Senior Industrial Designer

Posted 4 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
In-Office
137K-188K Annually
Senior level
Aerospace • Automotive • Transportation
The Role
Design the visual and functional evolution of Joby’s eVTOL aircraft, including cabin interiors, ergonomics, CMF strategies, and brand touchpoints. Lead work from ideation and 3D surfacing through high-fidelity physical prototyping, collaborating with engineers and manufacturing teams. Create Class-A surfaces, support certification-conscious design, and ensure solutions balance passenger experience, premium aesthetics, sustainability, lightweight materials, manufacturability, and aerospace requirements.
Summary Generated by Built In
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

We are seeking a Senior Industrial Designer to design the aesthetic and functional evolution of our current aircraft and design what’s next. This role is at the intersection of aerospace precision and automotive-grade luxury, requiring a designer who can balance the "magic" of the passenger experience with the "mechanics" of FAA certification.

You will be responsible for defining the visual language of the Joby brand across physical touchpoints—from the cockpit ergonomics to the cabin textures—ensuring our aircraft is not just a feat of engineering, but a world-class product.

Responsibilities
  • End-to-End Design: Follow design process from blue-sky sketching and 2D ideation to 3D surface development and high-fidelity physical prototyping.
  • Interior & Human Factors: Design ergonomic, lightweight cabin environments, including seating, lighting, and stowage, focusing on "human-centric" design that meets Part 23 certification standards.
  • CMF Strategy: Develop and implement Color, Materials, and Finishes (CMF) strategies that prioritize sustainability, weight reduction, and premium aesthetics.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Cabin Design Engineers and Manufacturing Teams to ensure designs are optimized for high-volume carbon fiber production and assembly.
  • Digital & Physical Fusion: Work with CATIA to create Class-A surfaces while overseeing the creation of full-scale models for design validation.
  • Competitive Vision: Maintain a deep understanding of the eVTOL landscape and automotive trends to keep Joby at the forefront.
  • Brand awareness: Be a steward of the Joby brand and translate the brand across all products from the aircraft, infrastructure, marketing and digital products.
Required
  • Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, or a related field.
  • Experience: 8+ years of professional industrial design experience in Automotive, Aerospace, or Premium Transportation.
  • Portfolio: A world-class portfolio demonstrating a strong sense of form, sophisticated surfacing, and a deep understanding of user experience.
  • Technical Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in 3D modeling (CATIA 3DX or Rhino, Blender) and visualization tools (KeyShot, VRED, or Unreal Engine).
  • Materials Knowledge: Hands-on experience with advanced materials, including carbon fiber composites, technical textiles, and lightweight metallics.
  • Prototyping: Experience working with model shops to oversee the fabrication of high-fidelity physical prototypes.
Desired
  • Automotive and Aerospace Background: Experience in both Automotive and Aerospace Design is highly valued. Must have the ability to to have the design sensitivity found in car design combined with the real world experience of designing certified aircraft interiors,
  • Certification Mindset: Familiarity with FAA or EASA aerospace regulations and best practices is a significant plus.
  • Entrepreneurial Spirit: A "zero-ego" approach to feedback and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, iterative startup environment.
  • Visionary Thinking: Ability to simplify complex technical requirements into elegant, intuitive, and iconic design solutions.
Additional Information

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $136,500 - $187,700/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

Skills Required

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, or a related field
  • 8+ years of professional industrial design experience in automotive, aerospace, or premium transportation
  • World-class portfolio demonstrating strong form development, sophisticated surfacing, and user experience expertise
  • Expert-level proficiency in 3D modeling using CATIA 3DX, Rhino, or Blender
  • Proficiency with visualization tools such as KeyShot, VRED, or Unreal Engine
  • Hands-on experience with carbon fiber composites, technical textiles, and lightweight metallics
  • Experience collaborating with model shops to fabricate high-fidelity physical prototypes
  • Experience in both automotive and aerospace design
  • Familiarity with FAA or EASA aerospace regulations and best practices
  • Ability to work iteratively in a fast-paced startup environment with a zero-ego approach to feedback
  • Ability to simplify complex technical requirements into elegant, intuitive, and iconic design solutions

Joby Aviation Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Joby Aviation and has not been reviewed or approved by Joby Aviation.

  • Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellbeing perks are positioned as a meaningful part of the total package, including free daily meals and access to an on-site gym. These amenities are portrayed as reducing day-to-day costs and friction, making the overall rewards feel richer for some roles and sites.
  • Retirement Support — Retirement support is described as comprehensive, including a 401(k) plan with a company match. Ownership-oriented savings options like an ESPP are also included alongside retirement benefits.
  • Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity participation is a prominent component of total rewards through RSUs and an ESPP, making upside potential a core part of compensation design. This structure is framed as especially attractive when equity is valued as part of overall pay competitiveness.

Joby Aviation Insights

Am I A Good Fit?
beta
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.

The Company
HQ: Santa Cruz, CA
946 Employees
Year Founded: 2009

What We Do

Joby is a California-based company building quiet, all-electric aircraft to connect people like never before. With up to 150 miles of range and the ability to take off and land vertically, the Joby aircraft will change the way we move while reducing the acoustic and climate footprint of flight.

Similar Jobs

Intuitive Logo Intuitive

Designer

Healthtech • Robotics
In-Office
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
12000 Employees

Munchkin, Inc. Logo Munchkin, Inc.

Designer

Consumer Web • eCommerce • Food • Kids + Family • Design • Manufacturing
In-Office
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, CA, USA
325 Employees
90K-90K Annually

Revelyst Logo Revelyst

Designer

Fashion • Retail
In-Office
Irvine, CA, USA
2142 Employees
110K-130K Annually

Plaud.ai Logo Plaud.ai

Designer

Artificial Intelligence • Software • Generative AI
Hybrid
San Francisco, CA, USA
94 Employees
150K-250K Annually

Similar Companies Hiring

Ford Energy Thumbnail
Automotive • Software • Energy • Utilities • Manufacturing • Renewable Energy
US
55 Employees
Revel Thumbnail
Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software
Marina Del Rey, California
70 Employees
Vega Thumbnail
Artificial Intelligence • Automotive • Insurance • Transportation
US
65 Employees

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account