Loads and Dynamics Engineer

XWING; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 121,500 - 206,100; Full time

Job summary

Joby Aviation seeks a Loads Engineer to join our Flight Physics team during a critical phase of eVTOL development and FAA certification. This role sits at the intersection of structural loads and modeling and simulation, contributing to external loads analysis and high-fidelity simulations.

You will work with experienced engineers in a fast-paced environment to help certify a new class of aircraft. The role requires a Bachelor's in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, 3+ years in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a relevant discipline.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in structural loads, aeroelasticity, or closely related field; strong and applicable academic project or thesis work considered.
• Solid understanding of aircraft loads fundamentals and aeroelastic principles.
• Experience with finite element or aeroelastic analysis tools (NASTRAN, Abaqus, ZONA or similar).
• Proficiency in MATLAB and/or Python for analysis and automation.
• Strong first-principles problem-solving approach; ability to reason through unfamiliar problems, not just apply known methods.
• Ability to work effectively in a Linux/HPC environment.
• On-site presence required in Santa Cruz and/or Marina, CA, particularly during active flight test periods.

Responsibilities

• Perform external loads analysis for aircraft and its systems across the full operational envelope
• Directly support flight and ground testing in day-to-day test campaign operations in CA
• Support data reduction and analysis from flight test and ground test campaigns
• Develop and maintain various aeroelastic and aerodynamic models in support of loads derivation
• Contribute to the development and improvement of analysis and simulation tools used by the loads team
• Correlate and validate analytical models against experimental and flight test data
• Support analysis and loads database development for use by structural and systems design teams
• Contribute to FAA certification-related documentation and compliance efforts under the guidance of senior engineers
• Collaborate across Flight Physics, Airframe, Systems, Flight Test, Ground Test and Certification teams

Skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

MS/PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

NASTRAN

Abaqus

ZONA

MATLAB

Python

Linux HPC

Job description

Loads and Dynamics Engineer

Job Locations: US-CA-Santa Cruz

Overview

Joby Aviation is seeking a Loads Engineer to join our Flight Physics team during a critical phase of eVTOL aircraft development and FAA certification. This role sits at the intersection of structural loads and modeling and simulation. You will contribute directly to external loads analysis while helping advance the team's high-fidelity simulation capabilities. You will work alongside experienced loads engineers, flight test teams, and simulation specialists in a fast-paced, hands-on environment where the work you do directly shapes the certification of a new class of aircraft. This role is for an energetic, driven and curious candidate with strong fundamental skills and some experience, who wishes to continue to grow and learn, and help us bring eVTOL to the world with high safety and quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform external loads analysis for aircraft and its systems across the full operational envelope
• Directly support flight and ground testing in day-to-day test campaign operations in CA
• Support data reduction and analysis from flight test and ground test campaigns
• Develop and maintain various aeroelastic and aerodynamic models in support of loads derivation
• Contribute to the development and improvement of analysis and simulation tools used by the loads team
• Correlate and validate analytical models against experimental and flight test data
• Support analysis and loads database development for use by structural and systems design teams
• Contribute to FAA certification-related documentation and compliance efforts under the guidance of senior engineers
• Collaborate across Flight Physics, Airframe, Systems, Flight Test, Ground Test and Certification teams

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a relevant discipline
• 3+ years of relevant experience in structural loads, aeroelasticity, or closely related field; strong and applicable academic project or thesis work considered
• Solid understanding of aircraft loads fundamentals and aeroelastic principles
• Experience with finite element or aeroelastic analysis tools (NASTRAN, Abaqus, ZONA or similar)
• Proficiency in MATLAB and/or Python for analysis and automation
• Strong first-principles problem-solving approach; ability to reason through unfamiliar problems, not just apply known methods
• Ability to work effectively in a Linux/HPC environment
• On-site presence required in Santa Cruz and/or Marina, CA, particularly during active flight test periods

Desired

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
• Experience with multi-DOF flight dynamics simulations or coupled aero-structural analysis
• Software development background; experience contributing to simulation frameworks or open-source tools
• Familiarity with rotordynamics, rotorcraft or eVTOL aerodynamics and loads environments
• Experience with high-performance computing for large-scale analysis
• Experience or understanding of large-scale data mining and data science
• Familiarity or demonstrated experience with FAR/EASA Part 23, 25, or 27 requirements
• 1-3 years of direct loads analysis experience

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $121,500-$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