Aircraft Technical Project Manager

Socket.dev; California (MO); On-site; USD 150,000 - 206,000; Full time

Job summary

Joby Aviation is seeking an Aircraft Technical Project Manager to plan, schedule, and track work on the experimental Flight Test aircraft. You will coordinate with Engineering IPTs, Flight Test Operations, Maintenance, and Certification to lead technical planning and schedule management for the aircraft.

The role requires a Bachelor of Science in a technical field, hands-on project management experience, and strong leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering or related field or equivalent experience.
• Hands-on experience managing technical projects across cross-functional teams.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate across technical disciplines.
• Demonstrates technical leadership and ownership.
• Proficient with Project Management tools such as MS Project or Smartsheet.
• Willingness to work independently and in teams, with travel as required.
• Fluency in English.
• Travel at least 30%.

Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains the technical project plan for the experimental aircraft, including maintenance, engineering, and conformity activities.
• Coordinates with Flight Test Ops, Project Flight Test Engineer, and Aircraft Manager to manage plans for developmental and certification test campaigns.
• Develops technical work instructions and Engineering Data Packages for execution.
• Maintains certification packages with Airworthiness and Certification Engineering.
• Manages and optimizes the technical schedule by identifying dependencies and allocating resources.
• Reports plans and schedule to Program Office and supports strategy with schedule input.
• Facilitates status reviews with cross-functional stakeholders to surface risks and re-baseline priorities.
• Maintains risk registers and contingency plans for schedule milestones.
• Re-sequences schedules when discrepancies or NCRs occur and coordinates root-cause actions.
• Leads schedule recovery planning after downtime and identifies efficient paths back to test readiness.
• Frames decision points where trade-offs are needed and presents options to stakeholders.
• Determines escalation needs for major trade-offs and program impact.
• Coordinates domestic and international transport for aircraft with Shipping, Logistics and Aftermarket teams.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical leadership

English comprehension

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Eng

Tools

MS Project

Smartsheet

Job description

Company Overview

Imagine a piloted air taxi that takes off vertically, then quietly carries you and your fellow passengers over the congested city streets below, enabling you to spend more time with the people and places that matter most. At Joby, we've been working to make that dream a reality since 2009 and we're now in the final stages of certifying our aircraft with the FAA. With plans to launch our aircraft in the US and Dubai, we're now scaling manufacturing and preparing for the launch of our commercial service.

Overview

As an AircraftTechnical ProjectManager, youareresponsibleforthe planning,schedulingand execution tracking of all work performed on theexperimental Flight Testaircraft. As a core part of Joby’s Flight Test department,you will use your technical and interpersonal skillset tocoordinate complexprojects involving the experimentalaircraft.The Aircraft Technical Project Managerinterfaces directly with the assigned Aircraft Manger, EngineeringIPTs,Program Office, Flight Test Operations, Maintenance, Airworthiness and Certification Engineeringtolead the technical planning and schedule management effort for theaircraft.The Aircraft Technical Project Manageris central to the aircraft’s utilization andis required tooptimizethe schedule for programobjectivesand operational availability.TheAircraft TPM plays a critical role managing theaircraftthatare beingutilizedfor thepurposedofResearch & Development andFAA Type Inspection Authorization (TIA).

Responsibilities

• Establishes andmaintainsthe technical project plan for theexperimentalaircraftincluding maintenance, engineering,and conformityactivities

• Coordinates with the Flight Test Operations team, Project Flight TestEngineerand Aircraft Manager toestablishand manage the plan toensureaircraftareequipped andconfiguredforspecific test campaigns(both developmental and certification)

• Works directly with the Engineering IPTs toconstructtechnical work instructions and Engineering DataPackagesmakingthem available for execution

• Collaborates with Airworthiness and Certification Engineering tomaintainthe certification packages for theaircraftforshow compliance test events

• Manage andoptimizethe technical schedule for theaircraftbydeterminingdependencies,implementingcreativestrategyand employing resource managementskills

• Reports technical plansandscheduleto theProgram Office to ensure alignment on scheduled activities and to provide input to drive company strategy

• Facilitatesfrequentaircraftstatus reviews with cross-functional stakeholders to surface schedule risks, resolve conflicts, and re-baselinetechnicalpriorities as test campaigns evolve

• Develops andmaintainsrisk register and contingency plans for theaircraftschedule,identifyingcritical path items and proposing mitigation strategies to protect test campaign milestones

• Rapidly reassesses and re-sequences the technical schedule when unplanneddiscrepancies, or NCRs are discovered, coordinating with Engineering and Maintenance todetermineroot-cause investigationand corrective actiontimelinesdeterminingtheir impact onaircraftavailability

• Leads schedule recovery planning after unplanned downtime, working toidentifythemore efficientcompliant path back to test readiness

• Identifiesand frames key decision points in theaircraftschedule where competing demands require an explicit trade-off,bringingclear optionsto the Program Office and Flight Test Operations

• Recommends when a decision should be escalated versus resolved at the working level, based on themagnitudeof the trade-off and its potential impacttoprogramobjectives

• Works directly with Shipping & Logistics and Aftermarket SupportEngineeringteamstoplan and coordinatebothinternational anddomestictransportation of theaircraft

Required

• Bachelor of Science (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering or other technical field) degree or equivalent experience and training

• Hands-on experience supporting or managing technical projects, tracking schedules, and coordinating across cross-functional teams

• Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with colleagues across a wide range of technical disciplines

• Exhibits strong technical leadership and ownership

• ProficiencyusingProject Management tools (eg.MS Project, Smartsheet orequiv.)

• Must be able to work both independently and on a team be able to work extended hours and travel asrequired

• Read and speak English proficiently

• At least 30% travelrequired

Desired

• Project management experienceonan aircraftdevelopment program

• Experience supporting orinterfacing withflight test campaigns,understanding how test points, test cards, and campaignobjectivestranslate intoaircraftconfiguration and scheduling requirements

• Experience inaircraftmaintenance control, flight test operations, oraircraftconfiguration management, ideally within an experimental (Part 21) or certification-driven environment.

• Working knowledge of FAA Part 21 experimentalaircraftrequirements, airworthiness processes, and type certification basics (means of compliance, conformity inspections, test cards tied to certificationobjectives)

• Experience in managing a technical team is highly desired

• Civilaircraftcertification 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-260

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $149,900 - $206,100/yr.

The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Joby also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan with a company match, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, and more.

Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer