Power Electronics Manufacturing Engineering Lead

Front Door Defense; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 141,900 - 195,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Healthcare benefits

401(k) plan with company match

Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)

Job summary

Joby Aviation, based in San Carlos, CA, is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineering Lead to drive the production of their Electric Propulsion Unit Inverter. This role involves overseeing manufacturing processes, leading internal teams, and ensuring effective production planning.

The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, deep mechanical knowledge, and a hands-on approach to problem-solving. The position offers a competitive compensation package and benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, ideally including time on the floor.
• Experience with power electronics and electro-mechanical assembly.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Own EPU Inverter manufacturing end-to-end.
• Drive equipment projects and deliver production-intent tooling.
• Ramp line capacity to meet program milestones.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering experience

Problem-solving

Mechanical engineering fundamentals

Education

BS in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Tools

GD&T

PFMEA

Job description

Overview

Joby Aviation is building the future of electric flight, and we need a hands‑on Manufacturing Engineering Lead to ramp our Electric Propulsion Unit (EPU) Inverter to high‑rate production and launch the next‑gen Inverter. Based in San Carlos, CA, you’ll own the line: standing up equipment, locking in processes, and scaling power electronics manufacturing alongside our Powertrain & Electronics ME team.

This is a builder’s role for an engineer who lives in the details — someone with deep mechanical and electrical fundamentals, real shop‑floor instincts, and the pragmatism to make hard calls under aggressive timelines. You’ll be on the floor with technicians one hour and solving hard problems alongside senior leaders the next. Decisions move fast here, and the work you do will show up in aircraft that fly.

Responsibilities

• Own EPU Inverter manufacturing end‑to‑end — in‑house assembly and test, plus scale‑up with manufacturing partners. You’re the technical authority on how this product gets built.

• Drive equipment projects with internal teams and external suppliers — specs, builds, buy‑offs, and installs — to deliver production‑intent tooling on schedule.

• Ramp line capacity to hit rate and program milestones — debottleneck, balance stations, and prove out throughput.

• Build the processes that make a fast team faster — clear interfaces with design, quality, and supply chain; no bureaucracy for its own sake.

• Report line readiness to leadership with data, not hand‑waving.
• Mentor your direct team and influence efficiency across the broader org — lead by example, raise the bar everywhere you touch.

• Partner with Design on DFM and ECRs, with Quality on first‑pass yield and defect reduction, and with the Equipment team on readiness milestones.

• Set clear deliverables, dates, and owners for the manufacturing team — and hold the line on them.

• Own the tooling and equipment budget — build it, pressure‑test it, and track spend against capability and rate.

• Launch the next‑gen Inverter using the best proven manufacturing technologies and methods available — and put a power electronics platform into the air that no one has built before.

Required

• BS in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.

• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, ideally including time on the floor.

• Track record of taking multiple products from early concept (bench‑top prototype) through pilot line and high‑rate production as the manufacturing lead — not just supporting someone else who did.

• Hands‑on process development and validation experience (PFMEA, control plans, capability studies).

• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and the instinct to reach for first principles before reaching for a spec — GD&T, tolerance stack‑ups, fastening, and fits should feel like second nature.

• Experience with power electronics, electric motor assembly, or complex electro‑mechanical assembly — including the tooling, fixturing, and test equipment that make them manufacturable.

• Strong problem‑solving instincts — root‑cause first, blame never — and the cross‑functional chops to land the fix.

• Genuine appetite for the details — you’d rather walk the line and read the data than sit in a status meeting.

Desired

• Experience leading engineering teams — hiring, coaching, and getting the best work out of a group of strong individual contributors.

• Prior experience in a highly regulated industry (e.g., Aerospace, Automotive, Medical Devices).

• Familiarity with FAA Part 21 production approval or AS9100 quality systems.

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $141,900 - $195,200/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.

Additional Information

Joby Aviation is an equal opportunity employer.