Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Advanced Development
Joby Aviation · Concord, CA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $122k–$203k
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A senior manufacturing role at Joby Aviation (aerospace & defense) in Concord, CA. Own the manufacturing and assembly plan for aircraft installations, from build sequence and tooling concept through to a fully documented, repeatable process.
- They ask for
- 5+ years
- Tools it names
- Root cause, GD&T, AS9100, Supplier quality, Tooling
- Base pay
- $122k–$203k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $111k–$173k. This one lists $122k–$203k.
Median of the low and high ends of 165 live postings that list pay, out of 443 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 442 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 21% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- Typical (5+ years)
Typical $109k–$159k, from 143 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Tooling 50%
- ✓ New product launch 45%
- ✓ Root cause 37%
- Automation 34%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 26%
- Machining 26%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for AS9100, Supplier quality, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Joby Aviation
We found 3 people at this company and state: 2 in this kind of role, 1 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Ife → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Joby Aviation in Concord
No other open roles at this site right now · 3 people we found in manufacturing roles at Joby Aviation.
Full description from Joby AviationAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Own the manufacturing and assembly plan for aircraft installations, from build sequence and tooling concept through to a fully documented, repeatable process
- ◆Author work instructions and manufacturing bills of material, and support technicians directly on the floor during fabrication, assembly, and integration
- ◆Design and procure tooling, fixtures, and shop aids that improve build quality, ergonomics, and cycle time
- ◆Drive producibility into the design by partnering with design engineers on design for manufacturability, assembly, and maintenance
- ◆Disposition nonconformances, lead root cause and corrective action investigations, and feed lessons learned from each build back into the design and the process documentation
- ◆Interface with internal and external partners to source parts, qualify suppliers, and resolve supplier quality and first article issues
- ◆Collaborate with quality, maintenance, flight test, and program stakeholders to plan builds and resolve blockers
Required
- ✓B.S. in mechanical, manufacturing, aerospace engineering, or another relevant discipline
- ✓5+ years of working experience in relevant industry, with examples of both hands-on prototype builds and rate production
- ✓Experience developing manufacturing processes and work instructions for complex mechanical or aerostructure assemblies
- ✓Strong working knowledge of engineering drawings and GD&T per ASME Y14.5
- ✓Proficiency with CAD tools for tooling design, fixture design, and build sequence development
- ✓Experience with fabrication and assembly of metallic and composite structures, including bonding, fastening, and surface treatment processes
- ✓Familiarity with aerospace quality systems and regulatory
requirements
such as AS9100, 14 CFR Part 21, and first article inspection per AS9102
- ✓The most important traits at Joby are a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and the ability to self-manage and learn new skills. Forward thinking and the ability to adapt quickly to a fast-paced environment are essential.
This position must meet US export control compliance requirements, therefore a candidate must qualify as a “US Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15. “US Person” includes US Citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees.
requirements
of an operating fleet
- ✓Ability to work with a multidisciplinary team on the cost, schedule, and quality trade-offs that drive build decisions
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
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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 looking for a passionate Senior Manufacturing Engineer to help us build our fleet of J208 aircraft (a Cessna Caravan integrated with Superpilot autonomy technology). The Senior Manufacturing Engineer owns how our aircraft actually get built — translating engineering designs into buildable, repeatable processes and driving the improvements that make the build of each faster, cleaner, and more consistent to produce than the last. This role sits at the interface between the engineering team designing the Superpilot hardware suite and the technicians who build and keep our aircraft flying. The candidate will be responsible for making sure that what is designed can be built, and that what is built matches what was designed.This position requires a solid understanding of aircraft structures and systems, manufacturing and assembly processes, and FAA-required quality and certification processes. It also requires a hands-on disposition and a willingness to spend time on the floor with the people executing the build, since the best process improvements come from being present to watch challenges be resolved in real time.
Desired
- +M.S. in mechanical, industrial, aerospace engineering, or another relevant discipline
- +Experience with Dassault Systemes 3DExperience
- +Experience standing up a new production line, introducing a new configuration, or transitioning a program from prototype to rate
- +Familiarity with 14 CFR Part 135 operations and the continued airworthiness, configuration control, and maintenance