Staff Airframe Stress Engineer (Santa Cruz)

Company OverviewImagine 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.OverviewJoby Aviation is seeking an experienced staff level Fatigue & Damage Tolerance (F&DT) engineer who believes in the ability of urban air mobility to positively impact our cities. This role is an exciting position within the structures engineering team, as it allows for the engineer to interface with many disciplines within the company and assume a major role in the design of the aircraft. Prototypes are designed quickly and efficiently, meaning attention to detail is critical. This team member will have extensive experience leading fatigue and damage tolerance efforts through aircraft development and certification programs and will serve as a subject matter expert for structural durability and airworthiness.ResponsibilitiesLead fatigue and damage tolerance substantiation of aircraft primary structuresDevelop fatigue and damage tolerance methodologies, certification strategies, and compliance approaches for aircraft certification programsPerform fatigue life assessments using analytical and numerical methodsConduct crack initiation, crack growth, and residual strength analyses using fracture mechanics principles and industry-standard tools such as NASGROSupport structural design development by identifying fatigue-critical features and recommending design improvementsDevelop structural fatigue and durability test programs, including coupon, element, subcomponent, and full-scale test strategiesAuthor fatigue and damage tolerance test plans, reports, and certification documentationDefine inspection intervals, structural maintenance requirements, and continued airworthiness programs based on damage tolerance assessmentsRequiredB.S in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or another related discipline8+ years of working experience in aerospace industry with significant emphasis on fatigue and damage toleranceDemonstrated experience performing fatigue and damage tolerance substantiation of primary aircraft structuresStrong knowledge of fatigue, fracture mechanics, and damage tolerance methodologiesExperience performing crack growth analyses using NASGRO or equivalent fracture mechanics softwareExperience developing fatigue substantiation strategies, certification plans, and compliance documentation for aircraft certification programsExperience developing and executing structural durability and fatigue test programs, including authoring test plans, test reports, and analysis reportsExperience developing structural inspection programs and continued airworthiness requirementsExperience developing mission spectra and fatigue load spectra for structural durability and damage tolerance assessmentsExperience supporting full-scale fatigue test campaigns and certification activitiesWorking knowledge of FAA Part 23 and/or Part 27 airworthiness requirements and associated guidance materialAbility to work onsite in Santa Cruz, CADesiredM.S. or Ph.D. in relevant discipline12+ years of working experience in aerospace industryExperience with both metallic and composite airframe structuresExperience supporting rotorcraft, or other highly fatigue-critical aerospace structuresFamiliarity with military and commercial fatigue and damage tolerance standardsExperience leading fatigue and damage tolerance activities through a complete aircraft certification programAdditional InformationCompensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $185,300 - $254,800/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.Job SummaryID: 2026-5227Category: Airframe & ActuatorsType: Regular Full-Time