Head of Quality
Joby Aviation · Marina, CA
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Quality
- Base pay
- $230k–$330k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 15+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt preferred
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level quality role at Joby Aviation (aerospace & defense) in Marina, CA. Direct, hands-on experience securing or managing an FAA Production Certificate (PC) and executing FAA conformity inspections under 14 CFR Part 21.
- They ask for
- 15+ years · degree required · Black Belt preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Root cause, CAPA, ISO 9001
- Base pay
- $230k–$330k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Quality Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $100k–$153k. This one lists $230k–$330k.
Median of the low and high ends of 119 live postings that list pay, out of 235 quality 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 234 other live quality postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 125% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (15+ vs 5+)
Typical $100k–$149k, from 115 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 76%
- FMEA 48%
- ✓ Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 43%
- ✓ Supplier quality 43%
- ✓ AS9100 40%
- ✓ ISO 9001 35%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Assembly lines, 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 Quality team at Joby Aviation
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Which standards drive the work here: ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100?
- How much of the job is customer complaints versus prevention?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 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 Marina
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Full description from Joby AviationAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Required
- ✓15+ years of progressive quality leadership experience in aerospace, defense, or commercial aviation manufacturing, including 7+ years in executive management (Director/VP/Head) supervising cross-functional QA, QE, QC, and Metrology teams
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
- ✓Direct, hands-on experience securing or managing an FAA Production Certificate (PC) and executing FAA conformity inspections under 14 CFR Part 21
- ✓Demonstrated expertise in quality oversight across composite structures, complex electronics, high-voltage powertrains, wire harnesses, additive manufacturing, and aircraft final assembly
- ✓Deep working knowledge of AS9100 / ISO 9001 quality management systems, AS9102 FAI requirements, and advanced metrology tools
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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 a Head of Quality to lead our enterprise-wide quality organization as we scale from New Product Introduction (NPI) to rate manufacturing. This critical role holds end-to-end accountability for Quality Control (QC), Quality Engineering (QE), Quality Assurance (QA), Metrology Engineering, and Supplier Quality across all internal plants and manufacturing disciplines.
Serving as an independent functional check-and-balance to manufacturing, the Head of Quality holds primary responsibility for securing and maintaining Joby’s FAA Production Approval and Production Certificate (PC). This position leads the quality systems, inspection frameworks, and regulatory compliance required to produce flight-ready eVTOL aircraft across all manufacturing areas. This includes Powertrain & Electronics, Composites, Airframe Assembly, Paint, Final Integration, Additive Manufacturing, Blades, and Wire Harnesses.
FAA Production Certification & Regulatory Oversight
- •FAA Production Approval & PC Ownership: Serve as the primary operational authority for securing, maintaining, and expanding Joby’s FAA Production Certificate (PC) and manufacturing approvals under 14 CFR Part 21
- •FAA Conformity & Audits: Collaborate with DARs for all FAA manufacturing conformity inspections, system audits, and regulatory communications across all manufacturing facilities
- •Independent Governance: Maintain an uncompromised quality boundary to ensure safety, compliance, and airworthiness standards are strictly enforced independent of schedule pressures
Functional Quality Leadership (QC, QE, QA, Metrology)
- •Quality Assurance (QA): Oversee AS9100 Quality Management System (QMS) governance, document control, internal audit programs, and regulatory compliance reporting
- •Quality Engineering (QE): Lead manufacturing quality planning, First Article Inspections (FAI / AS9102), design-for-quality reviews, and Engineering Change Requests (ECR) effectivity validation
- •Quality Control (QC): Manage receiving, in-process, and final inspection operations across all plant floors, cleanrooms, and flight integration bays
- •Metrology Engineering: Direct precision measurement strategies, calibration systems, coordinate measuring machines (CMM), 3D scanning, and non-destructive testing (NDT) across all hardware domains
Problem Solving
- •Root Cause & Corrective Action (RCCA): Drive rigorous 8D, CAPA, and Material Review Board (MRB) processes to eliminate scrap, rework, and non-conformances at the root cause
- •Metrics & Analytics: Establish real-time quality dashboards in VERT / VERNIE tracking Scrap, Rework, First-Pass Yield (FPY), and Escapes across every production line
Desired
- +Master’s degree in Engineering Management or Business Administration
- +Six Sigma Black Belt / Lean Manufacturing certification
- +Direct experience managing quality transitions from low-volume prototype builds to high-rate aerospace manufacturing
Additional Information
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.
