Application Guide
How to Apply for Product Management Lead
at Joby Aviation
🏢 About Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation is pioneering electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to revolutionize urban mobility, combining aerospace innovation with sustainability. Unlike traditional aviation companies, Joby focuses on quiet, emission-free air travel for daily commutes, positioning itself at the forefront of the emerging advanced air mobility industry. Working here offers the chance to shape the future of transportation while contributing to environmental solutions.
About This Role
As Product Management Lead for Factory Systems, you'll oversee the team responsible for digital tools and platforms that enable aircraft manufacturing, from ERP to shop-floor execution systems. This role directly impacts production efficiency and scalability as Joby ramps up manufacturing of its eVTOL aircraft. You'll balance immediate factory needs with long-term strategic vision, making this critical for achieving mass production goals.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve morning stand-ups with the Factory Systems product team to review platform performance, followed by deep-dive sessions with manufacturing engineers to analyze production bottlenecks. You could spend afternoons defining requirements for a new MES feature to improve shop-floor data collection, then collaborate with supply chain stakeholders to align system updates with inventory needs. The role blends strategic planning (roadmap reviews) with hands-on problem-solving (addressing real-time factory issues).
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Joby Aviation Is Looking For
- Has 8+ years in product management or technical leadership within manufacturing, aerospace, or automotive sectors, with hands-on experience with ERP/MES systems
- Demonstrates expertise in root-cause analysis of cross-functional issues spanning engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain systems
- Possesses a technical background (Engineering, Computer Science, or Industrial Engineering degree) combined with experience delivering large-scale systems with multiple dependencies
- Can articulate experience defining product roadmaps that align manufacturing operations with broader enterprise strategy
📝 Tips for Applying to Joby Aviation
Highlight specific experience with factory systems like ERP, MES, inventory management, or configuration management—mentioning specific platforms (e.g., SAP, Oracle) adds credibility
Quantify achievements related to improving manufacturing efficiency, reducing downtime, or scaling production in previous roles, as Joby is entering a high-growth phase
Tailor your resume to show both technical depth (systems delivery) and leadership (team development) since the role requires managing a product team
Research Joby's manufacturing progress (e.g., their pilot production facility in Marina, CA) and reference how your skills align with their production scaling challenges
Use keywords from the job description like 'factory platforms,' 'cross-functional issues,' and 'shop-floor execution' to pass initial screening by recruiters focused on manufacturing systems
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain how your product management philosophy aligns with balancing immediate production needs and long-term strategy, referencing Joby's transition from R&D to manufacturing", 'Provide a brief example of leading end-to-end delivery of a complex factory system, emphasizing root-cause analysis and collaboration with engineering/manufacturing teams', "Express passion for sustainable transportation and how factory systems contribute to Joby's mission of eco-friendly air mobility", "Mention any familiarity with aerospace manufacturing standards or regulatory environments, as this adds relevance to Joby's certified aircraft production"]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Study Joby's manufacturing updates, including their production facility in Marina, CA, and partnerships with companies like Toyota to understand their production scale and challenges
- → Review Joby's FAA certification progress (e.g., Part 135 air carrier certificate) and how factory systems must support certified aircraft manufacturing
- → Explore the advanced air mobility industry landscape, including competitors like Archer or Lilium, to contextualize Joby's position and manufacturing urgency
- → Learn about Joby's sustainability mission and how factory systems (e.g., reducing waste, optimizing energy use) contribute to their eco-friendly goals
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with generic product management experience without highlighting manufacturing, aerospace, or complex systems delivery—this role is highly specialized
- Failing to demonstrate understanding of factory operations (e.g., confusing ERP with CRM systems) or using non-manufacturing examples in interviews
- Overemphasizing software product management without connecting it to physical production environments, as this role requires bridging digital tools and factory floors
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!