Senior Composites Mechanical Engineer

XWING; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 104,800 - 181,000; 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

XWING in Santa Cruz is seeking a Senior Composites Mechanical Engineer. This role focuses on the design and development of cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage systems. The ideal candidate should possess strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and enjoy working collaboratively in a dynamic aerospace environment.

You will take ownership of critical hardware design and project execution, bringing your expertise in solid mechanics, thermal considerations, and materials behavior to the forefront. A competitive compensation package including base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) is offered.

Qualifications

• 3 to 7 years of mechanical engineering experience in aerospace, energy, cryogenics, or high-performance hardware environments.
• Ability to perform first-principles calculations and basic FEA analysis.
• Familiarity with precision machining, fabrication processes, and tolerance stack-ups.

Responsibilities

• Own the design and development of the cryogenic tank vacuum shell.
• Develop and execute test plans to validate vacuum shell performance.
• Translate system-level performance requirements into robust mechanical designs.

Skills

Solid mechanics fundamentals

Heat transfer knowledge

Materials behavior understanding

3D CAD proficiency

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

Tools

3D CAD software

FEA tools

Job description

Senior Composites Mechanical Engineer

Location: US-CA-Santa Cruz | ID: 2026-4812 | Category: Powertrain & Electronics | Type: Regular Full-Time

Company Overview

Located in Northern California, the team at Joby Aviation is driven by our goal of creating an affordable, all-electric air transportation system. 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. Since 2009, our team has worked steadily to make this dream a reality. We have designed and tested many generations of prototype aircraft capable of serving in a network of electric air taxis. We are looking for talented, committed individuals to join our team as we push onwards toward certifying the Joby aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration, scaling our manufacturing, and preparing to launch commercial service.

Overview

The Hydrogen Storage team is seeking a highly capable, hands-on Mechanical Engineer to support the development of cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage systems. This is a core individual contributor position for an engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of system-level requirements and detailed mechanical design, and who is motivated to take true ownership of critical hardware.

This role will have primary ownership of the vacuum shell for the cryogenic tank system, including structural design, thermal considerations, sealing strategy, test planning, engineering decision-making, drawing release, and overall project execution. The ideal candidate is a strong mechanical generalist with experience or interest in cryogenic systems and a demonstrated ability to optimize solutions at the system level through thoughtful, detail-level engineering execution. You are comfortable moving between first-principles thinking, hand calculations, CAD design, supplier interaction, and hand-on hardware development in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

We are looking for an engaged, creative, and fundamentally solid mechanical engineer with excellent cultural fit for a highly collaborative, design-build-test team.

Responsibilities

• Own the design and development of the cryogenic tank vacuum shell, including structural layout, interfaces, sealing features, and manufacturability considerations.
• Develop and execute test plans to validate vacuum shell performance, including structural, thermal, and leak-tightness verification.
• Take responsibility for engineering decisions, trade studies, and documentation associated with the vacuum shell and related hardware.
• Generate and release detailed CAD models, drawings, and configuration-controlled documentation.
• Translate system-level performance, mass, thermal, and safety requirements into robust mechanical designs.
• Perform hand calculations and simple simulations to evaluate strength, stiffness, modal behavior, buckling, and thermal expansion.
• Support material selection for cryogenic applications, including evaluation of high-performance alloys, composites, and sealing materials.
• Contribute broadly to other mechanical design efforts across the hydrogen storage system as part of the design-build-test cycle.
• Engage directly in hardware builds, troubleshooting, and development testing, rolling up sleeves to help get hardware designed, built, and tested.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with structures, thermal, propulsion, manufacturing, and test teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 3 to 7 years of mechanical engineering experience in aerospace, energy, cryogenics, or other high-performance hardware environments.
• Strong fundamentals in solid mechanics, heat transfer, and materials behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to perform first-principles hand calculations and use basic FEA or thermal analysis tools.
• Experience with 3D CAD and engineering drawing creation and release.
• Familiarity with precision machining, fabrication processes, and tolerance stack-ups.
• Working knowledge of composite structures and materials, with willingness to learn composite lay-up definition and drawing practices as applied to 3DX environments.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and comfort working in an iterative hardware development environment.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across disciplines.

Desired

• Experience with cryogenic systems or liquid hydrogen applications.
• Exposure to vacuum systems or vacuum-insulated structures.
• Experience with high-performance seals and leak-tight assemblies.
• Familiarity with cryogenic-compatible materials and thermal contraction considerations.
• Experience supporting hardware testing and development builds in a fast-paced, hand-on environment.

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $104,800 - $181,000/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