Job Locations US-CA-Santa Cruz

ID

2026-4647

Category

R&D Machine Shop

Type

Regular Full-Time

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.

We are seeking an experienced manufacturing leader to manage our R&D-focused reactive machine shop, weld shop, and waterjet shop, supporting prototype aircraft builds, flight hardware, test hardware, tooling, and specialized equipment components.

This organization exists to solve the company’s most urgent metal-part needs — fast, accurately, and reliably. When speed matters and production shops are not the right solution, this team delivers.

The Manager will lead a growing team and will be accountable for technical execution, operational performance, and the development of structured, scalable shop processes that support rapid-turn engineering work.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring deep technical expertise across machining, welding, and waterjet processes, combined with strong business and operational acumen.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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