Autonomous Aircraft Systems Engineer Lead
XWING
Autonomous Aircraft Systems Engineer Lead
- ID
- 2025-4434
- Category
- Flight Research
- Type
- Regular Full-Time
Joby 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. Since 2009, our team has worked steadily to make this dream a reality. We’ve designed and tested many generations of prototype aircraft capable of serving in a network of electric air taxis. We’re looking for talented, committed individuals to join our team as we push onward toward certifying the Joby aircraft, scaling our manufacturing, and launching our initial commercial service.
Overview
We are looking for a technical leader to lead the Flight Research Systems Engineering Team and drive the architecture, development, integration, and verification of autonomous flight capabilities for next-generation aircraft. You will work across avionics, flight controls, software, GNC, and test teams to deliver safe, certifiable, and operationally scalable autonomy—supporting both supervised and fully uncrewed operations.
This role is ideal for engineers who thrive at the intersection of systems engineering, autonomy algorithms, safety analysis, and flight test.
Responsibilities
Systems Architecture & Technical Ownership
- Define and maintain the autonomy system architecture, requirements, and interfaces across aircraft and ground systems.
- Lead system-level trades related to safety, redundancy, certifiability, and operational reliability.
- Drive functional decomposition, ICDs, and verification plans in alignment with ARP4754A processes.
Safety-Critical Autonomy Development
- Develop autonomy capabilities following standards such as DO-178C, DO-254, DO-160, DO-355/356, and support DAL allocation strategies.
- Lead FHAs, PSSAs, SSAs, and work closely with certification teams to ensure airworthiness of autonomy features.
- Ensure architectures support robust fault detection, fail-safe behaviors, and predictable system response.
Integration, Test, and Deployment
- Guide integration of autonomy software with avionics, sensors, flight controls, and ground control stations.
- Support simulation-based validation, SIL/HIL testing, and scenario-based regression frameworks.
- Partner with flight test teams to define test plans, evaluate results, and mature autonomy across multiple aircraft platforms.
Collaboration & Leadership
- Provide mentorship and technical direction to systems engineers. Work closely with Software and GNC engineers to develop cross-team, lightweight, processes.
- Drive clear decision-making, design reviews, and cross-team and cross-project alignment.
- Communicate system behavior and risks effectively to engineering leadership and external stakeholders.
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related field (MS/PhD preferred).
- 15+ years in flight-critical systems, autonomy, avionics, or flight controls.
- Proven ownership of complex safety-critical systems (DAL-B/A preferred).
- Strong experience in requirements development, system modeling, and verification.
- Familiarity with autonomy algorithms, real-time embedded systems, or GNC integration.
Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $156,000 - $243,200/yr. 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.
Additional Information
Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer
