Senior Materials Engineer

Joby Aviation; California; On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RSUs

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

ESPP

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Job summary

Joby Aviation in Marina, CA seeks an experienced materials engineer to own the full material lifecycle for AM metallic components. You will manage feedstock qualification through post-processing and failure analysis for certification and production.

You are skilled in microstructure–processing–properties relationships, and you will collaborate across lab, design, stress, and quality teams in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree and 5+ years in metallic materials characterization or processing.
• M.S. degree with 3+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Working knowledge of metallic powder characteristics and AM processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to author specs for cross‑functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own incoming qualification and lot acceptance of metallic feedstocks.
• Define and qualify AM surface finishing and post-processing steps.
• Author material and process specifications for FAA certification support.
• Partner with design, stress, and quality teams on qualification packages.

Skills

Analytical reasoning

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials Science/Metallurgy

Master's degree in a related field

PhD (desirable)

Tools

X-ray CT

Microscopy

Hardness testing

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

Joby Aviation is seeking an experienced materials engineer to join our Additive Manufacturing team. You will own the full material lifecycle for AM metallic components-feedstock qualification through post-processing and failure analysis as a principal contributor to Joby's materials qualification program supporting eVTOL development, certification, and production.

You are a self-starter with a strong command of microstructure-processing-properties relationships in aerospace alloys and thrive at the intersection of hands‑on lab work and cross‑functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

Powder & Feedstock Materials

• Own incoming qualification and lot acceptance of metallic feedstocks (PSD, morphology, chemistry, flowability, density)
• Develop and maintain feedstock control procedures aligned with AM process requirements
• Characterize powder degradation and establish reuse limits, blending protocols, and out‑of‑life criteria
• Manage powder suppliers: acceptance specs, source approvals, and non‑conformances

Surface Finishing & Post-Processing

• Define and qualify AM surface finishing: tumbling, vibratory finishing, electropolishing, chemical etching, shot peening, and precision machining
• Characterize surface roughness (Ra/Rz/Sa), residual stress, and sub‑surface microstructure before and after finishing
• Qualify coatings and surface treatments (anodize, hard coat, conversion coating, thermal spray, PVD/CVD) for corrosion, wear, and fatigue requirements
• Establish acceptance criteria and inspection methods for finished AM surfaces
• Identify and qualify heat treatment processes for AM parts (stress relief, HIP, solution treat and age)

Specifications, Suppliers & Compliance

• Investigate coupon- and component-level failures; perform fracture analysis and drive corrective actions
• Author material and process specifications covering feedstock, build parameters, post-processing, and acceptance criteria
• Support materials allowables and design-allowable data packages for FAA certification
• Partner with stress, design, and quality on material inputs, qualification packages, and MRB dispositions

Required

• B.S. degree and 5+ years of industry experience in metallic materials characterization, processing, or manufacturing engineering
• M.S degree and 3+ years of relevant industry experience as stated above
• Working knowledge of metallic powder characteristics, handling, and qualification
• Familiarity with one or more metal AM processes
• Experience with common materials characterization techniques (e.g., microscopy, hardness, mechanical testing)
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to author specs and present to cross-functional stakeholders
• Able to work independently in a fast-paced environment and meet program deadlines (onsite in Marina, CA)

Desired

• Ph.D. in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field of study
• 5+ years in a controlled/certified manufacturing environment (AS9100, NADCAP, or equivalent)
• Hands‑on with the full powder lifecycle: atomization, sieving, morphology, reuse qualification, and disposal
• Practical knowledge of AM surface finishing and its effect on fatigue life and dimensional compliance
• Experience with AM-specific defects: porosity, lack of fusion, keyhole voids, residual stress, and anisotropy
• Familiarity with X-ray CT for AM defect and dimensional inspection
• Prior experience authoring M&P specifications in regulated aerospace environments
• Exposure to fatigue/fracture testing, allowables generation, or FAA certification data packages

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $100,100 - 149,700/yr. The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits

• paid time off
• healthcare benefits
• 401(k) plan with a company match
• employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)
• short-term and long-term disability coverage
• life insurance
• and more

Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer.