Director of Mechanical Systems

Pyka is looking for a Director of Mechanical Systems to grow and lead a hardware focused team. 

You will set the direction on key engineering systems. You will own complex trades, helping your team weigh conflicting objectives like cost, performance, manufacturability, engineering time, etc. You will work directly with other managers as well as executive leadership in order to triage tasks and accomplish the company's objectives. You will oversee the refinement and scale up of our existing products and will take brand new products from conceptual design through to scaled production. Success in your role will meaningfully influence the rate at which our society transitions to electric aircraft. 

At Pyka, we prioritize fostering a positive culture built on collaboration, transparency, and employee happiness. We're seeking a Director of Mechanical Systems who shares these values and is passionate about leading our hardware-focused teams in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, manage, mentor and grow a world class team of mechanical engineers, hardware test engineers, and reliability engineers focused on all aspects of design and validation of complex hardware (aircraft structures, propulsion hardware, ground equipment)


• Lead by example in promoting a positive and collaborative work culture


• Ensure your team is equipped with the capabilities, tools and know-how to design, build and test hardware ranging from PLM to hardware bug tracking/resolution


• Manage complex, frequently conflicting priorities, helping the team balance performance targets, cost targets, reliability targets, production targets, and schedule risk


• Act as the primary interface with other key leaders within the company, helping unblock projects, manage conflicting priorities, predict future bottlenecks, etc


• Develop and champion rigorous yet efficient design processes 


• Mentor team members from L2 to staff level engineers


• Curate and maintain a small set of key metrics that track the performance of your team and report said metrics to the rest of the company in a way that inspires progress and, as required, course corrections

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience designing, testing, and deploying complex hardware systems (vehicles preferred)


• Experience successfully taking a complex hardware system from prototype through to production (ideally >100x units/year with a product of similar complexity to our vehicle)


• Past experience leading an engineering team in a fast paced R&D/NPI environment 


• Deep understanding of engineering systems and the ability to implement right-sized systems as Pyka grows


• Deep knowledge of the physics, failure modes, and design practices relating to complex electro-mechanical systems


• Superb communication skills with the ability to deftly handle conflicting priorities and gain alignment across different departments


• Value simplicity and pace in both the way you design and the way you work


• Have demonstrated principal level IC capabilities in your career

Company Perks

• $220,000–$270,000 per year base salary + equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Salary ranges are subject to change.


• Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance


• FSA with employer matching


• 401(k)


• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off


• Voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance


• Pre-tax commuter benefits


• Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks

Export Control Requirements

This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls.  Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items. 

Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.

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We do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.