Joby Aviation

Staff Technical Program Manager, Flight Research Software

Joby Aviation$173K — $238K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field
  • 8+ years in a Technical Program Manager role on software-intensive systems
  • Hands-on software development experience or strong knowledge of software architecture
  • Proven ability to navigate complex software systems and assess technical risks
  • Experience in hardware-integrated or embedded systems environments
  • Strong organizational skills with experience managing multiple programs
  • Clear communicator who can convey technical plans to diverse stakeholders
  • Comfortable in fast-moving, evolving environments

Responsibilities

  • Own the integrated software execution plan across programs, managing workstreams and milestones
  • Partner with software engineering leads to translate high-level objectives into actionable tasks
  • Drive planning and prioritization across various technical teams
  • Apply technical judgment to identify potential project blockers
  • Define and improve program management processes tailored to team needs
  • Track and communicate schedule risks and technical trade-offs
  • Manage dependencies between software development, hardware, and systems engineering
  • Lead the software design-implementation-release lifecycle in collaboration with engineering leads
  • Oversee flight test campaign planning from a software perspective
  • Keep the team organized around priorities and commitments

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare benefits
  • 401(k) plan with company match
  • Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)
  • Short-term and long-term disability coverage
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
Full Job Description
Overview

Joby Aviation's Flight Research team is looking for a Staff Technical Program Manager to own software execution across our autonomy and flight software development portfolio. You will drive planning and delivery across multiple concurrent workstreams, including flight controls, mission management, embedded systems, simulation, ground control station software, and test infrastructure, ensuring the team is focused on the highest-value work and delivering software tied to flight test campaigns and program milestones.

 

We are a small, close-knit team building software that flies on novel fly-by-wire aircraft. The role requires a technically grounded TPM who can operate with confidence in an environment where priorities shift based on evolving program needs. You will work closely with engineering, flight test, and program leads to translate high-level objectives into executable plans, maintain clarity around dependencies and risks, and keep a talented software team moving with purpose.

Responsibilities
  • Own the integrated software execution plan across programs, maintaining a clear view of workstreams, dependencies, milestones, technical risks, and critical path.
  • Partner with software engineering leads to decompose high-level program objectives into actionable engineering work with clear priorities, owners, and acceptance criteria.
  • Drive planning and prioritization across GNC, flight software, embedded systems, simulation, GCS, and test infrastructure teams.
  • Apply technical judgment to identify unrealistic plans, missing dependencies, ambiguous requirements, and integration risks before they become blockers.
  • Define and continuously improve lightweight program management processes adapted to the team's pace and needs, increasing execution velocity without adding overhead.
  • Track and communicate schedule risks, blockers, and technical trade-offs to engineering leadership and program management. Surface problems early and own resolution.
  • Manage cross-team dependencies at the boundary between software development, hardware, systems engineering, and flight test.
  • Lead the software design-implementation-release lifecycle in collaboration with engineering leads, including design reviews, implementation sequencing, integration readiness, and release planning.
  • Own flight test campaign planning from the software side, ensuring deliverables are technically scoped, scheduled, tested, and tracked against test objectives.
  • Keep the team organized around priorities, commitments, decision records, and follow-through so engineers can execute with clarity.
Required
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
  • 8+ years in a Technical Program Manager, Technical Project Manager, or senior technical leadership role on software-intensive systems.
  • Hands-on software development background or demonstrated depth in software architecture, implementation workflows, and technical risk assessment.
  • Proven ability to understand complex software systems, ask high-quality technical questions, and reason about architecture, interfaces, integration, and release risk.
  • Experience driving technical execution in hardware-integrated or embedded systems environments where software delivery is coupled to physical test milestones.
  • Strong organizational skills with a track record of managing integrated programs across multiple concurrent technical workstreams.
  • Clear, direct communicator able to translate technical plans, risks, and trade-offs for both engineering teams and program stakeholders.
  • Comfortable operating in fast-moving environments where requirements and program needs evolve quickly.
  • Proficiency with program management and collaboration tools such as Jira, ClickUp, Smartsheet, or similar.

 

This position must meet US export control compliance requirements, therefore a candidate must qualify as a “US Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15. “US Person” includes US Citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees.

Desired
  • Aerospace, defense, or robotics industry experience.
  • Experience supporting flight test programs or hardware development programs with tightly coupled software deliverables.
  • Prior experience as a software engineer, technical lead, systems engineer, project engineer, or integration engineer on a software-intensive system.
  • Familiarity with software configuration management and release processes for safety-critical or embedded systems.
  • Understanding of GNC, flight software, embedded systems, build systems, simulation, and modern software development processes.
  • Familiarity with systems engineering processes, including requirements management, V&V planning, traceability, and interface definition.
  • Experience managing cross-site technical execution or coordinating between engineering and flight test at different locations

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $173,400 - $238,400/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

About Joby Aviation

Joby Aviation is an aerospace company that is developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility. The company's aircraft is designed to be quiet, efficient, and environmentally friendly, and is intended to provide a faster and more convenient mode of transportation for urban commuters. Joby Aviation was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. The company has received funding from a variety of investors, including Toyota and JetBlue Technology Ventures.
Learn more about Joby Aviation
Size
500 employees
Market Cap
$2 billion
Industry
Founded
2009
NASDAQ

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