Design Engineer, Actuators (early career)

XWING
XWING

Design

Santa Cruz, CA, USA

USD 97,600-131k / year + Equity

Posted on Aug 15, 2026

Design Engineer, Actuators (early career)

Job Locations US-CA-Santa Cruz
ID
2026-5253
Category
Airframe & Actuators
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 motivated individual to join our airframe and actuators team. This individual will be responsible for the design and certification of flight critical electro-mechanical actuators. This role will involve management of existing requirements and drafting new requirements, conceptual and detailed CAD design, drawing creation, hardware selection and procurement, and drafting of documentation for certification. This role will also require support in the manufacturing of prototype and production flyaway actuators, component and system testing, data analysis, and implementing design changes driven by learnings from test and operation. Experience in the certification of aerospace actuators is highly desirable. Hands-on experience and a “get it done" attitude are key for this position. This position is rewarding for engineers that value seeing their ideas rapidly grow from concept to creation due to Joby Aviation’s fast development pace.

Responsibilities

  • Detailed layout of actuator mechanical and electrical design elements
  • Collaboration with engineering and certification teams to incorporate best practices
  • Ability and willingness to ‘get your hands dirty’ in the assembly and testing of actuators
  • Support of technicians and flight test personnel during integration and flight testing
  • Creation and maintenance of technical drawings and bill of materials
  • Support of certification process through documentation and communication
  • Support of manufacturing in root cause analysis of non conformances
  • Data analysis of manufacturing yield data
  • Support of manufacturing in failure analysis
  • Manage issues that affect fleet operations and maintenance

Required

  • B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or another relevant discipline
  • 1+ years of work experience in a relevant industry (can include internships, co-ops and university club programs)
  • Ability to visualize complex 3D systems
  • Keen eye for detail and willingness to design to strict aerospace standards
  • Great mechanical aptitude and curiosity to learn
  • Excellent teamwork and communication skills
  • Proficiency with CAD
  • Willingness to be hands-on
  • Ability to be onsite regularly at our headquarters in Santa Cruz CA

Desired

  • Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering or another relevant discipline
  • 2+ years of work experience within aerospace industry
  • Certification of aerospace actuators

Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $97,600 - $131,000/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.

Joby is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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