Staff Mechanical Engineer - Charging Systems

Joby Aviation•San Carlos, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Joby is seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead the development of complex Ground Support Equipment (GSE) systems, specifically focusing on charging and thermal conditioning infrastructure for their eVTOL fleet. This role involves end-to-end ownership of hardware, from initial concept to field commissioning. The engineer will collaborate across various disciplines, including power delivery, fluid handling, thermal management, and structural packaging, acting as the primary mechanical engineering interface for electrical, controls, and systems teams, external vendors, and field operations. This is a hands-on role requiring a proactive approach to problem-solving and technical leadership.

Requirements

B.S. or higher in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline
8+ years of relevant engineering experience, with clear evidence of owning complex hardware programs
Demonstrated experience designing and building fluid handling systems — coolant loops, pneumatic circuits, pressurized assemblies, or similar
Experience designing power electronics enclosures and electromechanical assemblies for low-to-medium volume production
Proficiency in a professional CAD package; CATIA (3DEXPERIENCE) strongly preferred
Able to produce complete, manufacturing-ready documentation: drawings, BOMs, P&IDs, assembly instructions
Hands-on — comfortable in a shop, able to debug hardware in person, and willing to do it
Strong cross-functional communication skills; able to drive alignment across mechanical, electrical, controls, compliance, supply chain, and operations teams
Willingness to travel internationally up to 15–20% of the time for deployments and site support

Nice To Haves

Experience with DC fast charging infrastructure or high-power electrical systems (100+ kW)
Familiarity with requirements and design constraints imposed by NRTL certification processes (TUV Rheinland , UL) — you don't need to own the certification path, but you should know how to design for it
Background in refrigeration or active thermal management systems (chillers, heat exchangers, fluid loops with refrigerants such as R32)
Experience working with and technically managing external contract manufacturers and machine shops through prototype builds
Aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated hardware background

Responsibilities

Own the mechanical architecture of charging and thermal conditioning systems — from requirements definition and system sizing through detailed design, build, and validation
Design fluid handling systems including coolant loops, pressurized reservoirs, and dispenser assemblies; specify components, author P&IDs, and manage thermal and hydraulic performance
Package high-power electronics and control circuitry into field-deployable enclosures in tight collaboration with electrical, firmware, and compliance engineers and contract manufacturers
Produce complete engineering documentation: manufacturing drawings, BOMs, assembly instructions, P&IDs — in CATIA (3DEXPERIENCE)
Own prototype procurement — source hardware, select vendors, and coordinate fabrication with machine shops and contract manufacturers through the prototype phase; partner with Supply Chain for production-scale builds
Lead design validation and testing programs; support the compliance team in providing mechanically sound, well-documented hardware for NRTL certification
Support GSE deployments in the field, globally — including installation, commissioning, and issue resolution at operating sites
Mentor senior engineers, provide architectural guidance, and help establish design standards and validation frameworks for the team