Aerospace & Defense E-3 Sponsorship Jobs in California
California is one of the most active states for aerospace and defense hiring, with major employers like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and SpaceX operating large engineering and research facilities across the state. Australian engineers and technical professionals seeking E-3 visa sponsorship will find concentrated opportunities in the Los Angeles Basin, San Diego, and the Bay Area.
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Imagine 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.
Overview:
The Tooling planning team is the bridge between design and fabrication teams within the Tooling operation, while simultaneously keeping customer teams connected to their projects in real time. Being the Senior Tooling Planner is a very important role. You are the operational backbone, and are responsible for getting tooling to the customer while ensuring all aspects of the projects satisfy the engineering drawing. This role requires someone to be in the loop 24/7 and a circular mindset that what goes out the door could come back in the door at any time. So let’s fix it once, and fix it right. This role will report directly to the Tooling Operation Manager and work closely with the Tooling Design Lead to ensure tight coordination across all Tooling teams. This is not a remote position and you are required to be on-site fulltime.
Responsibilities:
Tooling Operation:
- Monitor the status of all active shop floor jobs and maintain the planning/task board to ensure all tickets are up to date and project milestones are met
- Create and track project schedules to align priorities across in-house and vendor tools
- Monitor and report tool status of outside supplier tools and machine shop tickets
- Lead and manage weekly shop-floor meetings to keep tooling projects moving and gather real-time updates on current tooling projects
- Address resource imbalances and communicate staffing needs to Tooling leads
- Commit to leading by example and maintaining a clean, safe, and orderly work area
- Demonstrate extreme ownership for all active tooling projects across the operation
- Generate & Oversee ION work instructions to ensure accuracy and run completeness
- Enforce adherence & sign-offs to ION work instructions across all processes
Quality Inspection:
- Support Quality troubleshooting for receiving inspection issues, including missing inspection reports, missing tool tags, tool-to-drawing mismatches, mirror tool discrepancies, and ION-related issues
- Support tool tag and asset ID issue resolution in coordination with the asset tracking process
Work Stoppages:
- Support & categorize work stoppages and rework events, coordinating rapid response to keep production moving when tooling related issues occur
- Facilitate and plan swift tooling repairs by order of urgency, schedule planned fixture maintenance, and minimize work stoppages on the production line
- Coordinate issue resolution with stakeholders daily to support a timely resolution
Required:
- Bachelor Degree and at least 3 years of experience in manufacturing roles or 7+ years of related industry experience, regardless of education level
- Clear examples of hands-on mechanical build, assembly, or troubleshooting projects
- Experience in a machine shop / manufacturing environment preferred
- Past role in a prototype job shop or high mix / low volume situation
- Experience navigating within one of several major 3D CAD systems (CATIA, NX, Solidworks, or Creo)
- Excellent verbal communication with internal departments and external vendors
- Strong computer skills; proficient with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat
- Experience coordinating and prioritizing multiple projects to meet deadlines
Desired:
- Bachelor Degree and at least 3 years of experience in manufacturing roles
- PMP or equivalent project management certification
- 3+ years managing cross-functional improvement projects
- Prior experience as a manufacturing planner, project manager, or shop admin
- Experience utilizing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or equivalent software
- Familiarity with major CAD systems, CNC equipment operation, and aerospace
- Familiar with GD&T and drafting practices in compliance with ASME Y14.5
- Experience automating business processes with AI
- Familiarity with tooling processes and materials used in composite part manufacturing and assembly
Additional Information:
Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $105,500 - $145,100/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
Company Overview:
Imagine 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.
Overview:
The Tooling planning team is the bridge between design and fabrication teams within the Tooling operation, while simultaneously keeping customer teams connected to their projects in real time. Being the Senior Tooling Planner is a very important role. You are the operational backbone, and are responsible for getting tooling to the customer while ensuring all aspects of the projects satisfy the engineering drawing. This role requires someone to be in the loop 24/7 and a circular mindset that what goes out the door could come back in the door at any time. So let’s fix it once, and fix it right. This role will report directly to the Tooling Operation Manager and work closely with the Tooling Design Lead to ensure tight coordination across all Tooling teams. This is not a remote position and you are required to be on-site fulltime.
Responsibilities:
Tooling Operation:
- Monitor the status of all active shop floor jobs and maintain the planning/task board to ensure all tickets are up to date and project milestones are met
- Create and track project schedules to align priorities across in-house and vendor tools
- Monitor and report tool status of outside supplier tools and machine shop tickets
- Lead and manage weekly shop-floor meetings to keep tooling projects moving and gather real-time updates on current tooling projects
- Address resource imbalances and communicate staffing needs to Tooling leads
- Commit to leading by example and maintaining a clean, safe, and orderly work area
- Demonstrate extreme ownership for all active tooling projects across the operation
- Generate & Oversee ION work instructions to ensure accuracy and run completeness
- Enforce adherence & sign-offs to ION work instructions across all processes
Quality Inspection:
- Support Quality troubleshooting for receiving inspection issues, including missing inspection reports, missing tool tags, tool-to-drawing mismatches, mirror tool discrepancies, and ION-related issues
- Support tool tag and asset ID issue resolution in coordination with the asset tracking process
Work Stoppages:
- Support & categorize work stoppages and rework events, coordinating rapid response to keep production moving when tooling related issues occur
- Facilitate and plan swift tooling repairs by order of urgency, schedule planned fixture maintenance, and minimize work stoppages on the production line
- Coordinate issue resolution with stakeholders daily to support a timely resolution
Required:
- Bachelor Degree and at least 3 years of experience in manufacturing roles or 7+ years of related industry experience, regardless of education level
- Clear examples of hands-on mechanical build, assembly, or troubleshooting projects
- Experience in a machine shop / manufacturing environment preferred
- Past role in a prototype job shop or high mix / low volume situation
- Experience navigating within one of several major 3D CAD systems (CATIA, NX, Solidworks, or Creo)
- Excellent verbal communication with internal departments and external vendors
- Strong computer skills; proficient with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat
- Experience coordinating and prioritizing multiple projects to meet deadlines
Desired:
- Bachelor Degree and at least 3 years of experience in manufacturing roles
- PMP or equivalent project management certification
- 3+ years managing cross-functional improvement projects
- Prior experience as a manufacturing planner, project manager, or shop admin
- Experience utilizing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or equivalent software
- Familiarity with major CAD systems, CNC equipment operation, and aerospace
- Familiar with GD&T and drafting practices in compliance with ASME Y14.5
- Experience automating business processes with AI
- Familiarity with tooling processes and materials used in composite part manufacturing and assembly
Additional Information:
Compensation at Joby is a combination of base pay and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). The target base pay for this position is $105,500 - $145,100/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
E-3 Aerospace & Defense Job Roles in California
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Search Aerospace & Defense Jobs in CaliforniaAerospace & Defense E-3 Sponsorship Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which aerospace and defense companies sponsor E-3 visas in California?
California's largest aerospace and defense employers, including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Boeing, and SpaceX, have established sponsorship track records for skilled visa holders. Smaller defense contractors and aerospace suppliers operating across the Los Angeles Basin and San Diego corridor also participate in E-3 visa sponsorship, though sponsorship policies vary by hiring team and role.
Which cities in California have the most aerospace and defense E-3 sponsorship jobs?
The Los Angeles Basin, particularly El Segundo, Redondo Beach, and Palmdale, concentrates the highest density of aerospace and defense employers in California, anchored by major defense primes and space companies. San Diego is a strong secondary market, especially for defense electronics and naval systems roles. The Bay Area and Sacramento region offer additional opportunities in space technology and defense-adjacent engineering.
What types of aerospace and defense roles typically qualify for E-3 sponsorship?
Roles that require at least a bachelor's degree in a directly related technical field tend to qualify as specialty occupations for E-3 purposes. In aerospace and defense, this commonly includes aerospace engineering, systems engineering, avionics, software engineering for embedded systems, structural analysis, and propulsion engineering. Positions where a specific degree is genuinely required, not merely preferred, are better positioned to meet the specialty occupation standard.
How do I find aerospace and defense E-3 sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate is specifically built for international job seekers and filters aerospace and defense roles in California that are open to E-3 visa sponsorship, saving you from manually sorting through thousands of listings. Using Migrate Mate, you can browse verified sponsorship-friendly employers in the sector, filter by California location, and identify which companies have active openings suited to Australian engineers and technical professionals.
Are there any California-specific or industry-specific considerations for E-3 sponsorship in aerospace and defense?
Many California aerospace and defense roles involve work on classified U.S. government programs, which require a U.S. security clearance. Australian citizens on E-3 visas are generally not eligible for U.S. security clearances, which can exclude a meaningful portion of defense contractor openings. Focusing on unclassified programs, commercial space, or dual-use technology roles within these companies is a more practical approach for E-3 holders.
What is the prevailing wage for E-3 aerospace & defense jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.