About This Role
Joby Aviation is seeking a Staff Operational Test Pilot for its Advanced Development organization in Concord, California. The pilot will serve as a senior technical authority for operational evaluations of the J208 aircraft, a Cessna Caravan integrated with Superpilot autonomy technology. The role combines onboard pilot-in-command duties during automated flight evaluations, Ground Control Station operation during uncrewed missions, flight-operations leadership, customer engagement, operational risk management, and close collaboration with developmental engineering and software teams. The position includes mentoring junior pilots and remote operators and requires travel of approximately 50% within the United States and internationally.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Act as the senior onboard pilot-in-command for J208 flight evaluations, retaining complete authority over automated flight operations in complex environments.
- Operate Ground Control Stations during uncrewed operational evaluations and define standard operating procedures for GCS interaction.
- Serve in flight-operations leadership roles for deployed evaluation teams, potentially including designation as Director of Flight Operations.
- Present product capabilities and operational progress to prospective and current military and civil customers.
- Work directly with developmental engineering and software teams to establish feedback loops that translate operational lessons learned into product updates.
- Lead operational risk management, safety evaluation, and compliance frameworks across deployed flight-testing environments.
- Mentor junior operational test pilots and remote operators while traveling up to 50% CONUS/OCONUS, and act as pilot in command during low-risk developmental flight testing at the home station.
What We Offer
Compensation combines base pay with Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).Joby offers paid time off, healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan with company match, an employee stock purchase plan, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, and additional benefits.
Requirements
- Required qualifications include a bachelor's degree in engineering or an aviation-related discipline with at least 8 years of relevant operational flight-test experience, a master's degree with at least 6 years, or equivalent practical experience. Candidates must hold an ASEL Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating, have extensive pilot-in-command experience in operational flight test, tactical flight operations, or advanced-technology evaluations, be able to hold and maintain an FAA First or Second Class Medical Certificate, and possess an active US Security Clearance or be able to obtain and maintain one after hire. Applicants must be willing and able to travel roughly 50% domestically and internationally and must qualify as a US Person under 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 for export-control compliance
- the posting identifies US citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees as examples. Desired qualifications include prior service as a Director of Flight Operations, Chief Pilot, or Military Flight Commander
- direct Cessna 208 Caravan or turboprop flight-test experience
- experience integrating autonomous flight-control systems, UAS Ground Control Stations, or human-on-the-loop technologies
- military aviation experience
- and operational test-pilot experience.