Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Business Development Manager
at Joby Aviation
🏢 About Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation is pioneering electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to revolutionize urban mobility, focusing on sustainability with quiet, zero-emission flights. The company stands out for its advanced FAA-certified aircraft and partnerships with major players like Toyota and Delta, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future of transportation at the intersection of technology, infrastructure, and policy.
About This Role
This Senior Business Development Manager will drive strategic partnerships for Joby's air taxi service launch, managing deals across real estate, infrastructure, and public sectors to establish vertiport networks and operational frameworks. The role is impactful as it directly enables market entry by securing the physical and regulatory foundations needed for commercial eVTOL operations in the US.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day involves prospecting and evaluating potential vertiport site partners via calls and research, collaborating with the Policy team on government engagement strategies, and leading cross-functional meetings to align partnership projects with engineering and operational timelines. You might also draft deal proposals, report progress to executives, and analyze market data to refine Joby's regional launch plans.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Joby Aviation Is Looking For
- Has 5+ years in infrastructure or real estate business development, with proven success in complex, multi-stakeholder deals (e.g., airport agreements, public-private partnerships).
- Demonstrates experience building new markets from concept to execution, ideally in transportation, energy, or tech-enabled services, with portfolio examples.
- Possesses expertise in navigating governmental and regulatory processes, with ability to collaborate with policy teams to advance business objectives.
- Shows track record of cross-functional leadership, capable of working with engineering, operations, and C-suite to align partnership strategies with technical and business goals.
📝 Tips for Applying to Joby Aviation
Highlight specific infrastructure or real estate deals you've led, quantifying outcomes (e.g., 'secured 10 vertiport sites' or 'negotiated $5M partnership').
Tailor your resume to show experience with public-sector or regulatory engagements, as this role partners closely with Joby's Policy team.
Research and reference Joby's existing partnerships (e.g., with Delta, Toyota, or city initiatives) to demonstrate understanding of their ecosystem.
Emphasize remote collaboration skills, as this US-based role requires coordinating across teams and regions without in-person oversight.
Include metrics on market-building achievements, such as revenue growth, geographic expansion, or partnership pipelines developed from scratch.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain how your infrastructure business development experience aligns with Joby's need to establish vertiport networks and operational partnerships.", 'Describe a time you built a market or partnership from early concept through execution, tying it to eVTOL or similar tech-enabled services.', 'Highlight your ability to work cross-functionally, especially with policy or government relations teams, to advance business objectives.', "Express passion for sustainable mobility and how your skills can accelerate Joby's mission to transform transportation."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Study Joby's aircraft certification progress with the FAA and how it impacts partnership timelines for commercial launch.
- → Review Joby's existing partnerships (e.g., with Delta for air taxi integration, Toyota for manufacturing, or city MOUs) to understand their strategy.
- → Explore the regulatory landscape for eVTOL in the US, including FAA rules and state/local policies affecting infrastructure development.
- → Analyze competitor moves in urban air mobility (e.g., Archer, Lilium) to identify partnership opportunities or gaps Joby might address.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with generic business development experience without highlighting infrastructure, real estate, or public-sector deal expertise.
- Failing to demonstrate remote work discipline or cross-functional collaboration skills in a fast-paced, distributed team environment.
- Overlooking the policy and regulatory aspects of the role, as engagement with government agencies is critical to Joby's success.
📅 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!