Project Engineer - System Test

Xwing; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Joby seeks a Project Engineer for the System Test team at our Santa Cruz headquarters. You will coordinate and ensure on-time completion of system-level projects across test assets, collaborating with test engineers, design engineers, technicians, and subject matter experts.

The ideal candidate has a BS in a technical field with 5+ years in project management or technical leadership, and expertise in Smartsheet and JIRA with a track record of delivering multiple high-paced engineering projects.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of experience in project or program management or technical team leadership.
• Expertise in Smartsheet and JIRA.
• Experience managing multiple high-paced engineering projects simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and ensure on-time completion of system-level projects across test assets.
• Lead test milestone preparation and root cause analysis.
• Schedule, plan, and allocate resources for Testing team projects.
• Maintain team schedules and report progress, risks, and needs.
• Manage, triage, and prioritize team tasks in JIRA.
• Drive technical decision-making to avoid bottlenecks.
• Support integration of hardware, software, and test equipment.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary leads to balance workload.

Skills

Project management

JIRA

Leadership

Organization

Smartsheet

Education

B.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent

Tools

Smartsheet

JIRA

Job description

Project Engineer - System Test

• ID: 2026-5442
• Job Locations: US-CA-Santa Cruz
• Category: Testing
• Type: Regular Full-Time

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

In this role, you will join the Systems Test team at Joby focused on certifying the S4 aircraft through hardware-in-the-loop development and certification testing. The Project Engineer is part of the System Test Program Management team and will coordinate and ensure on-time completion of system-level projects across a variety of test assets. You will join and support an elite team of test engineers, design engineers, technicians, and subject matter experts across the company who are passionate about setting the bar for problem-solving excellence.

We are looking for an experienced Project Engineer who is a highly organized, passionate individual with excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills. This position will be based at the Santa Cruz HQ location and will require regular support at other test sites including Bonny Doon, San Carlos, and Marina. The primary responsibilities for this role will include scheduling, planning, and resource allocation for Testing team projects; however, as part of the fabric of team leadership, PEs are also expected to set the tone of solutions-focused professionalism, challenge and support teammates, and look ahead to anticipate and navigate operational and technical issues. This role will operate in a fast-paced, demanding, and rewarding environment with very high expectations for individual contribution.

Responsibilities

• Ensure team progress is in alignment with company goals (scope, team, duration, budget)
• Collaborate with other project managers to ensure convergence of company-level efforts to achieve key milestones and report out on team progress, **escalate** issues and needs
• Bring a technical perspective to project planning—lead test milestone preparation, root cause analysis in response to failures, and participate in test execution as a test director or support as needed
• Work closely across disciplines within System Test to ensure success at the individual and project level. Align and connect leads as needed to ensure work distribution is effective and visible
• Drive technical decision-making processes to avoid bottlenecks and seek to resolve any potential issues ahead of them limiting the project
• Schedule: Create, maintain, and communicate team schedules that aim to achieve key company milestones. Drive the relevant teammates supporting a test to hit their dates, and report progress, risks, and needs to the broader program. Constantly seek creative solutions to areas where program planning does not close
• JIRA: Manage, triage, and prioritize team tasks and incoming test requests in JIRA. Maintain team strategic plans, and ensure test documentation is complete and meets company standards
• Leverage team performance metrics to help create growth, organizational, and budgeting strategies for the team, as well as provide feedback that will allow the team to achieve higher operating efficiency
• Anticipate, **escalate**, and drive issues that need help beyond what the team can solve alone. Report on team progress, issue areas, and gaps to team and program leadership
• Support the definition, planning, execution, and delivery of test results. Enable team progress on integration of hardware, software, and specialized test equipment

Required

• B.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent, with 5+ years of experience in project/program management or technical team leadership
• Expertise in project management tools such as Smartsheet and JIRA
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple high-paced engineering projects simultaneously
• Demonstrated organizational skills, attention to detail, and leadership skills

Desired

• Experience with system-level testing
• Experience with test laboratory environments and procedures
• Experience with aircraft certification (ARP 4754, DO-160, DO-178), regulatory requirements, compliance testing, aircraft software engineering processes, and test verification
• Experience with young, high-growth-stage companies

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $104,400 - $183,500/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 is an Equal Opportunity Employer.