a gatekeeper for Joby's Approved Supplier List.
Develop, manage, and improve supplier quality plans, control plans, PFMEAs, inspection plans, and PPAP submissions in compliance with Joby's Quality and AS9100/Nadcap standards.
Own AS9102 FAIR execution — reviewing submissions with suppliers before formal routing to SQE to ensure completeness and accuracy.
Lead deep-dive investigations into material failures, process excursions, and supplier escapes; drive robust, sustainable 8D/CAPA resolutions that are implemented across similar production lines.
Serve as the technical liaison between Joby Design, Quality, GSM, and Manufacturing Engineering teams — clarifying requirements, surfacing risks early, and driving alignment on supplier metrics and performance standards.
Guide suppliers in developing exceptionally robust processes and procedures; proactively develop documentation and training materials (including in-language materials for international partners where applicable).
Improve existing SIE tools and develop creative approaches to quality management in an intense, fast-paced environment.
Develop and champion unified in-process and outgoing inspection plans with clear acceptance criteria to reduce escapes into Joby Receiving.