Head of Quality
Quality Assurance
San Carlos, CA, USA · Marina, CA, USA
Head of Quality
- ID
- 2026-5441
- Category
- Quality Assurance
- Type
- Regular Full-Time
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.
Responsibilities
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
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
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
Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $230,000 - $330,000. The compensation package will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
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.
Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer