Back to jobs
Logo of Pivotal
Pivotal
Actively hiring

Senior Manager, Systems Engineering

Workplace
On-site
Commitment
Full-time
Seniority
Senior / Lead
Posted
Location
Palo Alto, United States

Pivotal is seeking a Senior Manager, Systems Engineering to lead the Systems Engineering team and drive system-level requirements, architecture, integration, verification, and validation across aircraft programs. This hands-on technical leadership role requires strong systems-engineering fundamentals and collaboration with hardware, software, GNC, aeromechanical, powertrain, manufacturing, and flight-test teams to ensure aircraft are developed and verified as integrated systems. The manager will own the requirements-management process, lead V&V plans, and drive technical integration across multiple disciplines.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and mentor Pivotal's Systems Engineering team, including requirements, systems integration, and verification activities.
  • Own the aircraft and subsystem requirements-management process in JAMA, including decomposition, allocation, traceability, baselines, change management, and verification closure.
  • Establish and maintain clear traceability from system requirements through lower-level requirements, verification requirements, test activities, and objective evidence.
  • Lead development and execution of aircraft-level Verification and Validation (V&V) plans, compliance matrices, test requirements, and verification reports.
  • Partner with engineering and flight-test teams to define verification through analysis, inspection, bench testing, SIL/HIL, ground test, UAV flight, and crewed flight as appropriate.
  • Lead system architecture, functional allocation, and critical hardware/software and subsystem interfaces.
  • Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and resolve cross-functional interface issues.
  • Drive technical integration across GNC, embedded software, electrical, battery, propulsion, aeromechanical, manufacturing, and flight test.
  • Lead or support technical reviews including SRR, CoDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and aircraft readiness reviews.
  • Ensure system safety, failure behavior, degraded modes, and identified hazards are appropriately captured in requirements and verification.
  • Support aircraft bring-up, troubleshooting, ground testing, and flight-test readiness.
  • Develop practical, scalable Systems Engineering processes that improve execution without creating unnecessary process overhead.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree or higher in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
  • 10+ years of engineering experience developing complex multidisciplinary systems, with demonstrated technical leadership or people-management experience.
  • Strong experience with requirements development, decomposition, allocation, traceability, and verification.
  • Experience with JAMA, DOORS, Polarion, Codebeamer, or similar requirements-management tools; JAMA experience strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience developing and executing system-level V&V programs.
  • Experience integrating complex hardware and software systems from development through test and release.
  • Experience developing system architectures and managing subsystem interfaces and ICDs.
  • Demonstrated technical depth in at least one discipline such as aircraft design, mechanical systems, electrical systems, embedded software, controls/GNC, autonomy, propulsion, or system integration and test.
  • Ability to investigate and resolve complex multidisciplinary technical problems across engineering teams.
  • Experience with aerospace, spacecraft, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or other safety-critical electromechanical products strongly preferred.
  • Experience with HIL/SIL, aircraft ground test, flight test, system safety, or structured aerospace development processes is preferred.
  • Strong communication skills and demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross-functional technical teams.

Benefits

  • Pivotal offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and 401k plans.