Staff Technical Program Manager, Advanced Manufacturing

XWING

Santa Cruz (CA)

On-site

USD 156,000 - 214,500

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Healthcare benefits

401(k) plan with a company match

Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Life insurance

Job summary

Joby is seeking an experienced Staff Technical Program Manager to lead the development and industrialization of advanced thermoplastic joining technologies for aerospace structures. You will guide programs from concept through qualification, working with design, materials, and certification teams to establish robust processes and data for production and certification.

You will define manufacturing specifications, lead multidisciplinary teams, and engage with suppliers and research partners to

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a related technical discipline (Mechanical/Aerospace/Materials/Manufacturing).
10+ years in aerospace structures, manufacturing or advanced composites.
Experience leading multidisciplinary aerospace technology development from concept to qualification.
Deep knowledge of high‑performance thermoplastics (carbon fiber reinforced PEEK/PEKK/PEAK).
Experience with thermoplastic joining technologies (resistance/induction/ultrasonic/laser/thermal consolidation).
Experience developing manufacturing process specs, qualification plans, and standards.

Responsibilities

Lead technical strategy, planning, and execution of thermoplastic joining programs for aerospace structures.
Develop and mature manufacturing processes for thermoplastic welding and consolidation.
Run material characterization and test programs to build design allowables and joint data.
Create process specifications, work instructions, and qualification plans for production and certification.
Coordinate cross‑functional teams across design, materials, manufacturing, testing, and certification.

Skills

Aerospace program leadership

Thermoplastic joining

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace/Materials/Manufacturing Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Resistance welding

Induction welding

Ultrasonic welding

Laser welding

Thermal consolidation

Automated joining processes

Job description

Staff Technical Program Manager, Advanced Manufacturing

Job Locations: US-CA-Santa Cruz

ID: 2026-5202

Category: Manufacturing

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

We are seeking an experienced Technical Program Manager to lead the development, maturation, and industrialization of advanced joining technologies for high-performance thermoplastic composite aircraft structures. This role will be responsible for defining and executing technology development programs focused on joining carbon fiber reinforced PEEK, PEKK, and other high-performance thermoplastic materials using welding and consolidation processes. Working closely with engineering, manufacturing, materials, and certification teams, this individual will establish robust manufacturing processes and generate the data necessary to support future aircraft structural applications. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in composite materials and joining technologies with extensive aerospace program leadership experience and a passion for hands‑on technology development.

Responsibilities

Lead the technical strategy, planning, and execution of development programs focused on thermoplastic composite joining technologies for aerospace structures.
Develop and mature manufacturing processes utilizing resistance, induction, ultrasonic, laser, conduction, and other thermoplastic welding and consolidation methods.
Define and execute material characterization and test programs to establish preliminary design allowables and joint performance databases across relevant loading and environmental conditions.
Develop formal manufacturing process specifications, work instructions, qualification plans, and supporting technical documentation suitable for production and certification.
Coordinate multidisciplinary teams spanning design engineering, materials engineering, manufacturing engineering, testing, quality, and certification to achieve program objectives.
Provide technical leadership in process development, fixture design, equipment selection, process controls, and manufacturability for thermoplastic composite assemblies.
Serve as the technical interface with equipment suppliers, research organizations, universities, and industry partners supporting technology maturation.
Drive project execution through schedule management, technical risk reduction, resource planning, milestone tracking, and executive communication.
Remain actively engaged in laboratory and manufacturing development activities, participating directly in process development, testing, troubleshooting, and validation.

Required

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Advanced Degree preferred
10+ years of experience developing aerospace structures, manufacturing processes, or advanced composite technologies
Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary aerospace technology development programs from concept through qualification
Deep understanding of high-performance thermoplastic composites including carbon fiber reinforced PEEK, PEKK, PEAK, and related materials
Extensive experience with thermoplastic joining technologies including one or more of:

Resistance welding
Induction welding
Ultrasonic welding
Laser welding
Thermal consolidation
Automated joining processes

Strong understanding of aerospace materials and process development, qualification methodologies, and certification best practices
Experience developing manufacturing process specifications, qualification plans, and engineering standards
Familiarity with composite structural testing, mechanical characterization, environmental conditioning, and statistical analysis of material performance
Excellent technical communication skills with demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams and communicate with executive leadership
Willingness to work onsite in Santa Cruz, California, with significant laboratory and manufacturing floor engagement

Desired

20+ years of experience developing aerospace structures, manufacturing processes, or advanced composite technologies
Experience developing primary or secondary aircraft composite structures
Knowledge of FAA or military certification approaches for composite structures
Experience establishing structural design allowables and supporting certification by analysis and test
Familiarity with automated composite manufacturing equipment, robotics, and process automation
Experience working with research organizations, government programs, or technology maturation initiatives
Demonstrated success transitioning emerging manufacturing technologies into production environments

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $156,000 - $214,500. The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.