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’ve designed and tested many generations of prototype aircraft capable of serving in a network of electric air taxis. We’re 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 launching our initial commercial service

Joby Aviation is seeking a highly organized, passionate Prototype Machinist IV/V to join our Powertrain & Electronics team and help build flight-critical components for our VTOL electric aircraft. The Joby Aviation team is made up of extremely talented, hardworking, proactive, and hands-on individuals, operating in a very fast-paced and rewarding environment. Come help us build advanced electrical power trains as we make a mark in the transportation industry. 

In this role, you’ll work in the prototype machine shop located at Joby’s Powertrain & Electronics facility where design engineering, test engineering, and manufacturing all take place. This role supports the engineering and manufacturing activities with manual machining, 2.5D CNC milling, and fabrication. Additionally, this role supports the safety and provides guidance to the community of technicians and engineers also using the machine shop. 

 

• Work independently once tasks are assigned and be flexible with changing priorities 

• Be able to follow instructions and think critically 

• Manually machine and 2.5D CNC fixtures and parts with desired precision 

• Provide feedback and document issues found during project execution to drive solutions and process improvements 

• Inspect parts for accuracy 

• Participate in the investigation of quality defects and test failures 

• Teardown parts when rework or repair are necessary 

• Fabricate structures (including workstations, test stands, and material racks) using a variety of materials and techniques 

• Maintain the machine shop and equipment to ensure a clean, safe, and well-organized environment 

• Manage machine shop inventory for typical needs without excess 

• Perform routine maintenance on machine shop equipment 

• Assemble and install new equipment 

• Operate forklift to move material and equipment 

• HS Diploma or GED Equivalent  

• Minimum 6+ years of experience in machining or equivalent 

• Proficient with machining, welding, and overall mechanical craftsmanship  

• Proficient with knee mill, lathe, drill press, grinder, and other typical manual machining tools. 

• Able to load CAD geometry into a 2.5D CNC mill’s controller 

• Able to adapt to sudden changes in daily priorities 

• Strong oral and written communication skills 

• Excellent problem-solving techniques and analytical ability 

• Able to prioritize tasks according to daily plans 

• Able to lift 25-35 lbs throughout the day 

• Able to work 50-60 hours per week when requested 

• Able to read and interpret prints or CAD models to produce parts 

• Able to educate and explain how to modify parts appropriately considering geometry, material, and tools available 

• Knowledge of materials including metals and plastics to create precise parts 

• Experience with Solidworks and/or Catia  

• Experience working in early-phase pilot and production of complex parts  

• Experience with light industrial environments 

• Understanding of bills of material (BOM) and manufacturing execution systems (MES) 

• Experience being a trainee and/or trainer in on-the-job (OTJ) training