Joby Overview

Located in Northern California, the Joby Aviation team is steadily working toward our goal of creating an affordable, all-electric air transportation system. Imagine an air taxi that takes off vertically, then quietly and quickly carries you over the traffic congestion below, giving you back the time that otherwise would have spent sitting in traffic. Since 2009, our team has been making this dream a reality, designing and flight testing a prototype aircraft capable of serving in a network of electric air taxis. We’re looking for talented individuals to join our team as we push onwards toward certifying the aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration and preparing for commercialization with launch targeted in select markets for 2024. 

Overview

The Joby Aviation management team is searching for a Head of Software to serve as the company’s most senior software leader and help bring Joby’s revolutionary aircraft to market. The Head of SW will manage all SW teams and work focused on the aircraft’s diverse software portfolio which includes all the embedded code, as well as significant simulator and infrastructure development. The presence of additional software development that happens outside of the software organization will require tight coordination between internal teams (Flight Physics, Electronic Controls, and the customer-facing Product team). In this role you will report directly to the Head of Aircraft OEM, while partnering extensively with Systems Engineering, Test Engineering, Powertrain & Electronics, and other Joby teams.

This role requires a leader with three critical skill sets: management skills, modern software development understanding, and safety-critical aerospace software development. Success in the role will require a flexible mindset that can continually bring clarity to ambiguous, novel situations, while simultaneously tracking and driving execution across a broad multi-stakeholder team. Additionally, the new Head of SW will have excellent leadership and emotional intelligence capabilities to gain the trust and respect of the team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and implement solid program management processes: modern schedule planning, risk management, management of technical debt, clear and consistent metrics and status reporting, budget and headcount planning, resource loading and allocation
• Collaborate with other team leads and align software development projects with Joby’s priorities to deliver on company goals and objectives
• Identify developing problem areas, track risks, and marshal resources as needed to clear roadblocks and achieve resolutions
• Lead the software organization by emphasizing and demonstrating servant leadership, empathetic listening, a strong ethical compass, valuing and promoting top talent in an unbiased manner, and effective mentorship
• Hire, retain and develop software talent across Joby Aviation

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 15+ years of experience in software development. An advanced degree preferred
• Clear understanding of safety and mission-critical systems and industry standards
• Experience leading and managing large, diverse software teams executing multiple projects under timelines and shifting priorities
• Modern Software Development Understanding: Agile Development, Continuous Integration, Object-Oriented Development, Model-based Development, Leading edge toolsets and techniques (e.g., Sphinx, Kubernetes, Docker, BDD), Software/Hardware Codesign (e.g., compiled code, FPGA development), Multicore processor Management
• Fit with Joby culture: strong bias toward collaboration, respect, a dedication to reinventing the possible; transparency, and checking one’s ego at the door
• Dedicated to empowering and building strong teams and the next generation of software leaders
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills with a variety of personalities and positions
• Ability to convert complex software information into understandable messaging
• Strong business acumen, robust critical thinking, and limitless intellectual curiosity
• Ability to spool up quickly and work in a fast-paced environment
• Uncompromised ethics and integrity

Desired

• Aerospace Software Development:
• Requirements-Driven Development
• Requirements-Driven Verification
• Rigorous Documentation
• Familiarity with the objectives of DO-178C and its associated technical supplements
• Familiarity with regulatory process and expectations
• Familiarity with aviation, automotive, or medical device industry regulatory and policy environment
• Extensive knowledge of one or more of the following: DO-178 (B or C), ISO 26262, IEC 61508, ARP 4754A/4761, MIL-STD-882, IEEE 12207 standards
• Advanced degree preferred

Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $214,700-$286,300/year. 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 Aviation is an Equal Opportunity Employer