Joby Aviation · 7 hours ago
R&D Machining, Welding, and Waterjet Shop Senior Manager
Santa Cruz, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$145K/yr - $220K/yr
20+ years expJoby Aviation is working to make piloted air taxis a reality, and is now scaling manufacturing for its commercial service. They are seeking an experienced manufacturing leader to manage their R&D-focused machine shop, weld shop, and waterjet shop, ensuring rapid and reliable production of metal parts for prototype aircraft and other hardware.
AerospaceAir TransportationElectric VehicleTransportation
Responsibilities
Lead daily operations of the R&D Machine Shop, Weld Shop, and Waterjet Shop to deliver rapid-turn metal parts supporting prototype aircraft, flight hardware, test hardware, tooling, and equipment needs
Provide hands-on technical leadership across CNC machining (5-axis and 3-axis), CNC turning, manual machining, welding processes, and 3-axis/5-axis waterjet cutting
Serve as a technical authority for print review, manufacturability assessments, process selection, and problem-solving in a high-urgency R&D environment
Establish, track, and improve operational performance metrics including on-time delivery, lead time, capacity utilization, and responsiveness
Oversee estimating, job planning, scheduling, and prioritization to balance speed, quality, and resource constraints
Manage material, tooling, and inventory procurement to ensure readiness for urgent and changing demands
Define and implement clear roles, responsibilities, and standardized workflows across planning, execution, and support functions
Lead hiring, development, and performance management of a multidisciplinary team of machinists, welders, waterjet operators, and support staff
Partner closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program teams to align priorities and enable rapid execution
Qualification
Required
20+ years of experience in manufacturing, machining, welding, or related metal fabrication environments
Significant hands-on experience in some or all of the following: CNC machining (including 5-axis), CNC turning, Manual machining, Welding processes, Waterjet cutting
Demonstrated ability to lead highly technical teams and make informed shop-floor decisions
Strong understanding of prototype, R&D, or low-volume / high-mix manufacturing environments
Proven experience establishing and managing operational metrics (OTD, lead time, throughput, etc.)
Experience overseeing estimating, planning, scheduling, procurement, and inventory functions
Ability to interpret engineering drawings and collaborate effectively with design engineers
Preferred
Prior experience leading reactive or rapid-response manufacturing teams
Experience supporting aerospace, flight hardware, or highly regulated industries
Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and digital shop-floor tools
Demonstrated success building structured processes in previously informal or fast-growth environments
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
More
Company
Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation is an aerospace transportation company developing electric aircrafts.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Joby Aviation has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2022 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$3.02BKey Investors
Toyota MotorGovernor’s Office of Business & Economic DevelopmentBaillie Gifford
2025-10-07Post Ipo Equity· $591M
2025-05-27Post Ipo Equity· $250M
2024-10-24Post Ipo Equity· $202M
Leadership Team
Eric Allison
Chief Product Officer
Gregory Bowles
Chief Policy Officer
Recent News
2026-01-22
News Archives - Times Kuwait
2026-01-18
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