Pivotal Systems

Pivotal Systems

Senior Manager, Manufacturing Engineering - Electric Propulsion and Test

Palo Alto, CA · Senior

Sponsorship not specified$180k-$238kDetected 139 days ago
Project ManagementNegotiationSupply ChainLogisticsProcess ImprovementFirewallResearchCommunicationProblem Solving

About the role

  • Pivotal is the leader in the emerging market of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
  • Last year we announced our next-generation aircraft, the Helix, which is rapidly progressing toward general release and scalable production in 2026.
  • Mobility is one of the most highly-valued areas of modern technology investments.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the design and scaling of Pivotal's Electric Propulsion System production line - from concept to high-rate manufacturing - including layout, automation strategy, tooling, and ramp-up planning.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Design, Quality, Facilities, and Manufacturing teams to bring new electric motor and battery systems into production.
  • Design for Manufacturability (DFM) efforts to ensure products are built efficiently, safely, and at scale.
  • Develop and execute comprehensive manufacturing build plans - defining part flow, line layout, tools, equipment, and the manufacturing bill of materials (MBOM).
  • Specify and validate automation systems, tooling, and test equipment to support high-reliability production.
  • Perform PFMEA (Process Failure Mode & Effects Analysis) to proactively identify and mitigate risk in the production system.
  • Support first article builds and production validation testing to ensure process stability and repeatability.
  • Drive continuous improvement through Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies
  • Shall actively participate in supplier selection, equipment design review & price negotiation
  • Identify requirements and implement new tooling, fixtures & machines to implement Poka Yoke

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or similar technical field.
  • 12+ years of experience in an engineering role in an automated manufacturing environment.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, ability to concisely summarize and escalate complex topics
  • Experience transitioning automated systems from prototype to production
  • Experience creating test specification documentation and test limit management
  • Experience in battery manufacturing
  • Ability to travel both domestically and internationally as required
  • Demonstrated success at planning for and project managing equipment & facility installations.
  • Skilled in manufacturing and industrial engineering principles (OEE, cycle time analysis, Cp/Cpk, GR&R, ergonomics, DOE, quality control, equipment selection, return on investment, error proofing, supply chain & logistics)
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems using first principles, challenge assumptions and biased towards action
  • Proven technical leader that can lead and influence cross-functional teams
  • Experienced working within 2D & 3D CAD environments and various engineering tools
  • Demonstrates a proactive safety mindset by embedding safety into daily operations, identifying and mitigating risks through assessments and training, encouraging open dialogue on safety concerns, and continuously improving protocols to ensure a safe work environment.
  • Puts customers at the center of every action by deeply understanding their challenges, delivering exceptional value, and striving to exceed expectations to support their success as our core purpose.

Compensation

  • $180k-$238k

Company info

  • Our distinctive tilt-aircraft architecture and scalable platform have been flying for over 10 years.

This listing is sourced directly from Pivotal Systems's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.