Senior Manager, Thermal Systems (Automotive)

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Based at the hirify.global corporate headquarters with 4–5 days per week in the office; regular in-person meetings and occasional travel are required.

Annual base salary: $180,000–$220,000, plus eligibility for an annual performance bonus.

Company

hirify.global is developing electric pickup trucks and rugged SUVs with all-electric and range-extender powertrains.

What you will do

• Lead, mentor, and develop multiple teams of Design Release Engineers while owning resource planning, staffing, and capability development.
• Direct the design, development, validation, and release of thermal systems across multiple vehicle programs.
• Provide technical oversight for system architecture, DFMEA, DVP&R, compliance, design changes, and engineering deliverables.
• Coordinate manufacturing, purchasing, quality, suppliers, production, finance, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Lead root-cause investigations, system issue resolution, simulation, HIL, bench, integration, and vehicle validation activities.
• Own KPIs and program risks related to quality, cost, timing, and performance while supporting audits and process compliance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in thermal or energy systems engineering and 5+ years in a leadership role managing teams or organizations.
• Strong expertise in vehicle thermal systems, including battery and HVAC systems, system architecture, and vehicle integration.
• Strong understanding of automotive communication protocols: CAN, LIN, and FlexRay.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work from the Charlotte headquarters 4–5 days per week and travel occasionally; a valid driver’s license is required.

Nice to have

• Understanding of Volkswagen Group processes.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to build new vehicle products and a company from the ground up.
• Medical, dental, vision, and income protection plans.
• 401(k) program with employer match and immediate vesting.
• Planned and unplanned paid time off, company or floating holidays, and up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Corporate vehicle program with eligibility for one assigned vehicle and a mobility stipend.